Wasians/Wannabe Asians.

[Guest psquare6806]

I don't mind if like they ADMIRE the asian culture because it's intresting to them, but it starts to bug me when they only admire it because it's a trend or something. >[

[Guest SOLO]

But lemme ask yall sumfin, do you all think Jin the Emcee is a wanksta?

No he's not a 'wanksta' because he doesn't talk about being 'gangsta' in his songs. He is a richard simmons tho, if anyone knows what happened at Yellow then you know what i'm talkin about

[Guest AtomicNorthernLights]

is that the situation pertaining to kamikaze grey?

plus jin is a positive emcee and the producers at ruff ryders john teshed his career like wyclef john teshed canibus's career

[Guest SOLO]

is that the situation pertaining to kamikaze grey?

plus jin is a positive emcee and the producers at ruff ryders john teshed his career like wyclef john teshed canibus's career

no, the one with gkay

[Guest JF21©]

..and if you want to get technical white people invented the automobile, the computer, the internet, the integrated circuit, penicillin, the airplane, hip hopand classical music, the legal system, most modern

clothes, and yes even condoms, so I guess using all those things would be a white thing to do right? so please let's not play this who's trying to be who game because you guys will lose

you cant be serious.... white ppl invented hip hop?! lmao...thats good. you should do stand up...agreed hip hop is one of the most popular forms of music, but please give credit where its due...on the other stuff you said(sorry i had to edit some of it out) i somewhat agree about the whole ''fashion'' thing...

...

So, if 'white people' use China silverware, its a chinese thing to do

then? We all know our silverware is basically made in China to begin

with. --;;

So, yes, all of us should stop this game.

word, we're all just talking in circles.

[Guest harako]

Okay, so how come people who like anime and asian stuff are automatically called "Wasian" but if an asian is into black culture they are not called "wankstas" or "Wanna be black"??

Only the ONES THAT GO OVERBOARD are called "wasians". There's nothing wrong with liking anime and asian stuff. How many times does that have to be frickin' repeated?

I've met a lot of asians that are into the black culture. But so is every other teen out there-- it's popular everywhere, duh. Even the French listen to rap and memorize songs in English w/o knowing what it means.

''

[coffee]

Lol. I knowww.

But then most of the wannabe asians I've seen come from the wannabe Japanese people who only like it because of anime.

._o Those are the real annoying ones.

YES. I can't stand people who are wannabe ANIME. If there were no such thing as anime, I doubt they would want to be Japanese anymore. That's the only thing that bothers me. Because they're not even trying to be Japanese, they're just trying to act like an anime character.

But if they just really like the culture, I think it's fine. I mean.. even if they're like obsessed and trying to speak the language, I still think it's ok. As long as they don't actually start believing that they are that ethnicity, and that they still have pride in their own country.

[Guest MUXU]

i havent met a wasian before..so i dont know

i would like to meet one

[Guest milkbunny]

hhahahahaha i find it funny[me and my friends had the same convo today], ehh its alrite , sometimes it annoys me ,but as long they don't damage the asian reputation. ^^;;

[Guest Melyxcious]

YES. I can't stand people who are wannabe ANIME. If there were no such thing as anime, I doubt they would want to be Japanese anymore. That's the only thing that bothers me. Because they're not even trying to be Japanese, they're just trying to act like an anime character.

But if they just really like the culture, I think it's fine. I mean.. even if they're like obsessed and trying to speak the language, I still think it's ok. As long as they don't actually start believing that they are that ethnicity, and that they still have pride in their own country.

^I know so much people who are LIKE that. it's like soo.. omfggg i hate it. it irritates me so much :T

in the first high school i went to, i had friends who only wanted to be my friend because I'm asian. I'm like wtf? I have friends who WISHED they were japanese. that sometimes they'll be like "I hate being white." or whatever. I ask them what's wrong with being what you are? and i would get "cuz asians are cool. Asian pride!"

