Cultural Appropriation...Am I going mad?

IITYWYBMAD · 05-07-2018 04:00PM #1

This detestable term has come into vogue recently. Yes, I'm familiar that the term has existed for some time, but it appears that it's (mis)use has now grown to be a first point of call for the masses, when it comes to everything from dreadlocks to SJW's getting offended about kids going to birthday parties dressed as cowboys and Indians.

Am I missing something here?

Where dose cultural appropriation sit with social diversity/inclusion?

I'm getting really sick of people claiming cultural 'ownership' of something associated with their ancestors, while at the same time demanding to be treated as an equal in their 'adopted' country.

This is not a discussion about race, more about cultures and heritage.

Where does it stop? And why are we tolerating it?

Some examples

http://www.playbill.com/article/theatre-cancels-aida-amid-concerns-over-cultural-appropriation

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/play-canceled-after-white-student-cast-as-main-character

https://edition.cnn.com/2016/03/31/living/white-dreadlocks-cultural-appropriation-feat/index.html

05-07-2018 04:02PM

"Cultural appropriation" is another name for culture.

wexie · 05-07-2018 04:04PM

I was in the process of trying to write a well thought out answer when I realized that me using the word BOLLOCKS may well be considered cultural appropriation

o1s1n · 05-07-2018 04:09PM

We all need to be equal and the same in modern society, apart from the times where we're all meant to remain different.

Such is the paradox of much modern twitter ideology. Thankfully it's easily ignored.

Lux23 · 05-07-2018 04:09PM

I hate when white actors are cast in roles that aren't white, there is no excuse for it. I also hate non-disabled actors playing people with wheelchairs or cisgender folk playing trans characters.

However, I don't get how a white person wearing dreadlocks is cultural appropriation and if anything shows a lack of awareness about European cultures like the Celts or Vikings.

seamus · 05-07-2018 04:11PM

It's a buzzword used by racists who believe that cultures should never mix.

Boom_Bap · 05-07-2018 04:15PM

It should be called Cultural Appreciation.

05-07-2018 04:15PM

This was one of the latest incidents, brilliant response to it.

https://youtu.be/NvdDKjy-87w

hatrickpatrick · 05-07-2018 04:19PM

As far as I'm concerned, culture is essentially "open source", free for others to adopt, adapt, mould, and create entirely new things by tweaking or blending. FFS, that's the whole beauty of human civilisation, sharing and swapping of beautiful things. Anyone who stands in the way of this is, as far as I'm concerned, an enemy of art, an enemy of creativity, an enemy indeed of humanity itself.

It's funny how SJWs claim to want to create a more tolerant and diverse society, but are obsessed with throwing up barriers where none existed previously, and attempting to pit one demographic group against another all the God-damn time.

o1s1n · 05-07-2018 04:20PM

Lux23 wrote: »

I hate when white actors are cast in roles that aren't white, there is no excuse for it. I also hate non-disabled actors playing people with wheelchairs or cisgender folk playing trans characters.
.

Does it work both ways (ie do you have an issue with the recent stage production Hamilton?) or is it only white men that can't play other roles?

nullzero · 05-07-2018 04:21PM

Cultural appropriation seems to be something only white people are capable of.

IITYWYBMAD · 05-07-2018 04:22PM

seamus wrote: »

It's a buzzword used by racists who believe that cultures should never mix.

I think that just completely over simplifies it. To me, it's more a term of convenience used when people feel the need to defend the indefensible. In my experience, it's those that demand acceptance are the ones who cry fowl at the drop of a turban.

Harry Palmr · 05-07-2018 04:22PM

Best ever article on this topic - well not the article obviously as that's a mad a ****ing hatter but those posts which are not

This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn't abide by our community standards. Replies may also be deleted. For more detail see our FAQs.

are good fun.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/30/marco-pierre-white-jamaican-dish-knorr-advert

Lux23 · 05-07-2018 04:23PM

o1s1n wrote: »

Does it work both ways (i.e. do you have an issue with the recent stage production Hamilton?) or is it only white men that can't play other roles?

I haven't seen Hamilton; I hate musicals. And yes for me, it would work both ways as long as the character or person is described as white or black or whatever.

brevity · 05-07-2018 04:24PM

I think the logic behind cultural appropriation is the idea that things associated with a "different culture" might not be popular or profitable until white people get their grubby hands on it.

