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What is "cultural appropriation"?

If you steal something from me, you infringe on my possibility to use my property as I wish. If you steal my car, I can no longer use it. If you steal my intellectual property, for example the song I created, I can no longer make money with that song as I did before.

Most examples of "cultural appropriation" are just examples of cultural transfer, one culture adopts ideas or practices some other people invented. Did the Maori invent tattoos? Or maybe did their ancestors adopt it from some neighbor tribe long ago?

But when we in the West adopt tattoos or a music style Black people created, the possibility of those who used it before is not infringed. The Maori can still practice their tradition like they did before. Black people could still play the Blues like they did, even after white musicians started to adopt this kind of music.

IMO, the whole concept that a culture "owns" some idea is rubbish. Do we Germans "own" our words? Did Americans, when they adopted German words like "kindergarten" or "zeitgeist" steal our property? Does not make sense to me.

Matias 8 June 14
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0

Or "Schadenfreude". Some cultures want to remain 'true' to their culture and not want to import other ideas. The Japanese and, to some extent, the French are in that boat.

One thing I have thought a lot about is the concept of diversity. We give a lot of hype to the 'value' of diversity. In the non-human world diversity often means invasiveness but never in the human world. It is said that cultures and languages are diminishing and we are slowly becoming one culture. We are finding more and more indigenous groups and taking over their lands and cultures. I find that sad. When the species becomes a cultural monopoly we will have lost an important aspect of our life. It's less about ownership but value. We need to give more value to unique and different cultures and try to preserve them.

JackPedigo Level 9 June 14, 2019
1

We all stand on the shoulders of others.

Heraclitus Level 8 June 14, 2019
1

Gesundheit!

skado Level 9 June 14, 2019
0

To me this is the kind of silly shit human beings find to get upset about instead of the REAL problems humanity faces everyday. I don't waste one second of my life thinking about such crap, and never will.

Sticks48 Level 9 June 14, 2019

It's always crap to those who are not affected...but, as I have always said...we have to pick our battles...there are just so many of them! You have picked some good ones for you and for others!

1

I think as we become more global, it is going to be natural to enjoy foods, words, art, etc. that other cultures offer.
It is an appreciation and admiration of many of the things the world offers.

It is cultural appropriation when money becomes involved or when the appropriation is demeaning or disrespectful of that culture. In our goal to enjoy, there is no reason not to be sensitive to the feelings of those we intended to admire.

Here is an example:

In the quilting world, a non-native American designer used specific images from Native American culture in her fabrics. The quilting world is full of PC sensitive people so there was quite an outrage and boycott. They stopped the production of the fabric until she could modify it to be "native American inspired" instead of "native American stolen".

Another example:

The wearing of cultural costumes by obviously non-culture people. First of all, it is not accurate in most cases and secondly, it is often stereotyped in other ways or sexualized. I find it demeaning for Native Americans when feathers and head dresses are used in photo shoots of near naked women when in the culture, women did not wear head dresses....or when a woman wears a Japanese kimono and puts on the white make-up of a geisha...or a Chinese dress with slant eye make-up...

With that said, common sense and looking at alternatives to be both respectful and to show admiration at the same time can be achieved....all sides can find that balance with a bit of thought and less outrage.

thinktwice Level 8 June 14, 2019

@Matias yes...she left out particular images that are unique to Native American culture and did more of a graphic design that had Southwestern iconic symbols...cacti, wolves, etc. The image was of a female wearing a headdress which is not accurate and considered sacred...she pulled the entire print

Showing the headdress on a female figure added an additional layer of discomfort for Crazy Bull. “Women don’t wear headdresses,” she explains. “Why would you do this? It would be really easy to draw a headdress on a young man and have people not be nearly as angry as they were.” Crazy Bull

I thought the outrage was a bit out of line, but as a quilter and part Cherokee, I totally understood both sides...I am a big fan of this young designer for her talents and her sensitivity to her fans and consumers. If you are interested...

[whileshenaps.com]

0

I'VE heard this argument before and you're correct...the BLUES...STILL belongs to the blacks, whites borrowed the concepts of THE BLUES and created what is colloquially known as BLUE EYED SOUL. NOTHING says if you started doing something first...I can't copy. AS LONG AS...I don't CLAIM that I DEVELOPED AND BEGAN the practice. But, i don't know if ADOPTED is a correct term either. When you adopt a baby...it knows nothing of its past...and believes YOU are it's parent...UNLESS YOU LET THE CHILD KNOW DIFFERENT. The whites BORROWED The Blues from the blacks...and gave it a bit of a different spin. STILL maintaining the 145 structure though...just ADDING a bit here and there of their own spin on it. We also BORROWED or ADOPTED Rock and Roll...it's purely Americana no matter how people look at it...and the Brits borrowed it from us as well. NOW EVERYBODY plays good rock...good BLUES...but...MOTOWN...LOL...will always be MOTOWN!!! AND STAX, AND THE PHILLY SOUND, MUSCLE SHOALS...THEY are unique in their sound...COPIED...YES...but...

0

In an abstract sense you are correct. Adjusted for the context of the racist country I live in, the one that practiced genocide against the Native Americans and enslaved millions of Africans and denigrates so many, it is an issue worth discussing and being sensitive to. Calling it PC nonsense or something similar says something, not good, about the person uttering such ill-informed nonsense. It is OK to be sensitive.

An example that irks me is the athleisure clothing company Rhone. They have a running hoodie that they call Lakota, after the Lakota Sioux Nation. They stole the use of the name. Did not pay a thing to use it. Who are they to use the Lakota brand without permission? Other examples are not as distinct, but I think we all get the idea.

Mitch07102 Level 8 June 14, 2019

@josh_is_exciting It isn't. For you anyway, I am Native American.

@Mitch07102 exactly...for those who are not affected, it isn't an issue...I did not know that about that company...thanks for showing that example...

1

I think there's a difference between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation. Cultural appreciation is when you copy another culture because you like or admire it and you are respectful to the origins of the cultural meme. Appropriation is when you are disrespectful of the cultural origins. A good example of the change from apropriation to appreciation is the way attitudes have changed towards places deemed sacred like Ayres Rock in Australia and Aboriginal culture in general.

CeliaVL Level 7 June 14, 2019
0

Nope it doesn't one people honor your culture but you live here that is everyone's identity honor all of us

bobwjr Level 10 June 14, 2019
3

I've never really understood cultural appropriation in the context of the American melting pot concept... Imitation is the best compliment is it not? If you see something you like, a look, a phrase, an idea, etc, I see no problem with making it your own...

Exactly.

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