..i just.. stare.. at them x___X;;

oh yeah and they're all anime fans also. The whole japanese classes are FILLED with mainly all anime fans who are ALWAYS cosplaying when it's just.. a normal day at school? O_o; always dressing in gothic lolita and it's just.. um.. okay x_X;;;

What also bugs me are the asians who wish they were another asian race.. I know a few people who go around saying that they're "half korean or chinese/japanese" when it's obvious that they're not :\

[Guest silhouette]

my friend is white and he likes asian stuff...i think its cool, he's a hard boiled egg, white on the outside yellow on the inside =D

[Guest Fizzlestickz]

Personally, I have to deal with wasians everyday during the school year. I go to a school with a lot of goths, the majority of them are wannabe japanese. What do goth people like best? Pocky. Wait, ANIME. They think just because they watch anime means they have to learn japanese. Gosh, it's quite annoying. This goth girl randomly yells in japanese sometimes. It's weird.

[catchlight]

Well as far as I know, I haven't been made fun of (in a disparaging way) for the way I am..in other words I haven't really encountered the persons in here that say "those people are so annoying and it's so sad that they're turning away from their own culture." Rather, I've gotten things like "Wow you're really interesting! I've never met anybody like you haha" and the ever-popular "You are waay more Asian than I am!" So I don't know maybe I am a special case, but for those who would suggest that I am leaving some other culture behind..a culture that I was "born with" in exchange for one that I shouldn't be involved in, I would like to say that cultural identity, rather than a predetermined path at birth, is a conscious decision that can even be changed over time. And if a person chooses to CHANGE that conscious decision, they should not be looked down upon for it (unless this person chooses to look down upon others).

I really don't think this thread is going to answer any significant queries about the issue of "Wannabe Asians" because I think we are all just going around in circles with the "who influenced who came from where" junk.

[Guest mangchilo]

really???

most of the non asians I've met on soompi just admire parts of asian culture, but don't try

to be asian.

I would agree. The black girls on this board have serious black pride, for example. I'm an example, too. I've gotten some weird looks before and people affectionately call me Asian, but really I know I'm not a wannabe. I'm just interested and I have a lot of Asian classmates. I have a lot of music in Spanish, too, and I speak Spanish a fair bit and read novels and newspapers in Spanish and watch tv in Spanish and listen to the Spanish language radio stations often, but nobody calls me a "Latina wannabe" ever. Hmmm...

Mostly, people seem to find it interesting and unique.

However, there's a definite line! People who definitely are wannabes get on my nerves, whether it's Koreans who think they're secretly Japanese switched at birth because they do nothing but watch anime and say things like "sugoi!" and "kawaii desu yo~" all the time, or white people who do the same thing and hang out with all Asians--deliberately! not talking about just by chance. Frankly, otaku people scare me sometimes and I'm not sure why they've embraced the term otaku practically as a compliment.

Share your culture and learn about others...but don't discard your own and try to be something you're not. Especially don't grab on to just superficial things like music and movies and decide that if you watch enough and listen obsessively you'll become Korean or Japanese. People will like you more if your interest goes deeper than just pop culture.

[Sailorprinzess]

To get it out of the way, I am not asian. I have a Russian and Welsh background. And I admit anime sparked my interest in learning about Japan and then the rest of Asia. But I don't think I am Asian or think I know a lot about Japan because of it. Knowing about pop culture doesn't mean you fully understand another culture. That's like saying you love someone after knowing them for a day.

I was born in America. None of my family that is alive has been to Russia or Wales. Sure, my grandfather takes pride in being Welsh, but we don't participate in anything of the Welsh culture, except for making Welsh cookies, but anyone could do that. And don't ask me anything about the Russian culture, since I know nothing about it. I am proud of being who I am, but just because I'd rather learn about the Asian cultures, does that mean I don't care about what makes me up genetically?

So do I have any right to shout WELSH and RUSSIAN PRIDE! if I know nothing about it? I mean, how many Americans know about their European ancestors? I'm guessing it's a low number. In America, there really is no one culture, like there are seperate Chinese and Japanese cultures. Instead, it's a mixture of every culture. So what's the big deal of focusing on another country's culture? Isn't that what we are supposed to do anyway? I think learning about another culture helps us to better understand each other.

Now I am not saying someone should take it to the extreme by changing themselves physically just so they could appear like someone else. Now that is just pathetic. But for someone trying to speak the language and so-called 'dressing' like another culture, is pathetic also? I don't think so.

