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More simple for whom? Those who'd rather not think about it? This perspective likely varies widely based on the culture with which you identify. Some cultures
by djtriptych 11y ago
More simple for whom? Those who'd rather not think about it?
This perspective likely varies widely based on the culture with which you identify. Some cultures have been explicitly exploited, generally along the same axes of privilege in modern life.
- debacle 11y agoCultural appropriation is just the outcome of cultures mixing. It's been a part of cultural intermingling for at least the last thousand years, and probably since forever. The problem with modern cultural appropriation is anemic cultural identities coupled with one-directional appropriation. But that's only a problem for some cultures.
- djtriptych 11y agoYeah so let's limit the discussion to "modern" appropriation. Is it fair for any culture to complain about this? Isn't it drastically easier for people of more privileged cultures to assume identities of less privileged cultures? Is that directionality ok?
- debacle 11y agoI honestly think that in the Internet age no one should claim ownership of a particular cultural phenomenon. Cultural identity in the world is the weakest it has ever been, and as we homogenize our upbringings more and more through digital means, culture and ethnicity will matter less and less.
- djtriptych 11y agoThe Internet is 20 years old. Calm down lol. Also does humanity win when cultural tradition, cultural _information_ is lost forever? Are we sure we are capturing all that is useful? Is it really inevitable or could we _choose_ to assign more value to the preservation of extant culture?
- venomsnake 11y ago> More simple for whom? Those who'd rather not think about it? For the people that know that you cannot own a culture and there is no central authority which to determine how it can be used.
- djtriptych 11y agoYour position requires exactly zero definable instances of negative cultural appropriation. Can you really defend that position? Can you defend the Nazi's co-opting the swastika, for instance? Can you explain why cultural appropriation tends to be directed along privilege vectors? Male-female / gay-straight / white-black / rich-poor / etc. No. Simpler (for you) not to consider these things :) Cultural interchange is inevitable yes, but is its effect on the human condition negligible? No. So why not talk about it.
- venomsnake 11y agoOf course I can defend the Nazi swastika - it looked badass and it was easily recognized. When you go to war having a badass easily identified symbol on your flags is efficient and boost morale. Also they didn't appropriate it because it was fucking Germanic to begin with. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fylfot https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fylfot
- djtriptych 11y agobadass, easily recognized. These are subjective terms. YOU think the swastika is badass. YOU find it to be an "easily-recognizable" symbol (at the time of it's introduction). You can't prove things like that, so why do you believe this stuff? Why do you present it as fact?
- Nadya 11y ago>These are subjective terms. So? All culture is subjective. What is offensive in one culture can have a completely different meaning in other cultures [0]. Cultures are the result of human opinions and by definition that makes them subjective. Human interpretation of actions, symbols, words, or what have you that defines is a culture is the direct result of a group of peoples' collective opinions given to those actions, symbols, words, or what have you. Cultural appropriation is taking something away from a culture and trying to give it a new meaning, particularly with a meaning that the original group dislikes. Which is little more than "Our opinion on this thing came before your opinion. You're being rude by ignoring our opinion on this thing and we don't like that." [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_sign#As_an_insult https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_sign#As_an_insult