Okay, here's the reasoning: I know that a lot of users over here consider themselves otaku or hikkikomori. I'm not here to discuss if this is justified or not, it has been done many times already on almost every thread on the subject.
No, here's my point: take a look at the "hobbies" board. Take a look at the "personnal issues" board. The first one is cluttered by "weeaboo" threads that are often quite redundant, and the second with "halp I'm hikki" threads, that are also quite redundant. Well, why not, after all, it's the way the community is composed right now I guess.
But there is a problem; I really think this community isn't FULL of otaku and hikkikomori. Well, I am not one. And a lot of people can get sick of trying to access a board, only to see the frontpage full of threads about otaku. So it can either discourage people of contributing, and could also drive some nice and interesting people out instead of drawing them in, because they will think "oh, that's an otaku-filled BBS" instead of "oh, that's an anonymous BBS". When I see a thread starting with "hello fellow otaku" in the "hobbies" section, it makes me cringe; this makes the assumption that everyone browsing the page is an otaku.
Seriously, it doesn't have to be like this. What I'm proposing is not intended to be a form of ghettoisation, but rather a commonplace for people to discuss this lifestyle (I suppose it would go under that category), be it an issue to them or not, to give the other boards a little room to breathe. I also know the flux of posters will also decrease, and maybe the boards will move a little slower in the other sections as well, but I believe this would be short-term. So in short:
Pros:
Cons:
Of course, I don't see any development in this as a short-term thing.
Feel free to discuss what you think of this idea, add input, or whatever.
I really don't know.
I'm inclined to see what other peopled think of this idea, since I'm far from the majority of self proclaimed "otaku".
I don't think it would work. You'll end up having to be picky and choosy about everything.
A lot of the people in the self proclaimed "hikkikomori" threads aren't necessarily otaku, just like all hikkikomori aren't otaku in Japan. Also, it's important and sensible for "otaku" with personal issues to discuss them with more than just otaku.
Looking at /hobbies/, I would say maybe half the threads are "otaku" related, and they're clearly obvious. I dunno, maybe it would make sense to split it if there were a whole lot of people posting with both otaku, and non-otaku stuff, but right now it wouldn't.
Isn't this what IAA already is?
>>3
Well looking at /hobbies/ right now we can see for the first ten threads:
1: trip to london or japan (14) -- japan in the title
2: [Looking for Group] With our powers combined... Otakings! [Garage Sales] (35) -- self-explanatory
3: Weeaboo... they just want to be Japanese, or any Asian is okay? (44) -- self-explanatory
4: Smoking (11) -- non-otaku
5: Hair Styles (25) -- quest for the jrocker hairstyle
6: Is anyone good with designing paper crafts, paper goods etc? (6) -- non-otaku, at least not directly
7: Please help! I don't want to be an otaku anymore! (91) -- self-explanatory
8: [Anime] Mobile Suit Models!!! [Otaku] (36) -- self-explanatory
9: OCD (12) -- self-explanatory
10: evolving otaku (14) -- self-explanatory
Now, I must say I agree with you on the fact that people having "hikkikomori" issues aren't necessarily otaku (note, I'm using the western meaning of the term here), but sincerely - the simple fact that they use "hikkikomory" and not "social reject", "recluse", or whatever... that gives a lot. But I agree, these people need input from other kind of people than your average otaku/channer. So why not, maybe we can keep them in /personal/.
I also agree that the need for the split doesn't seem evident right now because it is mixed; but I still seriously think that the fact there is "otaku" written everywhere on every board can hinder the community development. That is, if we indeed do want a community more diverse and less composed by your average otaku/channer/whatever - which I think, given the diversity of subjects we can approach here, would be for the best. Honestly, it's the frontpage of /hobbies/ today that motivated this thread, even if I thought about it for quite a while now. Another example, I'm happy to discuss in /music/, but I get a bit angered when I see its frontpage cluttered with jpop, jrock, jwhatever, anime ost threads. It's not the case for some time though, so I'm happy, but it happened before.
>>1
Hobbyists = Otaku
People who think Otaku = ANIME MANIAC are not real otaku.
That case is clear I guess.
We already have a wota board.
Me as wota, I am around "Hobbies" alot.
>>6
Yeah, but most people think otaku = extreme weeaboo.
And I know that this board is based of a japanese BBS, and I do enjoy a lot of japanese things, but it pisses me off that everything over here revolves around japan, y'know?
It'd possibly help if there were eastern and western-flavored boards, I know a lot of people scream WEEABOO! every time someone who likes the eastern flavor posts about it...
One drawback, of course, would be that people would probably disregard it and post about Japanese things on the western discussion boards and get WEEABOO! shouted at them in all caps anyway, and people who aren't hardcore fans of the east might stand out on the eastern boards and create complaints like, "This is OTAKU BOARD, u dont have a lunchbox its a BENTO BOX DX"...
I admit I like certain Japanese things, some anime, and this style of message board, but it does get old after a while, feeling unable to escape AnimeJapaneseFantasyland stuff anywhere I look on here.
A good first step would be to merge the anime and manga boards into anime/manga, and we could call that board "Otaku".
>>8
And what's exactly the 「western flavor?」
What is 「the east,」 japan? And what is japan, animei and manga?
Dumb every way you look at it.
The idea of 「Wannabe japanese」 and the term 「otaku」 have been taken too seriously, given way too much attention.