Cultural Appropriation

[Easy 5,305]

I actually do not know how this work.

When is it appreciating a culture? When is it cultural appropriation? 

As an Asian, my culture often appears in Western films, music etc. Sometimes they are not identical to the original but I do feel proud and respected because someone cared to use what represents my culture in their work. TBH, let me make an extreme case, a woman who plays a prostitute in a film wears an altered and very sexual piece of clothing that has traces of the traditional clothings in my culture, even in this case, I'm not offended, but I feel like people might call this artist out for cultural appropriation? I just need some explanations please.

[Guest]

1 minute ago, holy scheisse said:

 it's 2017 I can't understand how y'all haven't grasped this as a concept by now and it's also not my duty to educate every ignorant person

Is it really such a chore to just give your opinion? You obviously have the time to be saying this so why not try saying something productive?

[holy scheisse 22,274]

2 minutes ago, ashae said:

Mockery would imply they are doing it purposefully to harm others, which they are not. This is like saying if one person can't do this, nobody else can because it's unfair to that one person.

Katy Perry herself acknowledged her cultural appropriation as she is now "woke" btw (lol) maybe go watch her video where she discussed her realization. It doesn't have to be intentional but you are inadvertently mocking people by copping their cultural style when it is not integral to your actual cultural identity. 

[holy scheisse 22,274]

1 minute ago, ashae said:

Is it really such a chore to just give your opinion? You obviously have the time to be saying this so why not try saying something productive?

U quoted my opinion one line above this haha so what do you want 

[Supersonic 49,376]

Being all uppity uppity about this just makes you look like that girl from high school everyone hated that always went "oh my gaaawwwwd, i have so many haterssssss, don't be so jealoussss, it's a disease honey!" It's like Paris Hilton asking why "poor people just don't buy more money". Sometimes you're so jaded by your own comfortable life, that you don't realize that people who are not like you might not be able to most of the things you just take for granted.

That slaps me everytime in the head especially in wintertime, whenever my female friends would say they are scared to go out and do errands past 5pm. It always takes me a minute to realize that they don't feel safe in the dark outside because they're deathly afraid of getting raped in the bushes in the dark and nobody noticing/caring. And I don't really have that fear just because I am male and presenting as a male in public.

I think what we're missing is empathy for the disenfranchised in the society.

[ooo 407]

i could launch into a detailed, lengthy history as to why it absolutely is cultural appropriated to wear protective hairstyles that africans created near the beginning of humans. 

but what i don't get is how people are blind to cultural appropriation being a real thing. you've seen it happen. if you want to use katy as an example lets not forget her and the whole egyptian thing. egyptians are and were black. old hollywood white washed it. and she and her team went right along with the messed up white version. 

and as others have pointed out people from their own cultures get belittled and even murdered for being outwardly proud of their cultures. but white people use those cultures and get printed in magazines, have music videos made of the exploitation, build a brand and in turn an empire off of it, etc. and then profit off of it. its not that hard to understand. 

[Easy 5,305]

I just googled and it says "Cultural appropriation is the adoption or use of the elements of one culture by members of another culture.".

so is it a type of cultural appropriation that Gaga sang DWUW which clearly contains R&B elements because she isn't an African American woman? I can't speak for African American but if Gaga made a song with Chinese instruments or chord progressions I would actually be proud instead of feeling offended. 

For example, out of the very limited Japanese people I know, they like Avril's Hello Kitty instead of feeling offended.

[Supersonic 49,376]

4 minutes ago, Easy said:

I actually do not know how this work.

When is it appreciating a culture? When is it cultural appropriation? 

As an Asian, my culture often appears in Western films, music etc. Sometimes they are not identical to the original but I do feel proud and respected because someone cared to use what represents my culture in their work. TBH, let me make an extreme case, a woman who plays a prostitute in a film wears an altered and very sexual piece of clothing that has traces of the traditional clothings in my culture, even in this case, I'm not offended, but I feel like people might call this artist out for cultural appropriation? I just need some explanations please.

