Help: Get Parents to Accept the Fact that I am a Gamer/Otaku

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ThatOtakuGuy

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Apr 18, 2010
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I, like many of the lovely visitors of this site, am an avid fan of gaming/anime/zombies/sci-fi/everything else that is commonly associated with what people perceive as being "nerdy" (No one likes the N-Word).

About 20 minutes ago, I was watching Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo. For those not in the know, Gankutsuou is the sci-fi adaptation of a 17th century French story of romance, revenge, phillosophy, justice, repentance, etc etc etc.

While in the middle of watching an action scene, my dad came up to the TV. I could see that he was struggling not to laugh, so I called him out on it. Denying it at first, he broke down and admitted that the show reminded him of a cartoon I had watched as a child called Liberty's Kids, about two teenagers witnessing the events of the American Revolution.

You may ask, "What do these two things have anything to do with each other?" The answer for my dad was, "They're both animated". I've bought several anime dvds, many maaaaannnnyyyy manga, and have a bleach and death note poster up in my room (Put up on the wall over my door so that no one will see it unless they are looking for it, my parent's condition for puting it up).

My question to the Escapisters (Escapees, Escapiters, etc ad infinitum) is this: How can I get my parents to accept the fact that I'm a "nerd" (here used to describe their point of view, as I hate that word with every fiber of my being) and stop making fun of my chosen mediums of entertainment (games, anime, etc)?
 

Aidinthel

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Apr 3, 2010
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If all they do is laugh, I don't think you've got much of a problem. Yeah, it isn't ideal, but at least they don't think you're going to hell for it like some horror stories I've heard.
 

ThatOtakuGuy

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Apr 18, 2010
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Aidinthel said:
If all they do is laugh, I don't think you've got much of a problem. Yeah, it isn't ideal, but at least they don't think you're going to hell for it like some horror stories I've heard.

Think you're going to hell??? Jeez, I feel bad for whoever is born to those culture-haters.
 

Canid117

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Oct 6, 2009
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If you were really a Japanophile you would not like the label Otaku. It has a very negative connotation and I know that without even being one.
 

warrcry13

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Jun 6, 2010
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I embrace my nerdiness. I love it, and I let my family know I love it. Granted my nerdiness goes to games books, and an awful obsession with Warhammer40k and some warhammer, and many other things, but those are the biggest.. My family knows it makes me happy, and therefore they don't care.


Aidinthel I like your avatar.
 

ThatOtakuGuy

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Apr 18, 2010
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I use the term to be understandable to those who don't know of the connotation. I don't usually use it myself. I'm not a Japanophile in the "weeabu" sense (ie. Thinking that Japanese culture is better than western culture without having been to Japan), I just happen to like some forms of entertainment that are Japanese.
 

Aidinthel

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Apr 3, 2010
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ThatOtakuGuy said:
Aidinthel said:
If all they do is laugh, I don't think you've got much of a problem. Yeah, it isn't ideal, but at least they don't think you're going to hell for it like some horror stories I've heard.

Think you're going to hell??? Jeez, I feel bad for whoever is born to those culture-haters.
That's an extreme case, and a bit of hyperbole. But seriously, unless they're actually restricting what you can watch/play/read or standing there glaring all the time when you do, I'd advise just ignoring them. You can try showing them Cowboy Bebop or something (my dad actually watched it before me), but if it isn't their thing just learn to get along.

warrcry13 said:
Aidinthel I like your avatar.
Thank you. Omnissiah's blessing be upon you.
 

TheYellowCellPhone

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Sep 26, 2009
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They laughed?

You have nothing to worry about, they accept it but are probably a bit taken back on first seeing it.

If, however, they forbid you from seeing it, remind them that games, anime, manga, and the like are all a media, similar to TV, that you probably watch.
 

Dango

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Feb 11, 2010
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You just need to explain anime to them, that's what I did, and now my parents actually support my hobby of anime watching.
 

Obrien Xp

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Sep 27, 2009
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I hated Liberty's Kids, why did they replace Redwall with it on PBS?!?

Then again, I'm descended from UEL's so I should think its a bad show.

On topic, there isn't much you can do about it. You can sit them down and have them watch Hellsing (just for an example) to show how "cartoons" aren't always childish.

The best thing you can do is just ignore their comments. Eventually they'll get used to your "nerdiness" and stop pestering you.
 

Irony's Acolyte

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Mar 9, 2010
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It didn't really sound like you were being persecuted. If your dad was laughing at you because (in his mind) anything animation is kids stuff, then I think yeah you might need to enlighten them a bit by showing them some mature animation (and not just porn, something that is very cerebral). But it sounds like he saw something animated, thought of the Liberty Kids (which I actually think I have seen before, oddly enough), and laughed at the memory of the Liberty Kids. In which case you seem to be a little over-defensive here.

