Just want to make sure we're covering all the bases

  • Fakename_Bill [he/him]
    ·
    4 years ago

    It really depends on what you mean by cultural appropriation.

    If a big company sells a line of clothing that uses another culture's symbols to appear "exotic," that's gross and should be called out.

    If I like to occasionally make empanadas and share them with my friends, I'm going to laugh in your face if you try to call me a bad person for that.

    • crispyhexagon [none/use name]
      ·
      4 years ago

      cultural appropriation is where you materially profit by means of commodifying foreign culture.

      cultural appreciation is when you enjoy that culture without a profit motive.

      it really is that simple.

      • CatherineTheSoSo [any]
        ·
        4 years ago

        I would assume there got to be some sort of power dynamic at play for it to be considered cultural appropriation.

        • crispyhexagon [none/use name]
          ·
          4 years ago

          definitionally? not exactly.

          in terms of if its at all worth discussing? yes.

          i mean, appropriation of the majority culture by a minority has its own word, assimilation. yknow?

        • crispyhexagon [none/use name]
          ·
          edit-2
          4 years ago

          plot twist: he was.

          it harmed his own culture everytime a tourist mistakenly believed theyd learned about his culture by experiencing a trope.

          it harmed his sense of self to lie about it.

          it harmed the culture of those he was immitating, not only by making a mockery of it, but by potentially crushing their own attempt at doing the same thing by being a direct competitor.

          it was also entirely understandable why he would do that in an attempt to bring in funds to help himself and his loved ones.

          edit: its also harmful to the tourists, and every other marginalized group they ever interact with, by way of reinforcing their own stereotypical beliefs when they were potentially trying to learn for fucking once. just saying