I've only skimmed through the pages, so if I mess this up, I'm sorry. But so far I've seen the following reasons for how someone could be called a Wasian or wannabe:

- dressing in attire that is similar to another country's

- giving the peace-sign in pictures

- speaking the language

- watching anime

- eating Pocky

For one, the whole peace-sign reason is ridiculous. Before the whole 'Asain Wave' embarking on America with anime and everything else, in the 60s, hippies in America were giving the peace-sign all of the time. I understand that in Asia giving the peace sign doesn't mean the same as why the hippies did it, but still, come on. Just because I give the peace-sign in pictures makes me a Wasian? Actually, I just do it, because I think it is cute, or should I say kawaii?

Now, I don't know about the whole 'dressing like an Asian' thing, but fashion is fashion. If Gothic or Sweet Lolita are 'what's in' then people are going to wear it regardless of what ethnicity they are. A year or two ago, people were wearing Pochos which are from Meixco. If non-Mexicans wore them, does that make them Mexican-wannabes?

Now, I am learning Japanese. I'd like to learn more about the culture and be able to talk to Japanese so I could broaden my horizons. I'm sorry, but I'd like to be able to converse with more people than just those who speak English. If everyone only spoke their Native language, then how would we be able to understand everyone else? However I don't think people should just start saying random words they learn from anime or Asian music. Most of the people who do so probably don't understand what they are saying, and may be saying something offensive. Yet if I hear someone say Konnichi wa or Arigatou, even though I am not Japanese, I think it is cool that someone else appreciates something I do as well.

I could understand how anime otaku are annoying. I don't really watch anime all that much anymore, but I guess you could say there was a time that it was the only thing I watched. But if you are obsessed with anime, that makes you a Wasian? That's like saying being obesessed with Disney makes you a White wanabe or whatever. I don't see how liking anime a lot makes it seem like you abandoning your own culture.

I guess I am just saying you can't base wanna-be status on simple things like pop-culture. If that is the case, then there are wannabes all over the place.

I mean just look. Japan celebrates Christmas, even though most of the people are Buddhist or Shinto. Does that make them Christian wannabes? No, of course not. Jackie Chan acts in a lot of famous American movies, does that make him an American-actor wannabe. Nope.

No one should ever pretend to be someone they are not. But no one should also be disliked for wanting to be interested in another culture; just as long as they don't go overboard by saying they are a certain ethnicity when they are not or change themselves physically. Like if a white guy is interested in the black culture so much that he has surgery to darken the pigments in his skin, then that is just wrong. You could have more interest in other cultures than your own, but don't be an a*s about it and don't go crazy.

I am not trying to argue with anyone, since it is a stupid thing to argue about, don't you think? I know people who are obsessed with anime, and they do annoy me to the point where it makes me embarrassed to say that at a time I really liked it. However at least those same people are thinking outside of the box and are experiencing other things. And really, you can't blame people for being interested in Asia, since you have to admit, it's very unique.

Ok, that's all from me. I'm sorry if what I said doesn't make sense, but oh well. And I hope I didn't offend anyone.

[Guest]

whats wrong with white people taking interest in asian-related trends and such?

look at us. we speak english. we watch american movies. we wear american brand clothings.

oh, and a question- i thought "wasian" meant half white and half asian, not wannabe asian. eh whatever.

[Guest Sky's Crying]

Although there are a few bizarre ones out there, I don't mind at all.

[Guest INSANE]

i've been called wannabe korean before,

but whatever. i'm still asian. haha.

some of them are annoying as hell, you know, the ones that seriously THINK they're asian? the ones that are just fans of the culture are fine.

JUST THE ONES THAT ARE LIKE, "i swear i'm JAPANESE ON THE INSIIIIIIIIIIDE KONNEECHEEWAAAHH" those are annoying. jesus.

LOL i've never seen/heard anyone do that before

but that line just makes me laugh lol

[Guest yikes]

I love hanging out with those people. They treat me like god because I am actually asian and they act like the lowly wannabes.

[Guest Siv]

YESH, they're annoying and have no personal, individual style. fascination w/ Asian culture=flattering

but it goes over-board when a non-Asian tries to imitate everything involving the Asian culture.

trying to dress Asian or talk a language is what gets to me the most.