Cultural appropriation vs cultural assimilation

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Poodle
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Cultural appropriation vs cultural assimilation

Post by Poodle »

I have been hearing the term cultural appropriation a lot recently. Apparently it is offensive. I struggle with this idea a little. I acknowledge that if someone is trying to be offensive, parodying another person using perceived aspects of that culture, can be offensive. No kidding.

At it's core the term cultural appropriation seems to imply a very definite us vs them idealogy and a flawed idea that culture is a fixed, inflexible thing and there is a set amount of it. This doesn't seem tre to me. Cultures can change. They can absorb aspects of other cultures that are incompatible with ideas currently held. They can be forced to deny parts of their culture under threat. This has occurred with language and religion around the world when one culture takes over another.

As far as I am aware, no culture has ever been lost because it was freely given and shared with another group. At worst some of the meaning behind certain practices may disappear for those who are unaware of the cultural and historical facts.

In "white men can't jump" Wesley Snipes tells Woody Harrelson he can't listen to Jimi Hendrix because it is Black music. Rosie Perez points out that Jimi's drummer and bassist were both white.

I think this highlights the major problem with cultural appropriation. Where do you draw the line? Sure Jimi was black, but is Rock and Roll? Electric guitars are not a black phenomenon. Electricity is not a black phenomenon. Jimi sang in the English language? Is that cultural appropriation? He used a musical notation system invented in Europe? Is that cultural appropriation? He also wore flares and a paisley shirt? Is that cultural appropriation? Should he have performed in some other more culturally correct language, clothing or manner? Who decides what is appropriate?
Charlie Pride was a black man who sang country music? Is that not cultural appropriation, assuming one culture can claim a musical style?

Another poster brought up that it was inappropriate for a white guy to have cornrows because he hadn't fought for it. My hair naturally turns into an Afro. Am I forbidden to let that happen if I am white and who polices that? What if I am 1/2 black or 1/8 black or 1/64 black am I allowed cornrows now?
How does me having cornrows if I am white take away from the struggle of black people? Also does skin colour or gender or sexuality stop me from empathising with people who are different from me? Isn't that what empathy is.

Language is tricky. Every white person knows that "nigger" is a word only black people can use if they don't want a beating or litigation. Apparently "cracker", and "honky" are not treated the same way. "gay" was appropriated by the gay community and now is offensive to use for anything that isn't gay. Queer is apparently socially acceptable although I think it is an awful word.

By the rules of cultural appropriation, being afro-american and speaking "English" (not European) is cultural appropriation as it is the language of a particular cultural group, the English.

See how nonsensical this all gets. Look at the food you eat, your possessions, the many words in English borrowed from other languages, the every day things you do that derive from other cultures, including literacy, democracy, the clothes you wear, the legal system and even the technology that makes this conversation possible.

Instead of fighting cultural appropriation if you want your culture to flourish encourage it. Tell me how eminem made rap less popular!

IMVHO Cultural "appropriation" is a natural result of cultures interacting with other cultures. It is not one directional. It is not a theft. It is a sharing. I believe mostly it shows one culture values aspects of another. It seems like the opposite of racism not a symptom of it.
Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination circles the world. -Albert Einstein.
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