What's with Kanji being everywhere?

I have nothing against people that use Kanji. I have nothing against Kanji. I just find it odd how someone would use a Kanji version of a word that they would never use if it was to be written in English where people could readily read it. Why do you use Kanji anyway? Why not have it written in English, where anyone who sees it can understand what it says? Do you like people asking you what does it mean? Do you like that sense of mysteriousness that Kanji seems to give off?

Do you know how stupid Kanji looks to a person that CAN read Kanji? Hm, I guess because there aren't that many people around you that can readily read Kanji, it's okay. I guess it doesn't look stupid since the majority of people around where you are can't read it like I can.

First off, let me tell you a little story that will lead to my rant. I visited a friend out of state not too long ago. I went to a local gym because I didn't want to miss out on my workouts if it could be helped. There, I noticed this huge freaking guy. He was resting between sets in front of the inclined bench press. I took a quick glance at the barbell and the weights stacked on it and read off 405lbs. That's a fucking lot of weight for inclined bench press, no matter how goddamn strong your are. I hung around and watched him do his set of inclined bench press. He did 1 repetition and then stacked on a 25lb plate on each side of the bar after he was finished. I was impressed. It was obvious he wanted to find out what his maximum inclined bench press was. Doing this is what I call 'Maxing-Out'. The weight had jumped to 455lbs. I watched him take his rest and then bench that weight for 1 repetition again. After he did that, he stacked on a 10 on each side, continuing to increase weight with every successive repetition. At the end, I watched this giant of a man bench 495lbs on the inclined bench press for 1 repetition before he called it quits.

Okay, to all you people that don't know working out that well, that's a whole lotta of weight to bench press. And not only that, but to do it on an INCLINED bench press is doubly impressive. This is because you can probably lift around 80% of what your maximum flat bench press is on an inclined bench press. Since everyone uses a 'bench press' as a way of gauging strength, I'm sure you realize that that's a shitload of weight.

I waited around to just tell the guy how impressed I am he could lift so much. Now, onto my rant. When I approached the guy to talk to him, I noticed he had the Kanji 'Hello Kitty' on the front of his tank top. When I saw this, I kinda wondered if he knew how ridiculous he looked with that shirt. Of course, I didn't want to assume anything. For all we know, his wife or girlfriend could have gotten him that shirt as a present.

I forgot to tell him how impressed I was with his strength. Instead, my attention was focused on the shirt. I asked him if he knew what the kanji on the front of his shirt meant. He hadn't the foggiest idea. He said he picked it up in Manhattan because he thought the Kanji characters looked cool. That was it for the rest of the conversation. I didn't want to talk to him for too long before I went about with my own workout. After the conversation, I couldn't help but NOT be impressed at that big guy anymore. The guy, as strong as he may be, is a fucking idiot in my eyes. Of course, I won't tell him this because he could kick my ass and I'm not THAT stupid. I just kept to myself so I can rant about it from the safety of the Internet.

Seeing the shirt made me realize something, what the fuck is with people liking Kanji? I see it everywhere, on cars (Y'know, the kinda cars people modify be unique JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE), as tattoos, on clothes, etc. Do you realize that from the point of view of someone that CAN read kanji, it looks idiotic? Just because a stupid word is suddenly converted to Kanji, that doesn't mean it's less stupid! A stupid word is a stupid word is a stupid word. Oh, it MAY seem cool to you, but it isn't from my point of view. Why? It's because it only seems cool to other people who can't understand what Kanji means. Think about it, you're basically using a word that you would probably never use if it were written in English where everyone can read it readily and realize how stupid the word looks. If that's not the case, then why are you using the Kanji version? Do you like the mysteriousness the Kanji gives off? Afterall, there's a good chance a majority of people aren't aware of what the word means anyway.

Like I said before, I have no gripes against people that use Kanji. I just find it really funny how you consider Kanji to be cool when it really isn't from my point of view. Of course, all of this is my opinion so it doesn't really matter. Since there are less people like me, people that can read Kanji, I'm in the minority in my views which is why it seems like I'm wrong in believing Kanji isn't 'cool'. The majority of people who can't read Kanji that see your Kanji think it's cool because it's something they don't understand. Everyone else is doing it so what's wrong with that? It's obvious I'm talking shit outta my ass since there are so many more people, people that DON'T understand Kanji, that will vehemently agree with you that I'm an asshole for my views and that Kanji is cool, right? Sure, I'm not conforming to everyone else and their views, but then again, I'm not part of the majority of the people that can't read Kanji. Conformity isn't all that great anyway.

You are most likely going to be offended by this. Unfortunately, there's a good chance you're getting offended by something you don't really fully understand. It's like fuckers getting offended at the swastika. Also, since what looks 'cool' is subjective, you really don't have much to flame about. Afterall, one person can see things differently than others. I just happen to know what the Kanji means, and in knowing so, find it rather ridiculous seeing it everywhere. Before you flame me because you think I'm insulting you for your use of Kanji, remember, I KNOW Kanji and can read it. I see things much differently than the majority of the people out there that can't read it. I'm completely in the minority here simply because I can read it.. There are more people that will think your Kanji looks 'cool' than not that would agree with you than myself.

Because I'm Chinese, people are more likely to believe I know Chinese than not simply by stereotype. That's why I use it to my advantage. When I see some Kanji I don't recognize, I ask what it means. The person would usually assume I should know because I'm Chinese. If they say that, I would fuck with them because, basically, they're stereotyping me right to my face. Sure, it's not a form of offensive stereotyping but it's stereotyping nonetheless. What the fuck's with that anyway? Why don't you ask me if I know acupuncture while you're at it? Anyway, I'd press on and ask the question as to what the Kanji means so I can get my revenge.

When I'm told what the Kanji is, I would just shake my head and say something like "No. You're wrong, it doesn't mean that,"

"Then what does it mean?" They would ask. Afterall, they've already stereotyped me as knowing Kanji because I'm Chinese. Because I never denied knowing Kanji, they still think I know Chinese. This is where I use the stereotype in my favor to get my revenge.

"It doesn't mean anything," I would say, "You've got an extra brush stroke which makes the Kanji character mean absolutely nothing,"

Since the people wouldn't know whether or not I'm telling the truth, they're more likely to take it at face value and believe me simply because I'm Chinese. From then on, they would go on wondering if they're walking or driving around with a useless Kanji character.

I'm sure you think I'm a dick since there's a good chance this rant offended the majority of people out there who digs Kanji, you most likely being one of them or actually having some kinda Kanji tattoo or Kanji sticker on your car or such. If you wanna flame me, then flame away.

Well, I'm off to contradict myself and my rant so I can go listen to some Anime music....to which I have NO IDEA what the lyrics mean.

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