Cultural Sensitivity/Appropriation and Anger

This might come off as pessimistic, but you simply cannot change the world. These people, right or wrong, whether they outgrow this phase or not, simply are what they are. And you cannot change it.

"A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals..." - Agent K, Men In Black

You mention a post getting deleted, which makes me assume that we are talking some online environment. For what it's worth, in my experience people tend to be more vicious online, I'm not sure if it's the anonymity or the physical distance, or what exactly. But when you deal with these same people offline - and that will usually happen as a meeting with one person, not a whole group - this person (singular now) is much more reasonable and open to talking about things.

So, while I said at first that you cannot change the world, you CAN however exert influence in the person around you. And that's all that really matters, I suppose. Hopefully, your positive influence will cause ripples in the people pond.

Manu wrote: So, while I said at first that you cannot change the world, you CAN however exert influence in the person around you. And that's all that really matters, I suppose. Hopefully, your positive influence will cause ripples in the people pond.

Big changes very often start very small. Changes this big will have to be done one person at a time. It won't happen quickly, but in time, I think changes for the better will happen.

I'm sorry you've been on the receiving end of unproductive anger. I also feel bad for that one person who asked and, rather than getting an answer, got a bunch of zealots raging on about something they may or may not have any actual experience with. Sometimes I wish I had a mirror I could hold up whenever I see that sort of thing so people could see how foolish their behavior is, but such at it is there is no such mirror and they will have to learn the hard way as I did.

First let's be clear that when we talk about appropriation we're talking about a very specific kind context of people from one culture taking something from another culture--the item, material or not, has been removed from its cultural context. While white people of Western European and North American origins have been and continue to be some of the most flagrant perpetrators, appropriation is possible by almost every people-group. All that is required is the removal of a cultural item from its context.

Cultural appropriation is harmful because, unlike cultural appreciation, it removes the item from its context--often times for profit. In the case of a Moana, I can see why people would feel like that's cultural appropriation. The film itself I've heard nothing but good things about thus far, in part because it's a celebration of an indigenous culture and one which is rarely covered except in a bland and non-specific way as the creepy savages on some island far from home. It has been the case throughout the past couple hundred years that costumes have been a way that the appropriating culture has been able to remove items and symbols of significance to another culture from their context within that culture. This kind of thing often cheapens or completely erases the significance of those symbols and their significance (i.e. like Native American war bonnets). To make matters worse, often times items appropriated are replicated in cheap and unbecoming ways while the authentic version in its proper context is scorned by the people appropriating it (see just about any fashion style black people have created).

Inb4: what about this or that item of clothing I bought from such and such a vendor who was of the culture? Depends, but generally I'd you're in the clear. One thing you have to be careful of is that sometimes people sell stuff only because they know white people will buy it (I can't tell you how many 'Native' shops I've seen selling war bonnets).

Basically I distinguish appreciation vs. appropriation with a few examples:

Appreciation:
Learning the language of a people
Learning the history and cultural development of a people
Learning how culturally specific clothing is made traditionally

Appropriation:
'Chinese' character tattoos
Using stories from other cultures as a background to sell your decontextualized book, film, television show, etc.
Wearing cheap imitations of traditional clothing (i.e. Dashikis on white people, 'henna' tattoos, white people with bantu knots)

Jamie Stick wrote: Cultural appropriation is harmful because, unlike cultural appreciation, it removes the item from its context--often times for profit.

Jamie, I still don't understand why cultural appropriation is harmful, as in the case of Elvis or Eminem. Could you expand?

Nice post Jamie, and I don't disagree generally with the information as you've presented it


I was going to write something else, but I've changed my mind, (I'm not sure what I am going to write is better )


It is interesting that you use a modifed Game graphic to make your point -

Gaming is my culture. I was knee deep in table top games, card games, computers, early consoles, etc etc.

From where I'm standing - My culture has been appropriated and is now used by the masses for cheap thrills and easy money.

