I’m with you especially on that last part. My most insane privately racist lug-mate called it modding or customization. Even in the windows shell hacking scene no one described it like that.

I do like using “tuning” though, fond memories of import tuner magazine and my dearly departed first car and first computer.

Now they need to just find an Asian person saying it's not a big deal so they can dismiss your comment.

It's a stupid term that is based on an antiquated mindset where Asian people are not creative and cannot invent anything of substance; we are only able to poorly imitate what the West develops. It needs to die.

The term at least since the 90s means to modify stuff to your heart's content and literally creating something new, unique and personal.

Idk where you went to get that "can't invent anything of substance" thing, but you might want to check your internalized racism.