oh god this debate again...
Where everyone feels the need to polarize to one thing or another, and everyone throws around stereotypes and misinformation, and everyone randomly insults each other. I mean, personally, I am not all too into anime, but it has its uses: it allows people with ideas to make shows that can be taken seriously without pumping millions into special effects that wouldn't even look as good. And as such, it has the potential for people with good ideas and artists to go out with little money and make something better.
As contrast to American Television, where good ideas are few to be found, and due to the nature of it, the shows you see aren't "who has the most liked/best ideas", it is "who has the most dosh to produce it". Of course, there are TONS of bad, bad anime as well, and I personally like only maybe 2 shows of it, but its better for abstract-ish stuff, or for on-the-cheap production. Of course, anything based on person-to-person discussion and less abstract stuff is better in live action; hence why I love a large number of live action movies and shows, and those make up the majority of my "diet". But the fact remains that anime, though intimidating, does have certain factors that make certain shows better animated, and does have some treasures if you sift through the garbage. In the end, its like normal TV: just another way of telling a story, doing a show.
So lets cut out with this polarized rubbish and banding about insults, and just accept you like one thing and they like another (although its always wise to investigate both), and keep your mind open.