jigyaku
Self-mockery. It is a term used by many otakus and in the industry alike to self-mock their social status.
Lately, many
jigyaku anime and manga are coming out which makes a self-mockery of the otaku industry. "NHK ni Youkoso," and "Genshiken" are good examples in which they depict the nerdy and geeky lives of otakus to a level that can be considered to be
jigyaku.
However, the term
jigyaku does not only apply to industry terms as many otakus will self-mock themselves as well.
Another example of this is how female BL lovers refer to themselves by using the term
fujoshi with pride and self-mockery.
Usage example:
I see many foreigners wearing "I am an Otaku" T-shirts. I wonder if they realize that by wearing them, they are actually pitting themselves into
jigyaku...