Some westerners believe that culture should not be shared and everyone should keep to their own culture or else risk appropriating that culture, which is seen as a type of colonialism. I disagree with this notion but I’m in the minority on this.
I’m Jewish and it would be sick if more people ate matzah ball soup. This however would be seen as cultural appropriation though.
Of course because when they steal our holy books and make fun of us (seriously I cannot stand the stereotype that we’re all chassidish) its all ok. Imo im completely fine with people spreading Jewish culture as long as they dont claim ownership.
lol slightly related but I’m brought back to that time in English class where we had to ask people around us their ethnic background and I mentioned I was Jewish, the guy got into a heated argument with me about how I can’t technically be Canadian because I’m Jewish. Genuinely bewildered hehe.
It’s actually a pretty nuanced topic, that has been attacked and thus muddled intentionally, but the simplified version is similar to fraud.
Basically, if it’s not your culture, but you act like it is and get paid (or equivalent) for representing it in some way, then it is appropriation. Whether that matters or not depends on power relations, so people at the wrong end of the genocide stick, for instance the Cree, don’t want people to make and sell something like headdresses that are supposed to be reserved for very specific purposes. It’s a ripoff and wrong on multiple levels.
Think ‘stolen valour’ responses for people wearing military medals without the right, but add on lost income and a history of shit and abuse as salt in the wound.
Hm, it think it’s seen more as taking something from a marginalised culture and making it a fad - like wearing dreads as a caucasian - and therefore removing this specific aspect from its cultural context.
Now I also don’t quite agree with this interpretation and I, too, prefer the more positive connotation of taking part in it and sharing cultural phenomena. If someone borrows from my culture I generally like it, as long as it is done respectfully and in good faith, but I am not part of a marginalised group.
Honestly the people who confuse honest cultural imitation or fusion with appropriation aren’t thinking critically about what harm is being done.
American exceptionalism produces a lot of these false positive responses, which is super annoying because it’s a real problem with economic consequences.
E.g. dreads is an ancient hairstyle for different ethnicities, cf. any sadhu, and no one is getting rich off of it.
Depending on who you ask, Jews could potentially be considered a marginalized group. I don’t speak for all Jews at all but I’ve never been offended or felt that my culture was being stolen by someone using Yiddish slang or eating kugel or matzah or challah or any other Jewish food. Hell, if someone walked in and was all “sup bitches, it’s Tu BiShvat, yesher koach yall” id be in stitches and happy that someone paid attention and remembered.
I thought it was claiming a cultural thing as your own, disregarding the origins. Your definition seems to be more racist driven fear of intermingling, to separate cultures.
My definition is how I’ve seen it used in practice. I brought in bagels from the Jewish bakery near me once in university and no one touched them because it was “Jew Food” and they didn’t want to “appropriate” lmao. More bagels for me, but damn.
Imagine missing out on a potential positive experience because of social fear of being labeled some form of racist. People are more scared of being called racist than actually functionally being one.
…Bagels are considered “ethnic” now? My heart hurts.
Also with someone bringing in something from their own culture to share; partaking in that offering isn’t (shouldn’t be?) racist. It’s polite and a form of bonding with fellow humans.
I would see that as just straight up racism. Being fearful of trying something new or exotic because of a backlash of your ingroup is terrible and very clique like, conservative republican like. Sorry that you had to experience that. I personally enjoy experiencing other cultural things, especially foods, and would not miss an opportunity to try new things.
Ya it was a surprise to me because where I used to live, bagels are just another type of bun or something. I didn’t realize they were that widely associated with being Jewish. This group that I graduated with were very concerned about appearing “cringe” so maybe perhaps it has to do with that.
But then how would the OOP’s example count when pixar didn’t claim culture?
I asked this question because i’m super confused after watching the beginning of this video, which sort of match what OP said.
I also heard some people define it as purposefully misrepresentation of a culture or ethic, which tbh is bad(like how hollywood movies often portray some country) but it doesn’t seems to be what most “cultural appropriation” are about
There’s also another famous example from 2018, which an american chinese accusing a white highschool student for wearing qi pao as a prom dress, which funny enough, got the approval of asian chinese after the fiasco make its round. In my country we wear each other ethnic’s cloth often, no one have any issue with it, it’s confusing why it’s such a sensitive issue.
There’s of course very bad actor out there but a lot of times it’s a head scratcher for me.
I agree with that video. And it also mentions pizza and that cultural appropriation. It’s associated with bastardizing the thing they take, like misinterpreting a cultural thing in movies. American versions of things are acceptable but not authentic originals in many households is an example of cultural appropriation to me. Not accepting a cultural thing at all, even modified, is just straight up racist fear. I think everyone discussing this is probably on the same page, but saying it differently?
That one is shitty, but mind giving more example? As a non-white and non-westerner i’m very confused about all these “cultural appropriation”.
Cultural appropriation is a term made up by people who just want to be mad about something.
Some westerners believe that culture should not be shared and everyone should keep to their own culture or else risk appropriating that culture, which is seen as a type of colonialism. I disagree with this notion but I’m in the minority on this.
