Video game video generates heat

Things recently got interesting concerning the PS3 video that I posted on Youtube yesterday.
I spent a good 6 hours transferring the video file, encoding, translating and subtitling it. My general goal was to get it done and get it out there.

I managed to get the video linked in at Kotaku.com - one of the internet's biggest gaming news blogs. You can see the article here. It's a site that I've always enjoyed - its always had a good group of writers writing insightful and amusing game news. Because it's such a popular site, it does, of course, attract its fair share of tossers. Being a blog, these tossers do, of course, have the ability to comment. One of the reasons that I seldom comment on blogs and forums is due to said tossers, who seem to be preoccupied with antagonising, insulting, bragging and generally, well, being tossers. It's the main reason why I've always kept my blog low-key - I want to distance myself from such people. They, like the one ring, have only the power to destroy.

Needless to say, whilst my video did garner some nice, insightful comments, it did also attract a couple that, well, hurt my feelings. Is this what blogging is all about? Exposing yourself to the opinions of tossers, living in fear of what they may say? Sometimes I've noticed that my friend here, Tim, who is himself a video game journalist of some renown, sometimes gets personal attacks in response to articles that he writes. He defends himself vigorously. Sadly (or maybe it's a blessing), Kotaku has a strange invite system for commenting, so I am unable to defend myself against the criticisms. I will just have to let them lie/lye.

The criticisms in question were attacks of my translation of the TV program.
Here is what _yeah had to say;

Those subtitles are horrible. Just from the first three lines (actual translation in brackets, wrong translation used in the video in quotes)

販売初日は大行列! (There was a massive line-up formed on the release date!) -> "Massive slowdown in sales!"

あっと言う間に売り切れとなった超人気ゲーム機プレイステーション３。 (The super-popular game console that was sold out almost instantly, the PlayStation 3) -> "The item in question: The Sony PlayStation 3."

町から姿を消したはずでしたが (Although it should have all but disappeared from the city by now,) -> "Despite officially on sale only domestically"

意外なところでバンキシャは発見！ (We at Bankisha have discovered it in some very unexpected places!) -> "We have discovered exceptions!"

... I had to stop watching at that point before I stabbed my damned eyes out. Eugh.

and bugbread has this to say;

Those are truly fucked up subtitles, and it's not a matter of brevity (that's expected in subtitling); they're just wrong.

No wonder the guy's section got completely cut, his Japanese comprehension is horrible. I'm sure that the quizzical look that he got after answering a "ridiculous question" was quizzical because they asked him a perfectly sensible question, which he didn't understand, and then he gave a nonsensical answer based on what he guessed incorrectly that they had asked him.

Um, ok guys, I really think you need to chill out a bit. This is a Youtube video. I make no claim to be a professional translator. I am not being paid. I am doing a public service. If I didn't translate and post this video, nobody would have, and these people would never have had the chance to see it anyway.

In language teaching we say that 'making mistakes is part of the learning process'. I knew that I wasn't 100% accurate in that video. I knew that I got some stuff wrong. But I tried. And I have no doubt that my Japanese ability improved thanks to this exercise.

Whilst I don't mind anyone who wants to correct my translations, when people start making it nasty in order to try and make themselves look cool, or better... let's just say that I'm disappointed at these kind of people. They wish to maintain their clique of perfect Japanese speakers. Well, this isn't the matrix - I can't just install Japanese in my mind, there is no Japanese dongle that fits snugly in ones rectum. As far as I'm aware, anyway. If you wanna learn, you gotta make mistakes.

So, my message to everyone - don't let yourself be cowed by these cowards!

Kotaku Link: Foreigner's PS3 opinions Cut by Japanese TV

This leads me on to think: what does blogging and new media mean? What potential does it have, when we are exposed to such reckless commenting? Imagine if you were watching Newsnight, and after every article, they would have to show 20 comments by chavs, mostly involving swearing, chest pumping and bias. Yes, it's democratic, but where can it lead us?
In the past 6 months, I have finally started to feel like I am starting to discover purpose in my life in Japan. Like everything has been building up to it. Whilst I had a great time in the process, the first 3 years here do now seem somewhat... like a long dream. A paused existence. I came to Japan to chase the holy grail of gaming, to try and see where I might fit in. I think I'm getting closer.
What has this got to do with blogging? I have met two gaming journalists in Japan now; Tim as mentioned and Brian at Kotaku, and, I must say, they are both very nice guys. They have never been anything less than friendly, generous and willing to help. Regardless of what you think of their writing or journalistic abilities, at the core they do not slag individuals off with no purpose.
Secondly, why is it that I am always cautious in comparison? I have an acting friend called Jack, who has been working here quite a while. Thoroughly nice chap. Every time there is a new actor on set, he introduces himself. What a blindingly good idea I thought! Why not establish trust as the base of a meeting, rather than caution? I almost always wait for someone to introduce themselves to me, or I wait until I have observed somewhat of their character first. I think it is a hang-over reaction from school. Damn school.

I am quite resolved that, despite the layer of miserable humans that populate forums across the web, I will not be goaded into mud-slinging. Their arguments always - always contain some massive flaws of sense or logic that can be pointed out without seeming arrogant or condescending. If someone is being a dick, I would prefer to make them feel disappointed by their actions, rather than make them think that I'm a dick too. Can we reform these people? Is there hope? We are all products of society after all, and it would be pointless to hate these individuals. They will constantly resurface. It is an unsolvable problem. So there is no point hating them.

So, in conclusion, I say again to all the people out there who criticise others for a lack of perfection - what are you adding to this world?

And, what do you think? Can others help me iron out this mental crease?