It's only oversensitive people trying to remain unique in their multicultural Western societies who are crying bloody murder about this.(Original post by Little Toy Gun)
It depends.
Most cultures don't mind people dressing up in their costume.
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Bupdeeboowah
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- 01-11-2015 19:18
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- 01-11-2015 19:20
(Original post by Good bloke)
It is a ridiculous thing to claim. If it were wrong to copy the clothes, body adornments or hairstyles of people from other cultures all those millions of people in Africa who wear western t-shirts and trousers would be in the lurch, wouldn't they? In the same way, all Australian aborigines who wear any clothes at all would be guilty, and Arabs and Asians who wear European suits would also be guilty.
Your hair-braded friend is an idiot if she claims you must not have braids. -
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- 01-11-2015 19:23
From what I've seen, the cultural appropriation narrative reminds me of the "objectification" one. If you adopt the clothing typical of a certain culture, provided those who are part of it are in general not white, there is simply no way it can be positive; you are doing it due to your racist ideology and you are automatically, provided that you are white, oppressing those who are part of said culture. Just like if you make a comment on the attractiveness of an individual, provided that that individual is female, there is simply no way it can be positive; you are doing it due to your misogynistic ideology and you are automatically, provided that you are male, oppressing women.
I do think this is a fairly nuanced issue. I don't think it is really wrong provided your intentions are positive, but then again nobody can tell your intentions by looking at you, so it is easy to see how offence can be unwillingly caused. But people's decisions should not be dictated by the fact that some individuals might get offended by them. -
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- 01-11-2015 19:26
There is no such thing, and just about everyone who thinks it is, is racist.
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Bupdeeboowah
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- 01-11-2015 19:30
(Original post by Kurtle)
There is no such thing, and just about everyone who thinks it is, is racist. -
Good bloke
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- 01-11-2015 19:33
(Original post by Akamega)
I don't think that's the point. Cultural appropriation is when an article of clothing or item that belongs to a particular culture is unappreciated or is deemed unattractive, but when white people wear it it's seen as trendy and fashion-forward. That doesn't really apply to your t-shirts comparison, because there isn't a lack of appreciation for Europeans when they wear t-shirts. -
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- 01-11-2015 19:41
(Original post by Akamega)
Cultural appropriation is when an article of clothing or item that belongs to a particular culture...
(Original post by Akamega)
That doesn't really apply to your t-shirts comparison, because there isn't a lack of appreciation for Europeans when they wear t-shirts. -
Little Toy Gun
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- 01-11-2015 20:09
(Original post by Bupdeeboowah)
It's only oversensitive people trying to remain unique in their multicultural Western societies who are crying bloody murder about this.
I saw Mexicans presumably in the US being offended by the university president having a Mexican-themed Halloween party, yet here I'm working in Mexico as an expat with my employer expliciting requesting us to dress up for the celebration in Mexican costume, saying that it'd mean a lot to the Mexican staff and the children, with my Mexican friend getting me a mustache to wear, with random Mexicans on the metro looking really happy seeing me dressed up. -
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- 01-11-2015 20:15
(Original post by Little Toy Gun)
That might be quite true.
I saw Mexicans presumably in the US being offended by the university president having a Mexican-themed Halloween party, yet here I'm working in Mexico as an expat with my employer expliciting requesting us to dress up for the celebration in Mexican costume, saying that it'd mean a lot to the Mexican staff and the children, with my Mexican friend getting me a mustache to wear, with random Mexicans on the metro looking really happy seeing me dressed up. -
TurboCretin
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- 01-11-2015 20:15
(Original post by Bupdeeboowah)
I'm sure it would be equally offensive if you enjoyed eating Chinese, Indian, Italian food. -
TurboCretin
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- 01-11-2015 20:24
(Original post by Good bloke)
Clearly, though, the person wearing the "appropriated" item deems it attractive, or they wouldn't wear it. That others might have different views is irrelevant in matters of taste and opinion. Unless you think only those things with 100% approval rating should be worn (which I'm sure you don't). -
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- 01-11-2015 20:33
What happened for the term "cultural appropriation" to become so popular?