(Yes, I know it's not thousands of years old - but I grew up with it, it was who my friends and I were - It was our culture as much as anything)

I can choose to be bitter about it, and call anyone I see enjoying that "culture" (bastardised though it is) a faker and a thief - or I can be glad they are enjoying something that is a part of myself, and maybe use that as a link to teach them more about the origins and stories, the way we used to do it, and it's noble heritage.


So, if you're chinese, next time you see someone with a chinese character tattoo - ask if they want to learn more about the meanings of the strokes, or history of the words.

white people with bantu knots

"White people" eh?
Some of my best friends are white (Serbian, German, Scottish....) would argue their skin colour is the least of their qualities, but anyway.

Does that mean if I see a "Person of Colour" with a Mullet I can call them out :lol:



Edit: I'm not sure if this argument is more rational, but I'll throw it out there in case it gets more traction than the Gaming one -


Blue Jeans were invented in 1873 by a Bavarian and a Latvian, in San Francisco, USA.

Whose Culture is Blue Jeans?

Can Indians wear Blue Jeans? Can Japanese wear Blue Jeans? Can I?

If I have a chance to say my piece I will. Usually I ignor ignorant people. They're a wast of positive energy in most cases. Sometimes you can be a positive influence. They may or may not change. Let them live their lives as they wish

Part of it, to me, is about intent. Is the intent to mock or celebrate? In the case of the children's costume that's celebratory. That child wants to be that character because they think that character is cool and awesome and they want to be that cool and awesome. Sports team names like the Kansas City Chiefs and the Chicago Black Hawks are meant to be in praise of those groups, because you don't name your sports team after things you don't like. Adopting clothing trends, jewelry, hairstyles, things like that that you're doing for more than one day are also meant to be celebratory. People do it because they think it's cool, so they emulate it. Ever hear the phrase "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery?"

Now, I think people who adopt things from other cultures should learn about them, but mostly because knowing about them usually only serves to make it cooler to me.

It bugs me that people can get this worked up over a children's Halloween costume. Really? Is it that important to you? Just let it go and you'll live a happier life not caring about how everyone else in the world lives. You can't control other people, just yourself, so move on and be happy. But, who am I to tell you how to live your life. You want to get upset over every little thing, go ahead. I'll be over here rocking out because I don't care. :laugh:

I wasn't born into a culture. I saw how those around me behaved, how my family engaged in their cultures. But I am not my father. There are parts of his culture which depend on when and where he was born. And his culture is not my grandfather's, nor my great grandfather's. Actually, I suspect that if you were to compare my Sicilian great grandfather's culture to mine, there wouldn't be many similarities. Each of us appropriates the culture around us. You appropriate your parents culture, imperfectly, and you eventually create your own culture as a result. Cultural appropriation isn't a bad thing (unless it's purposely making a mockery of that culture), it's something we all use throughout our lives and is necessary for any of us to have any culture at all.

Jamie Stick wrote: While white people of Western European and North American origins have been and continue to be some of the most flagrant perpetrators, appropriation is possible by almost every people-group.

I don't think that's fair. Look at turn of the century East Asia. It was common practice in major countries such as China and Japan to majorly appropriate European and American culture. Compare Japan before they wrote a constitution (solely for the purpose of appropriating Western culture to artificially increase trade) and their entire cultural history to modern Japan. Japan has changed dramatically in a short period of time, and that is a direct result of cultural appropriation of the West's architecture, economics, music, art, literature, etcetera. Cultural appropriation really shouldn't be majorly attributed to a single race or ethnic group.

i do think that movie makers should present their movies with a basic respect for the cultures represented, and that people who are deliberately offensive earn the reactions that they get from those whom they offend

that being said, my culture believes that every individual has a basic right to freedom, self expression, and the pursuit of their own personal identity

and thats a belief that i wish everyone would appropriate