Cultural appropriation

[Ken-1122]

A white man from USA is wearing dreadlocks and a Dashiki. Is this an example of cultural appropriation?
A Black man from the USA is wearing dreadlocks and a Dashiki. Is this an example of cultural appropriation?
Why or why not?

 

[Chesterton]

If one is the type of person who gets out of bed every morning desperately, I mean desperately, looking around for something to be upset about, then yeah, I guess either could be cultural appropriation.

 

[name_is_irrelevant]

A white man from USA is wearing dreadlocks and a Dashiki. Is this an example of cultural appropriation?

To some people it is.

A Black man from the USA is wearing dreadlocks and a Dashiki. Is this an example of cultural appropriation?

To some people it is.

Why or why not?

I think it comes down to whether one is ethnocentric in their outlook or not, what you base your identity on. Eg there's a difference between being white, and being White. People who are White often confuse the two. I've had people who are White try and claim to represent me, White Nationalism and all that crap. Which is weird, because I'm mixed ancestry, and I've had non-white people try to pull the same stunt. Let me just represent myself, I'll be the head of my own race lol.

Different people have different ideas. And some people like to think their ideas represent an entire group of people that you are supposedly offending, regardless of whether others from that same group have a problem with it or not. This is why I dislike identity politics.

 

[Ken-1122]

If one is the type of person who gets out of bed every morning desperately, I mean desperately, looking around for something to be upset about, then yeah, I guess either could be cultural appropriation.

What about you? Do you see them as equally appropriate?

 

[Ken-1122]

To some people it is.

What about to you?

To some people it is.

What about to you?

I think it comes down to whether one is ethnocentric in their outlook or not, what you base your identity on.

So you would really have to know the person in order to accuse them of culture appropriation?

Eg there's a difference between being white, and being White. People who are White often confuse the two.

What’s the difference?

 

[Chesterton]

What about you? Do you see them as equally appropriate?

Sure. Personally, you couldn't pay me enough to care about that kind of thing. I'm cool with any American wearing a dashiki, and I'm equally cool with any West African using a computer. Heck, I once even saw a Chinese guy eating with a fork. I didn't even bat an eye.

 

[dreadnought]

A white man from USA is wearing dreadlocks and a Dashiki. Is this an example of cultural appropriation?
A Black man from the USA is wearing dreadlocks and a Dashiki. Is this an example of cultural appropriation?
Why or why not?

We all grew our hair out after the Beatles came out in the 1960's. Was that cultural appropriation?

 

[JackRT]

Here I am A Canadian of Scots, Irish and French background and yet I had spaghetti and meatballs today. Ah well!!

 

[Darkhorse]

Here I am A Canadian of Scots, Irish and French background and yet I had spaghetti and meatballs today. Ah well!!

It sure beats haggis!

 

[JackRT]

It sure beats haggis!

Had haggis once. It was quite tasty.

 

[Non sequitur]

A white man from USA is wearing dreadlocks and a Dashiki. Is this an example of cultural appropriation?
A Black man from the USA is wearing dreadlocks and a Dashiki. Is this an example of cultural appropriation?
Why or why not?

No, because people like to wear/dress in styles they like.

Swap "appropriation" for "appreciation" and my answer is the same.

 

[Strathos]

Depend on if someone arbitrarily decides it is or not.

 

[name_is_irrelevant]

What’s the difference?

The difference between being white and being White is that one is just a biological characteristic, whereas the other is a cultural identity. Eg., obviously you don't see white cats or dogs arguing with black cats or dogs over issues of appropriation, because they don't do cultural identity. Being white or black doesn't make you a member of a certain culture, so for someone to say it's cultural appropriation for a white person to wear something but not for a black person or vice-versa is making a lot of unfounded assumptions linking biological characteristics with a presumed identity. Are all black people the same? Are all white people the same? We all differ on an individual level anyway, so who owns cuture? Why is it that people always want to only associate with the good parts of their culture, while blaming others for the bad parts of theirs? Cultural fig leaves.

 

[Ana the Ist]

A white man from USA is wearing dreadlocks and a Dashiki. Is this an example of cultural appropriation?
A Black man from the USA is wearing dreadlocks and a Dashiki. Is this an example of cultural appropriation?
Why or why not?

No...the answer is always no.

The left has gotten itself into a mess by pushing both an identity politics agenda...and a social justice agenda. The core of identity politics is that you can identify anyway you like....and express your identity as you please...and no one should shame you for it. Based on that alone...there is no such thing as cultural appropriation.

The problem, of course, is when you're pushing a social justice agenda based on perceived "injustices" by those with "power" against those who have none. Under that agenda...the white guy wearing dreads is exploiting black culture by "appropriating" it.

This kind of thing is part of the reason the left is such a mess these days. They can't really stay consistent with their message without holding double standards on a whole lot of issues.

 

[name_is_irrelevant]

The problem, of course, is when you're pushing a social justice agenda based on perceived "injustices" by those with "power" against those who have none. Under that agenda...the white guy wearing dreads is exploiting black culture by "appropriating" it.

What is black? What is white?

 

[GrowingSmaller]

A white man from USA is wearing dreadlocks and a Dashiki. Is this an example of cultural appropriation?
A Black man from the USA is wearing dreadlocks and a Dashiki. Is this an example of cultural appropriation?
Why or why not?

I think its a personal thing, not an objective fact. To some it would be fine, to others it would be offensive. There is no "culture free" interpretation of these things, some groups would be offended and that is that. To me, I don't feel I have a need (or a right) to decide for others where to draw the line. Its not a case where I would say "Objectively, you are being wronged, so protest". Then again, if white liberals want to stand up for minority groups, I would admire that too. So, its kinda complicated with no easily made hard and fast rulings.

 

[Ana the Ist]

What is black? What is white?

Is this a rhetorical question? Or are you asking me seriously?

 

[essentialsaltes]

Like with the definition of pornography, I know it when I see it. Pornography is a lot easier to find than cultural appropriation.

 

[That Guy 11200]

The first time I heard about cultural appropriation was the 'Kimono Wednesdays' controversy, from a few years ago. People protesting because white people were being encouraged to wear kimonos while viewing Monet's painting of his wife wearing a kimono. The protesters didn't seem to care that the event was in association with a Japanese charity that was trying to highlight the ailing kimono industry in Japan. They cared more about their own feelings than the livelihoods of actual Japanese people living in Japan.

 

[Dave-W]

Cultural appropriation has been going on for as long as there have been different cultures. We even borrow from the animal kingdom.

There is nothing wrong with it.