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Bupdeeboowah
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- 01-11-2015 20:56
(Original post by yulebook)
What happened for the term "cultural appropriation" to become so popular? -
Good bloke
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- 01-11-2015 21:13
(Original post by TurboCretin)
Cultural appropriation is essentially about adopting culturally significant practices for novelty value. This often pisses people off for whom it's culturally significant because they may find vacuous treatment of their heritage to be disrespectful. -
Biryani007
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- 01-11-2015 21:19
(Original post by Good bloke)
It is a ridiculous thing to claim. If it were wrong to copy the clothes, body adornments or hairstyles of people from other cultures all those millions of people in Africa who wear western t-shirts and trousers would be in the lurch, wouldn't they? In the same way, all Australian aborigines who wear any clothes at all would be guilty, and Arabs and Asians who wear European suits would also be guilty.
Your hair-braded friend is an idiot if she claims you must not have braids. -
TurboCretin
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- 01-11-2015 22:00
(Original post by Good bloke)
Are disrespect and irreverence somehow not allowed then? I consider both to be an essential part of British culture and the irreverence applies both inwardly and internationally. I see no reason to respect the superstitious beliefs of anyone, for instance. -
jeremy1988
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- 01-11-2015 22:45
How do you know if someone is culturally appropriating, though? What if they look White, but they're actually mixed race Native Americans or Blacks? You might not know by looking at them.
It also opens up a confusing idea of what I call "cultural usage rights", and "proprietary cultures". Who decides who has the rights to a certain culture, and what criteria do they use?
Is it possible for Americans to appropriate British culture? Are we already doing so by speaking English, measuring stuff in feet, and using the King James Bible? Is there some kind of special rule where we can use any element of British culture that existed prior to 1776, but nothing they came up with after that time? Or would some of this be nullified by the fact that we have British ancestors, thus allowing us an indefinite license to use British culture just as third-generation Chinese immigrants have a license to celebrate Chinese New Year?
More importantly, who decides where the boundaries lie if there's a dispute about which culture "owns" something? For instance, suppose both Blacks and Whites claim ownership of Rock music, Black Americans try to make it about an African music tradition and White Americans try to trace the lineage to English folk music (which is of course cross-licensed with the British, Australians, Canadians, etc). Who would settle that dispute? Do we need an International Cultural Appropriation board? And who represents each culture? Is that representative appointed or elected?
I think in the best case scenario, all the English speaking countries will probably just cross-license one another's culture so that Americans can keep using common law and the Imperial system, while British people can keep watching Hollywood movies, American Football, and eating at McDonalds. We would probably have to decide whether we want to pay royalties to African cultures in order to use Rock music and Rap music, or else go back to Classical music and Opera (maybe the Italians will let us have that along with pizza in exchange for a baseball licensing agreement).
Ultimately, I dislike the concept of cultural appropriation for the same reason I dislike proprietary software. I think it stifles innovation and exchange of ideas. Culture should be open source.
It comes dangerously close to creating a system of proprietary cultures with boundaries defined by ancestry or birthplace. I really think allowing people to claim ownership of something cultural and dictate who can or can't use it opens a can of worms that really shouldn't be opened. -
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- 01-11-2015 22:50
(Original post by Little Toy Gun)
It depends.
Most cultures don't mind people dressing up in their costume.
Thinking it's a 'costume' is where the appropriation comes from, a costume is something which is merely worn for fun and holds no significance, whilst traditional attire is used to represent cultures and their histories. To call it a costume is offensive because it removes all significance behind it and leaves it to be something which can be or is ridiculed. -
earthworm
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- 01-11-2015 23:10
Are the greeks crying cultural appropriation for neoclassical architecture stealing the design of the sacred pathanon? Can mrs earthworm wear ug boots without upseting some arctic indigenous population? I got tone of stuff from ikea are the swedes crying? Chocolate was sacred to the Aztecs doubt they would gave cared. Clapton played the blues.. Was that a bad thing? Tea is a sacred thing in japan, im sure coffee is sacred to some tribes in africa , what can i have with my bagel?(oops sorry jews). Can i drink wine with bread without offending the catholic church?
I think what im trying to say is that people who cry about this stuff just do it because they enjoy being outraged. -
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- 01-11-2015 23:18
(Original post by earthworm)
Are the greeks crying cultural appropriation for neoclassical architecture stealing the design of the sacred pathanon? Can mrs earthworm wear ug boots without upseting some arctic indigenous population? I got tone of stuff from ikea are the swedes crying? Chocolate was sacred to the Aztecs doubt they would gave cared. Clapton played the blues.. Was that a bad thing? Tea is a sacred thing in japan, im sure coffee is sacred to some tribes in africa , what can i have with my bagel?(oops sorry jews). Can i drink wine with bread without offending the catholic church?
I think what im trying to say is that people who cry about this stuff just do it because they enjoy being outraged.
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