anyone else get mad about how modern society views otakus?

In the US otakus hardly ever are on the news although there was this http://www.tv.com/news/boy-dies-after-friends-imitate-naruto-11008/

Oh, i forgot about that kid who committed suicide after being bullied because he like my little ponies. But I don't know if it counts as an otaku genre? though. That was sad, a friend was raising money for the family. :/

Yeah I heard of that really made me sad since I watch mlp myself because of the values it teached and the fandom is pretty much flexible as ever.

Maybe society isn't "harsh" or acts as a "bully" towards otakus but one difference with the previously mentioned comparison between smoking/smokers and otakus is that when a smoker walks down the street and smokes, sure one might think that, "I wish they would do that somewhere else" or "That's very unhealthy" but they probably don't think/say "Wow, did you see them? They looked so weird." or say things of such a related nature. They also probably don't stare as much *to an obvious extent* Though depending on when this is done the staring and such etc is more easily explained i.e. japan anime/cosplay and such is more well known and everything than in the US in genereal. Now I for the most part enjoy the attention even the "weird staring". Once I've even dressed up and just walked around for the fun/shock value of it in a place with no current connection to what I was wearing *i.e. no convention nearby or such*. I also haven't had many bad experiences that I can recall and I know that none of what I have said is an absolute. It is just my opinion and as such should be taken with just as much of a "grain of salt" as everybody else's opinion.

The world would be a more peaceful place if everyone was an otaku, they'd be in their room, watching anime, rather than fighting, or being productive

When I say accepting of gangsters I mean who is going to bully a gangster? Just about no one where as otakus are constantly bullied for what we love

That has to do with attitude. Someone with the "gangster" mentality is more likely to resort to violence, where as dorks, geeks, nerds, we're usually a bit more rational in social reasoning as far as avoiding a fight and that makes us easier targets for those who see that as a weakness. Sure, being an otaku isn't so common that most people even know what the term means, but a nerd is a nerd... We're nothing new. That being said, it just makes us easier to be singled out. I know that if I was or am ever backed into a corner about liking anime, I just walk away and don't give two Shits about opinions. I've had discussions trying to tell another who see anime as just "cartoons" and we most certainly had to learn to agree to disagree, bit I've never encountered bullying because of it ( my looks, the fact that my family isn't exactly full of money, my clothes, my then weight, my anti social behavior and my depression have all been points of bullying though, hell even just because has been a reason.). I'm sorry if you or anyone else has been ostracized because of it, I guess I just got lucky.

USA - average american thinks of anime as - Cartoon = spongebob = power pop girls = tom and jerry. USA - average american does little to no effort to understand new art. Otaku - average otaku cares about what people think Otaku - Rare otaku doesn't give a rats ass about the average american :)