I’m Jewish and it would be sick if more people ate matzah ball soup. This however would be seen as cultural appropriation though.
It would be like if someone stole our Torah from us word for word, wait a second the Christians did that.
We’re not allowed to complain tho…
Of course because when they steal our holy books and make fun of us (seriously I cannot stand the stereotype that we’re all chassidish) its all ok. Imo im completely fine with people spreading Jewish culture as long as they dont claim ownership.
lol slightly related but I’m brought back to that time in English class where we had to ask people around us their ethnic background and I mentioned I was Jewish, the guy got into a heated argument with me about how I can’t technically be Canadian because I’m Jewish. Genuinely bewildered hehe.
If he finds out about the terms Ashkenazi and Sefardi hes gonna loose his mind
I don’t think we could have gone to those types of nuances. It would create a quantum singularity.
Yeah, that’s inaccurate, sorry.
It’s actually a pretty nuanced topic, that has been attacked and thus muddled intentionally, but the simplified version is similar to fraud.
Basically, if it’s not your culture, but you act like it is and get paid (or equivalent) for representing it in some way, then it is appropriation. Whether that matters or not depends on power relations, so people at the wrong end of the genocide stick, for instance the Cree, don’t want people to make and sell something like headdresses that are supposed to be reserved for very specific purposes. It’s a ripoff and wrong on multiple levels.
Think ‘stolen valour’ responses for people wearing military medals without the right, but add on lost income and a history of shit and abuse as salt in the wound.
Hm, it think it’s seen more as taking something from a marginalised culture and making it a fad - like wearing dreads as a caucasian - and therefore removing this specific aspect from its cultural context.
Now I also don’t quite agree with this interpretation and I, too, prefer the more positive connotation of taking part in it and sharing cultural phenomena. If someone borrows from my culture I generally like it, as long as it is done respectfully and in good faith, but I am not part of a marginalised group.
Honestly the people who confuse honest cultural imitation or fusion with appropriation aren’t thinking critically about what harm is being done.
American exceptionalism produces a lot of these false positive responses, which is super annoying because it’s a real problem with economic consequences.
E.g. dreads is an ancient hairstyle for different ethnicities, cf. any sadhu, and no one is getting rich off of it.
Depending on who you ask, Jews could potentially be considered a marginalized group. I don’t speak for all Jews at all but I’ve never been offended or felt that my culture was being stolen by someone using Yiddish slang or eating kugel or matzah or challah or any other Jewish food. Hell, if someone walked in and was all “sup bitches, it’s Tu BiShvat, yesher koach yall” id be in stitches and happy that someone paid attention and remembered.
But again, I’m vastly in the minority on this.
I thought it was claiming a cultural thing as your own, disregarding the origins. Your definition seems to be more racist driven fear of intermingling, to separate cultures.
My definition is how I’ve seen it used in practice. I brought in bagels from the Jewish bakery near me once in university and no one touched them because it was “Jew Food” and they didn’t want to “appropriate” lmao. More bagels for me, but damn.
Imagine missing out on a potential positive experience because of social fear of being labeled some form of racist. People are more scared of being called racist than actually functionally being one.
…Bagels are considered “ethnic” now? My heart hurts.
Also with someone bringing in something from their own culture to share; partaking in that offering isn’t (shouldn’t be?) racist. It’s polite and a form of bonding with fellow humans.
I guess with this group I graduated with it is. I have a 5 year age difference from this group so I’m wondering if I’m simply out of touch.
I would see that as just straight up racism. Being fearful of trying something new or exotic because of a backlash of your ingroup is terrible and very clique like, conservative republican like. Sorry that you had to experience that. I personally enjoy experiencing other cultural things, especially foods, and would not miss an opportunity to try new things.
Ya it was a surprise to me because where I used to live, bagels are just another type of bun or something. I didn’t realize they were that widely associated with being Jewish. This group that I graduated with were very concerned about appearing “cringe” so maybe perhaps it has to do with that.
But then how would the OOP’s example count when pixar didn’t claim culture?
I asked this question because i’m super confused after watching the beginning of this video, which sort of match what OP said.
I also heard some people define it as purposefully misrepresentation of a culture or ethic, which tbh is bad(like how hollywood movies often portray some country) but it doesn’t seems to be what most “cultural appropriation” are about
There’s also another famous example from 2018, which an american chinese accusing a white highschool student for wearing qi pao as a prom dress, which funny enough, got the approval of asian chinese after the fiasco make its round. In my country we wear each other ethnic’s cloth often, no one have any issue with it, it’s confusing why it’s such a sensitive issue.
There’s of course very bad actor out there but a lot of times it’s a head scratcher for me.
I agree with that video. And it also mentions pizza and that cultural appropriation. It’s associated with bastardizing the thing they take, like misinterpreting a cultural thing in movies. American versions of things are acceptable but not authentic originals in many households is an example of cultural appropriation to me. Not accepting a cultural thing at all, even modified, is just straight up racist fear. I think everyone discussing this is probably on the same page, but saying it differently?
OP would be complaining that they didn’t show enough diversity if they didn’t have these movies. Can’t win with some people.