I don' think I was flippant in my previous post, 
but OK. 

You basically relegated many of the posts made in 
the above thread to pure ignorance of the medium 
and the culture that bore it. So when exactly 
were you trying not to impress on people that 
your perspective is more informed than others? 
The fact is, most Americans(I can only speak for 
Americans, so sorry if I leave other 
representative countries out) will never get the 
opportunity to see Japan or spend any real time 
there. As arduous as your job may be, it is still 
a luxury to get to experience another culture 
they way that you can, and I do envy you for it. 
I agree, education can certainly bring about a 
higher appreciation of art and media. However, 
there are also those on this board who have 
sampled anime for more than half their lives who 
still have a valid opinion to offer.

And might I suggest that there is no nuance 
between an opinion and an "informed" opinion? 
That is a fallacy, and any philosophy major will 
tell you so. The Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan 
can offer you an "informed" opinion on the topic 
of interracial marriage. Is his opinion any more 
valid than that of a morally conscious ten year 
old girl who has a different viewpoint?

And when you suggest anime education, it is a put-
down. I am sorry to ask, but who are you to tell 
me that I am wrong in my dislike of something? 
You are no more qualified than I to tell someone 
that their opinion is based on ignorance and 
nothing more. That is the definition of flippant. 

I think what this boils down to is that some 
people on this forum chose to dislike anime, and 
you got offended. Fine, state your case why they 
are wrong. But don't simply write them off as 
know-nothing, armchair Roger Eberts. In English, 
there is a canon by which all other literature is 
compared. The same goes for movies and music. 
However, I do not need a PhD in film history to 
say that I find Gone With The Wind vapid and 
overblown, an epic piece of eye candy that 
pretends to be a major motion picture. Now, many 
critics might have me hanged for saying such a 
thing. However, I've seen enough movies to 
differentiate between a good movie and a bad 
movie. While some hold Akira in high regard for 
its groundbreaking storytelling and stunning 
visual imagery, it is now stale by comparison to 
many of the anime out there today. 

So no, there was no "misunderstanding" on my part 
regarding your post. I simply don't agree with 
it, that's all.

By the way, you have mentioned that some anime 
mentioned in this thread as being "bad" upset you 
somewhat. Can you provide an example and maybe 
defend your statement? I would be curious to read 
it, anyway. 

"New opinions are always suspected, and usually 
opposed, without any other reason but because 
they are not already common" John Locke