• Zozano@aussie.zone
    ·
    7 months ago

    I've heard people claim cultural appropriation over this or that, but I'm not convinced it's a real thing, and not just people being offended on behalf of someone else.

    That's not to say that cultures don't get appropriated, but is that a bad thing? White people rocking dreadlocks, cool. Black people sporting a kimono, nice. Asian people with Klan robes, what.

    We live in a culturally interconnected global community now, no group has ownership over aesthetics.

    • Alaskaball [comrade/them]
      ·
      7 months ago

      That's not to say that cultures don't get appropriated, but is that a bad thing? White people rocking dreadlocks, cool. Black people sporting a kimono, nice. Asian people with Klan robes, what.

      ♬ One of these things is not like the other ~ One of these things is actually bad ♬

          • Zozano@aussie.zone
            ·
            7 months ago

            Not wrong lol. Australian humour is a very tricky thing to understand for outsiders.

            I was once accused of being racist for telling a story about how I joked that my black friend didn't need sunscreen.

            Unless you understand how Aussie humour works, you won't understand that I'm actually saying "I don't give a shit about what colour your skin is".

            For the uninitiated, much of Aussie humour revolves around how much you can "take-the-piss" meaning, "I know where your boundaries are, and I'll show you that I respect you by walking up to that line, but not crossing it".

            • ElHexo [comrade/them]
              ·
              7 months ago

              I was once accused of being racist for telling a story about how I joked that my black friend didn't need sunscreen.

              Tell the story and explain the joke then

              • Zozano@aussie.zone
                ·
                edit-2
                7 months ago

                Was at the beach with some mates and had some sunblock, after I SlipSlopSlapped, I asked if my black mate if he wanted some, then quickly corrected myself saying "nah you're alright, anyone else?"

                He had a chuckle and said "fuck you", then I gave him the tube because black people still get sunburned.

    • Tankiedesantski [he/him]
      ·
      7 months ago

      While there are people who are too trigger happy with the term, and a sizable gray area between cultural exchange and cultural appropriation, I do think there are cases where people cross over into objectionable cultural appropriation.

      A really good example was when white American college students wore fake native American headwear with significant cultural and spiritual importance as decoration for drunken parties. I can definitely sympathize with native Americans not wanting their culture treated with disrespect.

      • Zozano@aussie.zone
        ·
        7 months ago

        Maybe it's just may way of looking at things, but I think for something to be culturally appropriated, it would need to be done with sincerity.

        Ironically dressing up in Native-American headwear for a frat-party doesn't seem like cultural appropriation, just kinda fucked up (like doing blackface).