tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12415793.post114739748861912614..comments2024-03-28T06:48:51.829-07:00Comments on lainspotting: Apple TV commercial disses geeks?Lawmunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04665582694142905655noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12415793.post-88244937613023480542018-09-15T03:13:02.885-07:002018-09-15T03:13:02.885-07:00Does anyone have any ideas yet?Does anyone have any ideas yet?lexyhttp://www.fineagency.com/meet-lexy-girl.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12415793.post-3796337059181297762017-11-07T04:11:53.514-08:002017-11-07T04:11:53.514-08:00The website is looking bit flashy and it catches t...The website is looking bit flashy and it catches the visitors eyes. A design is pretty simple .<br /><a href="http://atw2.devsin-shop.de" rel="nofollow">office 2011 mac download deutsch</a><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18356428493551757717noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12415793.post-22611913369366797222017-10-13T00:25:10.938-07:002017-10-13T00:25:10.938-07:00I would like to say thank you for the amazing deta...I would like to say thank you for the amazing details and concepts you are sharing in this.<br /><a href="http://www.sinbro.de" rel="nofollow"> Webseiten Gestaltung Lüdenscheid </a><br />ALINAAMELhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03921214362651703918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12415793.post-1164871444677413262006-11-29T23:24:00.000-08:002006-11-29T23:24:00.000-08:00Interesting. Ironically, Lain was originally inte...Interesting. Ironically, Lain was originally intended to be a discussion of American culture and Japanese culture taking on American values post WWII. I think, after reading the comments including the Japanese ones, this advertisement is precisely showing the gap.<BR/><BR/>Even though Mac can speak her language and every other, supposedly alluding to that, values are lost. 'Otaku', as seen through Japanese eyes, seems to be different than what the Americans see as 'Geek'. If 'Otaku' is taken to refer to a group of people, then 'Geek' would refer to a style of people. I think it's pretty clear in American culture that style is everything, it actually becomes void of value (the '70's prositute fashion is currently the top seller in department stores for teenage girls-this is suppose to be 'cool'). What's interesting is that 'Geek' can be anyone despite their appearance, so the formal attire doesn't exclude that man from being a 'Geek'. Considering the visual division between the 'PC' and the 'Mac' i think it becomes even more clear. The 'Mac' is young and hipster/yuppy material (which most advertising is appealing to these days) and the 'PC' is the average unaware, middle-aged, white business-man that is currently losing the marketing ground these days. I think this is Macintosh's (the Americans marketing Macintosh) uneducated stab at Intel/Microsoft for not being on top of the technological changes. <BR/><BR/>I have a friend who's father was hired by Microsoft to head new ways of Marketing and business planning, in a rather high position. Strangely he has no background in the tech field, what he does have is an alternative approach to marketing, he can find ways to appeal to the younger market. So this advertisement is getting at the lack of planning on Microsofts part when they knew the direction of Apple a long time ago. Intel/Microsoft is now just catching on.<BR/><BR/>Those are 'Geeks'. Anyone who has seen the American '80's movie "Nerds" can understand this. They were the easily dupped, slow-on-the-comeback, and behind in style. Notice most American corporations are moving to a business/casual office attire scenario. Sure nuff, the 'PC' now becomes the slow on the punch, he hasn't caught on to the new style, the new technology, the new attitude.<BR/><BR/>Unfortunately, these marketeers don't know how to do their homework. Actually, most Americans have no idea of the difference between the American's use of language and those of the rest of the world: a word is a word is a word. Not so...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12415793.post-1162143366169679282006-10-29T09:36:00.000-08:002006-10-29T09:36:00.000-08:00That would be John Hodgman.That would be John Hodgman.Lawmunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04665582694142905655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12415793.post-1161763689428500762006-10-25T01:08:00.000-07:002006-10-25T01:08:00.000-07:00What is pc guys real name. I think he is quite att...What is pc guys real name. I think he is quite attractive, I like the nerdy lookAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12415793.post-1147850598975581742006-05-17T00:23:00.000-07:002006-05-17T00:23:00.000-07:00Before I address the most recent comment, I think ...Before I address the most recent comment, I think it's important to note that I am <I>not</I> utterly outraged by the Apple commercial (perhaps my post is too easily and mistakenly read as having an angry tone; at most, I was a little disappointed). Regarding the commercial, I simply think it was a somewhat distasteful, puzzling, and potentially unstrategic move on Apple's part, and I explained why.<BR/><BR/>As far as insults and attacks on otaku go, I've heard far worse (in fact, I catalog them for my studies, and I've been following the usage of the term for over 10 years now), so a minor jab at otaku at the end of a computer commercial featuring dialogue that most of the intended viewers won't understand is not really anything otaku should worry about. I didn't, after all, ask anyone to boycott Apple or send them complaint letters. Given the vast misinformation surrounding the word 'otaku', or simply the different definitions people have adopted for the word, it is understandable and not at all unexpected when people use it in a negative manner (I think it's unfortunate, but certainly forgiveable in most circumstances).