It's a very complex issue. In general the consensus is that people in the "homeland" are not nearly as offended as Asian-American (for example) people would be, because Asian-Americans or any other diaspora in another country have to actually deal with the consequences, disadvantages and stereotypes that come from all of this in their daily life.

[Luiz 4,253]

1 minute ago, buddh1sm said:

i could launch into a detailed, lengthy history as to why it absolutely is cultural appropriated to wear protective hairstyles that africans created near the beginning of humans. 

but what i don't get is how people are blind to cultural appropriation being a real thing. you've seen it happen. if you want to use katy as an example lets not forget her and the whole egyptian thing. egyptians are and were black. old hollywood white washed it. and she and her team went right along with the messed up white version. 

and as others have pointed out people from their own cultures get belittled and even murdered for being outwardly proud of their cultures. but white people use those cultures and get printed in magazines, have music videos made of the exploitation, build a brand and in turn an empire off of it, etc. and then profit off of it. its not that hard to understand. 

greeks took over egypt tho

egypt was ruled by white people for a while yo 

 

 

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, holy scheisse said:

Katy Perry herself acknowledged her cultural appropriation as she is now "woke" btw (lol) maybe go watch her video where she discussed her realization. It doesn't have to be intentional but you are inadvertently mocking people by copping their cultural style when it is not integral to your actual cultural identity. 

I honestly don't see how it's mocking? If they are using someone else's culture for whatever they do its because they like whatever it is, which would be showing respect towards it, not mockery. For example I'm part native American and when people use things like native American style clothing I find it nice somewhat honored. I feel like the cultural appropriation only comes in things like "the remains" which is blatantly racist. Sorry if I sound angry I'm on like 5 cups of coffee and I've only been up for an hour

[The Surrealist 27,470]

Saying braids are cultural appropriation is the dumbest **** ever.

[shmal96 2,928]

I don't see everyone dragging Gaga for Burqa (among many others) tho when you drag other artists for appropriation. 

[ooo 407]

5 minutes ago, Luiz said:

greeks took over egypt tho

egypt was ruled by white people for a while yo 

 

 

what point are you trying to make? just bc greeks eventually took over egypt doesn't erase egyptians being black or even eventually mixed. i'm talking about egyptian culture, from africa, being white washed and glamorized by old hollywood. i'm talking about an african culture that got exploited by white hollywood and in turn modern musical artists. its just one example. kind of like how japanese culture did change when americans from wwii came over there. but was still largely japanese. i'm saying a white hand or mederterranian hand being stuck in a culture doesn't erase what its really about. but what is happening today with exploiting and beyond "borrowing" is messed up. 

[Easy 5,305]

1 minute ago, Supersonic said:

It's a very complex issue. In general the consensus is that people in the "homeland" are not nearly as offended as Asian-American (for example) people would be, because Asian-Americans or any other diaspora in another country have to actually deal with the consequences, disadvantages and stereotypes that come from all of this in their daily life.

I hope what I'm going to say won't offend anyone. 

So what you are implying is that the insecure people tend to call out people for cultural appropriation even if the artist didn't intentionally make his or her work racist meanwhile the millions of the people from the "homeland" are usually cool with it? It is really hard for cultural exchange then. I usually find incorporating other's culture in your life or an artwork is a cool way to show respect. Like how non locals I see everyday sometimes wear Chinese inspired clothing, tbh I think imma just cal, this cultural appropriation accusation of everything bullshit.

[holy scheisse 22,274]

3 minutes ago, shmal96 said:

I don't see everyone dragging Gaga for Burqa (among many others) tho when you drag other artists for appropriation. 

She was dragged when she wore a burqa. In the song aura Its used as a lyrical metaphor to indicate she is being hidden or covered so there's no issue with the song. But yeah she shouldn't have work an actual burqa.