Cultural Appropriation

[Post]

Also I'm not saying that no "infringements" should ever occur under any circumstances, but I do think that people (especially ones guiding multi-national corporations) should consider what impact their "infringements" could have on members of the culture they are "infringing" upon.

What impact does this situation have?

[Khaza-R]

There is no such thing because people can easily identify what culture something came from even if somebody else uses it. It loses no value from the original culture.

It seems to be a bubble mentality, propunded by Americans.

For most of the world, it's easy to look at your neighboring countries and see how shared but distinct your culture really is

[Unhinged]

Whenever I think of cultural appropriation I like ti think of all the things these numpties have taken from white people. Their lives would be shit without us and what we bought to the world.

[Tackhisis]

I don't think that foreigners should be allowed to celebrate my national holidays. They don't share our bonds of blood. When they do, they desecrate them.

As for cultural appropriation, it is just kitsch, a question of taste. People shouldn't have a meltdown in social networks because of it.

[Darkeon]

This is the type of problems a society gets to worry about when everything else is pretty much alright. I'm glad we have no significant further need for most social movements in the West.

[May90]

Reminds me of people who complain about video game shooters: "Weapons have been used to kill people! Have you no respect for them, that you choose to kill people for fun?" Same here: "Boomerangs have been used to kill kangaroos"... Well, sure, and nuclear physics has been used to kill off hundreds thousands Japanese - doesn't make studying it monstrous.

[Graeham]

Cultural appropriation has always been and will always be a ridiculous concept. Many of the people complaining about it will quite readily make use of fashion and cuisine from other cultures when it suits them and only kick up a fuss when it's notably 'ethnic' in origin. They won't complain about British or Swedish cuisine/fashion being 'appropriated' but they will if it's African, Japanese or Mexican.

These people are literally insane and they should not be taken seriously. For some it's outright delusion, for others it's brainwashing and yet more simply do it for the sake of desperate virtue signalling. Most people are thankfully in agreement - because it's an abnormal belief in the eyes of the general public. Not that it'll stop the usual suspects crawling into this thread to awkwardly justify it, mind you.

[starlord]

i think its important to be respectful of other cultures, but you cannot "steal" culture by taking part in it. its not a zero sum issue.

[Super Kami Dende]

I've found people that think Cultural Appropriation is a real thing, are usually incredibly moronic people.

[Heladys]

Cultural appropriation is horseshit at least as routinely claimed. If there's a real concept buried in there somewhere it's real deep in the shit.

- - - Updated - - -

Cool. No other country should use electricity, the telephone, the internet, the computer, nuclear energy, the automobile or basically anything invented after the 19th century besides America.

Pretty clearly every non-American is free to use education however. You might want to google where some of those things were actually invented, chum.

[Super Kami Dende]

Cool. No other country should use electricity, the telephone, the internet, the computer, nuclear energy, the automobile or basically anything invented after the 19th century besides America.

Aussies made the Refrigerator. ENJOY YOUR WARM MILK ASIA!

[Deleted]

I'm not seeing how this specific case is an instance of appropriation.
It doesn't follow any of the usual complains:
It's not seen differently by either culture: elements seen as trashy when used by the minority culture, but fashionable or exotic by the dominating one.
It's not showing any sign of disrespect of their deities and beliefs.
Its fundamental use isn't different: it can be used for hunting, sport, or entertainment just like any regular boomerang can.
It's not perpetuating harmful stereotypes about the minority culture, or even misinterpreting it.
It's not advertised as a way to become part of the culture.

The accusations levied at it (those in the article at least) don't seem to explain how or why it counts. They mostly focus on the price-tag, which is often outrageous on its own (it's an expensive stick), but the combination with "appropriation" seems to be using the word expecting it be taken as a harmful instance on faith alone.

[Sky High]

I'm offended a piece of wood costs that much. but this being a "designer" brand it's no surprise.

[Flarelaine]

On the other hand will it hurt a culture that has only a few thousand or hundred members living in poverty if a giant multi-national distorts the image of the peoples in order to make a massive profit?

It will. For that price, Chanel could have those few remaining aborigines handcraft the boomerangs. For all I know, they could be trying to make a living making boomerangs and then Chanel comes along with their resin junk.

[Shinra1]

Cultural appropriation is always bad no matter how you look at it.

If you're a white person you should always check your privilege and listen to what the minority diaspora are telling you.

[lonely zergling]

Cultural appropriation is always bad no matter how you look at it.

If you're a white person you should always check your privilege and listen to what the minority diaspora are telling you.

You once said in another thread you want to punch racists too, now is a good time to hit yourself.

[Rend Blackhand]

Supporting and promoting your own culture is considered racist but promoting others is now cultural appropriation, also racist.

Really makes you wonder....

[Shadowferal]

Comes down to whether you think homogenization is good or not. Do you think the world would be better if, after cultural appropriating all of the smaller cultures, we just had one dominant culture for the entire species. Or do you think we are fine how we are now, with a plethora of diverse (but often conflicting) cultures and that we should keep it that way via attacking "cultural appropriation".

Define "culture."

Bear in mind that a particular culture's societal mores, and customs shouldn't break the law. So "honor" killings and "child brides" should not even be a consideration.

But a great example of such "appropriation" is say "martial arts."
Most of where I'm at see this as specifically oriented in Japan and China, but once a person gets more involved we see other styles and forms in other countries. But we also become more involved with a particular culture striving to be more "correct" with it within the boundaries of our laws. It's less an "appropriation" and more spreading the love of it. This can be a beautiful thing.
And with cultures that have stagnated or dying, can be brought around and instilled with new life with new ideas.

[Incredibale]

There's two forms of cultural appropriation that are bad:

1. Flat out stealing stuff that's considered 'owned' in a way that a trademark/copywritten item is by that particular person. For instance, certain songs by Aboriginal cultures are considered the 'property' of particular people, and though they're not registered copywritten, they should be respected as such.

2. Things that are considered sacred/solemn/tragic/otherwise and using them in a very flippant or fun/casual/commercial purpose. For the idiots that think this is an 'oh, only against white people' kind of thing, this has blown up in the face of some Asian pop star that filmed some Nazi/"Holocaust-chic" themed music video.

Both of your examples are deranged, the second one especially. Godwin's law fulfilled.

[I Push Buttons]

Define "culture."

Bear in mind that a particular culture's societal mores, and customs shouldn't break the law. So "honor" killings and "child brides" should not even be a consideration.

But a great example of such "appropriation" is say "martial arts."
Most of where I'm at see this as specifically oriented in Japan and China, but once a person gets more involved we see other styles and forms in other countries. But we also become more involved with a particular culture striving to be more "correct" with it within the boundaries of our laws. It's less an "appropriation" and more spreading the love of it. This can be a beautiful thing.
And with cultures that have stagnated or dying, can be brought around and instilled with new life with new ideas.

That's the thing... The idiots who bitch about cultural appropriation similarly preach retarded cultural relativism.

They argue that those things should be viewed from the perspective of their respective cultures, where they are acceptable... Not from the evil, white, Christian, western perspective where those things are absolutely bad.