<BR/><BR/>As far as I know, there has <I>not</I> been a huge outcry over this commercial, which is fine (the other article I reference <A HREF="http://www.cjas.org/~leng/lainspotting/2006/05/different-perspective-on-japans-otaku.html" REL="nofollow">here</A> is getting far more attention). I keep track of things like the usage of 'otaku' in American mass media because it's part of a larger academic project, not because this single commercial is necessarily going to drastically change anything.<BR/><BR/>Having clarified all that, let me address shidoshi's latest comment:<BR/><BR/>Like I said, I don't know of any otaku/geeks who felt horribly offended or hurt by the commercial (Apple is lucky, so far). As far as insensitivity and intolerance go, I agree that it (the commercial) is very far from the worst, but I also think it's a mistake to avoid saying something is insensitive and intolerant just because something else is far <I>more</I> insensitive and intolerant. We do not need to reserve those two words to only describe outright hate speech and genocide.<BR/><BR/>I don't disagree that the commercial is not a big deal (so far) in the overall scheme of things, but (as I mentioned before) I do disagree with your reasoning about why you think a) these types of jokes are justifiable, and b) those who feel offended by them are the ones in the wrong.<BR/><BR/>While I sincerely think it's great that you're not easily hurt by jokes made about you, that doesn't mean that I ought to defend the people who made those jokes. Not everyone is as tough as you, and for those who aren't, ridiculing them for not being tough is one of the worst ways to make them stronger. While people might appear tougher after having endured being joked about, such joking (even when it's done without malicious intent) can cause long-term damage to their self-esteem, a common symptom of which is that they feel the need to ridicule others in order to feel better about themselves.<BR/><BR/>In general, I don't think we (depending on who "we" refers to) have become overly sensitive at all, in America at least. This, of course, is part of the heated debate surrounding political correctness in this country. I know that debate won't be resolved on this modest blog of mine, so I'm not going to write a huge essay about it here. If you'd like to discuss this particular issue in more detail, feel free to send me an email (it's posted all over my website).Lawmunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04665582694142905655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12415793.post-1147835884268938632006-05-16T20:18:00.000-07:002006-05-16T20:18:00.000-07:00We aren't talking about making fun of a person's r...We aren't talking about making fun of a person's race, religion, or anything like that here... we're talking about a joke about a hobby, or a perception of a person's looks. As well, it isn't like she's saying, "He looks like a nerd, I hate him!" or something like that.<BR/><BR/>Would you really call this commercial "insensitive and intolerant?" You certainly have the right to feel that way, but I would call that ridiculous, and a cheapening of those words.<BR/><BR/>I think (IMHO) over-reaction to things like this is a great example of how ridiculously sensitive we've become anymore. I'm from Nebraska - am I supposed to have my feelings hurt every time somebody jokes about me being a hick and living out on a farm? Should I get upset at the jokes I get for being a redhead?<BR/><BR/>There are jokes that are meant to actually cause ridicule or insult, and there are jokes that are just jokes and nothing else. People really need to keep that in mind.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12415793.post-1147760208547431782006-05-15T23:16:00.000-07:002006-05-15T23:16:00.000-07:00Nothing personal, shidoshi, but I have to disagree...Nothing personal, shidoshi, but I have to disagree with your reasoning.<BR/><BR/>Saying (or implying) "it's just a joke, get over it" is a cop out response too often used to justify insensitivity and intolerance.<BR/><BR/>Making someone angry and then accusing them of being irrational (or overly emotional) is a con game. So is making jokes at their expense and then claiming they have no sense of humor.Lawmunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04665582694142905655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12415793.post-1147753671098041992006-05-15T21:27:00.000-07:002006-05-15T21:27:00.000-07:00I used to call myself an otaku - I'm now proud not...I used to call myself an otaku - I'm now proud not to.<BR/><BR/>Lord almighty, it was a joke. That's it. Any geek and/or otaku who get bent out of shape out if it deserve to be bent out of shape. I would not at all be surprised, however, if non-Japanese folk who call themselves otaku do indeed get bent out of shape, as being rational and easy going about things is typically not one of their strong points.<BR/><BR/>The commercial was funny. End of story.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12415793.post-1147670828232551712006-05-14T22:27:00.000-07:002006-05-14T22:27:00.000-07:00Lillian found a thread on 2ch where people in Japa...Lillian found a thread on 2ch where people in Japan posted their reactions to the Apple commercial. Here are some quotes (warning: most of these quite mean):<BR/><BR/>"this is what Americans think a pretty Asian should look like"<BR/><BR/>"he doesn't look very otaku. just middle aged and fat"<BR/><BR/>"digicam has too much makeup. such stereotypical Hollywood Asian"<BR/><BR/>"what, Mac users aren't otaku? I'd punch digicam and make her take it back if it were real life"<BR/><BR/>"she should be wearing glasses - a lens being a part of digicams and all"Lawmunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04665582694142905655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12415793.post-1147451552469538782006-05-12T09:32:00.000-07:002006-05-12T09:32:00.000-07:00I wonder how the snobby digicam girl would react t...I wonder how the snobby digicam girl would react to an "<A HREF="http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.03/play.html?pg=3" REL="nofollow">Onna Otaku</A>" (female geek)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12415793.post-1147445024185740742006-05-12T07:43:00.000-07:002006-05-12T07:43:00.000-07:00Someone in American marketing came up with that jo...Someone in American marketing came up with that joke.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com