In Defense of a Disrespected Culture
So, recently, I was in a group conversation on skype. These friends of mine came up with the following, during the conversation (we're on an RP site)
Person 1: Half the damn girls in AKB are younger than me. WTF, Japan. Why do you have to recruit 13 year olds into your idol groups?
Person 2: That's one reason I have a problem with Japanese media
Person 1: I shit you not, ladies and gentlemen. Yuko Oshima's 13 year old sister, Ryoka, is a member of Team A
Person 3:: ...
Person 1: Jesus christ, when I was 13, I was too busy failing science because I didn't turn in homework
Person 3 I know I joke about Bieber being twelve but I am aware he's 18/19
Person 1: http://stage48.net/wiki/index.php/Oshima_Ryoka
Person 1: SHE'S FUCKING 13!!!
Person 1: Let her have a damn childhood!
Person 3: The fuck Japan?!
Person 3: ...Well don't say that ***
Person 1: She gave up a normal life to follow in her sister's steps
Person 2: That's very wrong
Person 2: Live your own damn life
Person 1: I call that a case of no childhood
Person 1: That's just sad
Person 1: Also, the Research Students are all 14/15, which is also saddening
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Wow. Person 1 brings a distinctly typical "American" view of things they know little of, judging Japanese culture, judging the choices of these people. Now I couldn't just take this lying down. So I called him on it. And composed the following.
Who are you to judge what they wanted to do? You might have an opinion, but you damn well didn't walk in their shoes at all. You said that when you were 13 you were failing homework in science or something, well, let's put this in perspective. Everyone that wants to join AKB has to audition. They still have school, and other such things in childhood. AKB is their dream...and they're doing a hell of a lot more with themselves than a lot of American children are. It's easy for us to sit back and say "Oh they should have done this or that..." but you don't know jack shit about their situation. I'm not mad. Just putting the other side of the situation into perspective for your American school system trained-mind. Would you want them out on the streets smoking pot, drinking, learning bad habits from their misguided peers?
Think about it.
I'm sad that it came to that....but I regret nothing.