But if you are getting persecuted a bit for you interests I think you should find some way of showing them that its good entertainment and that it isn't worthless. Try to relate what you're interested in with what they're interested in. It might make them realize that they are just different genres. If that doesn't work just learn to live with it. Some people aren't going to appreciate or even acknowledge what you're interested in. Don't let it get you down.
 

ThatOtakuGuy

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Apr 18, 2010
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They haven't actually done anything that extreme. I've seen Cowboy Bebop, Elfen Lied, Death Note, etc. They don't really put a limit on my viewing unless its straight-up bloodfests or porn. (It may help to know that I'm 15, just so my age is a point of reference)

On a side note, I actually remember playing Cowboy Bebop on my car's dvd player while on a drive, and my parents, without even looking at it, told me that they didn't like it. Why? "The opening music is bad". Tank, the opening for CB, is a masterpiece of music that I, as a musician, can appreciate just as much as anyone else. The harmony, the syncopation, the tempo, the rythem, the melody, THAT SONG IS JUST PURE WIN!!! (But I'm getting side-tracked again)
 

Mr.France

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Jul 14, 2010
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Aidinthel said:
If all they do is laugh, I don't think you've got much of a problem. Yeah, it isn't ideal, but at least they don't think you're going to hell for it like some horror stories I've heard.
Agreed. It sure is not nice when your parents laugh at he things you like the most but hey, imagine that they could get everything in your room that they did not approve and throw it all away. I don't think they disapprove your "nerdy" (I don't mean to offend you) tendencies, I just think they find it odd.
 

hittite

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Convert them. All shall join the Nerdy Collective.

How? I 'unno. My parents are the ones who introduced me to Star Trek and Star Wars. They're almost as nerdy as I am.
 

ThatOtakuGuy

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Apr 18, 2010
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Irony said:
It didn't really sound like you were being persecuted. If your dad was laughing at you because (in his mind) anything animation is kids stuff, then I think yeah you might need to enlighten them a bit by showing them some mature animation (and not just porn, something that is very cerebral). But it sounds like he saw something animated, thought of the Liberty Kids (which I actually think I have seen before, oddly enough), and laughed at the memory of the Liberty Kids. In which case you seem to be a little over-defensive here.

But if you are getting persecuted a bit for you interests I think you should find some way of showing them that its good entertainment and that it isn't worthless. Try to relate what you're interested in with what they're interested in. It might make them realize that they are just different genres.

Sounds like a good idea. Its not the comments that really bother me so much, its their bits of shame. "Don't only talk about the anime (And its always "The anime" or "the comics" or "the gaming" or "the manga"), Don't just talk about games, Put your posters up where you can't see them right away. I know that it shouldn't bother me, but after a while, it gets to you. If someone was, hypothetically, constantly made fun of for liking, say, Middle-Eastern music, you could brush it off, sure, but after, say, 3 or 4 years, it starts getting grating.
 

ThatOtakuGuy

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Apr 18, 2010
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Mr.France said:
Aidinthel said:
If all they do is laugh, I don't think you've got much of a problem. Yeah, it isn't ideal, but at least they don't think you're going to hell for it like some horror stories I've heard.
Agreed. It sure is not nice when your parents laugh at he things you like the most but hey, imagine that they could get everything in your room that they did not approve and throw it all away. I don't think they disapprove your "nerdy" (I don't mean to offend you) tendencies, I just think they find it odd.

No Problem. I have no problem with other people interested in non-mainstream subjects using the word....On second thought, the terms "nerd" or "geek" are a little less wordy than "people interested in non-mainstream subjects".
 

Koroviev

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As long as your folks don't interfere with your pursuits, I don't see a problem. Sure, my parents don't get it, but then, I don't get what they like either. To each their own.
 

ThatOtakuGuy

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Apr 18, 2010
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HankMan said:
I wouldn't say, based on the incident you described, that they have a problem accepting that you like anime. You're dad obviously just doesn't know shit about cartoons. I've seen Liberty's Kids: comparing that to anime is laughable. The fan service is deplorable!

What does your poster look like exactly?


This


http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://leahscritique.com/__oneclick_uploads/2008/12/death-note_poster2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://leahscritique.com/category/anime/anime-thriller/&usg=__WCJP2xDFsAsBOHOxYxnRaU_IYvE=&h=2912&w=1996&sz=888&hl=en&start=0&sig2=hsi-QvVih4ZEDNZZiYUo8g&zoom=1&tbnid=vVdHzG3J_U9rHM:&tbnh=170&tbnw=117&ei=-snMTM-2N4P78Aa5rdyCAQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddeath%2Bnote%2Bposter%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7TSNA%26biw%3D1276%26bih%3D615%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=47&oei=-snMTM-2N4P78Aa5rdyCAQ&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=14&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0&tx=91&ty=38