But, I believe you can't really have multiculturalism without cultural appropriation.

And I'd wager people who are in favour of multiculturalism don't like cultural appropriation. Which doesn't make sense. IMO.

wexie · 05-07-2018 04:24PM

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

It's funny how SJWs claim to want to create a more tolerant and diverse society, but are obsessed with throwing up barriers where none existed previously, and attempting to pit one demographic group against another all the God-damn time.

But no matter how reasonably you try to explain that you'll always end up being the problem.

charlietheminxx · 05-07-2018 04:25PM

Lux23 wrote: »

I hate when white actors are cast in roles that aren't white, there is no excuse for it. I also hate non-disabled actors playing people with wheelchairs or cisgender folk playing trans characters.

However, I don't get how a white person wearing dreadlocks is cultural appropriation and if anything shows a lack of awareness about European cultures like the Celts or Vikings.

So basically you just can’t stand Scarlett Johansson? :P

Fully agree with most of your post. We can’t all be equal if we aren’t all allowed to wear the same clothes/hairstyles etc. as we please. Let’s just live and let live. White guy with dreadlocks? Grand. Asian lady with red hair? Fair play. Black lady wearing a cheongsam? More power to her. The small things in life should not be so politicised.

AllForIt · 05-07-2018 04:26PM

Lux23 wrote: »

I hate when white actors are cast in roles that aren't white, there is no excuse for it.

So if Idris Elba was cast as the new James Bond you'd be disgusted? Or does it not work the other way around.

I also hate non-disabled actors playing people with wheelchairs or cisgender folk playing trans characters.

So when Daniel Day-Lewis played Christy Brown in My Left Foot you would have been happier if an actor suffering from cerebral palsy played the lead role?

However, I don't get how a white person wearing dreadlocks is cultural appropriation and if anything shows a lack of awareness about European cultures like the Celts or Vikings.

Not to long ago I heard a British Jamaican say that he was disgusted to see ordinary white citizens in the UK having dreadlocks. No mind acting roles.

IITYWYBMAD · 05-07-2018 04:26PM

brevity wrote: »

I think the logic behind cultural appropriation is the idea that things associated with a "different culture" might not be popular or profitable until white people get their grubby hands on it.

But, I believe you can't really have multiculturalism without cultural appropriation.

And I'd wager people who are in favour of multiculturalism don't like cultural appropriation. Which doesn't make sense. IMO.

Q.E.D

IITYWYBMAD · 05-07-2018 04:28PM

AllForIt wrote: »

So when Danial Day-Lewis played Christy Brown in My Left Foot you would have been happier if an actor suffering from cerebral palsy played the lead role?

"Irish" actor with Cerebral Palsy.

Is it too early to mention those white actors who played Jesus Christ??

Lux23 · 05-07-2018 04:28PM

Is James Bond described as white or is that just an assumption?

I think a character with cerebral palsy should be played by someone with the condition, why not? And suffering from cerebral palsy? Seriously?

James Brown · 05-07-2018 04:29PM

I think the only negative cultural appropriation would be giving a white actor the role of a black character or making profit from the misery of another culture.
'Amazing Grace' was written by a British slave trader, so any non-british folk singing it are culturally appropriating it? Is playing two thirds of 'Green Onions' okay because two of the MG's were honkeys? It's a bit silly. If little crackers want to put their hair in cornrows I don't see how that takes away from the black people, culturally. Can't whitey play jazz?

seamus · 05-07-2018 04:33PM

IITYWYBMAD wrote: »

I think that just completely over simplifies it.

I don't think it does tbh. I've only ever heard it used on twitter by people annoyed that white people would dare to do anything which might be associated with another culture.

I can certainly side with people being upset by a racist representation; such as wearing a pointy hat and pulling your eyes into slits. But to insist that certain cultural aspects should only be allowed for people from that culture, is just racism. There's not really anything else going for it.

It would be like getting angry at a black guy for wearing shorts and a polo short because he's not white, therefore it's "cultural appropriation". Such fncking rubbish.

As said above, "cultural appreciation" is a much more apt word for it. It's someone saying, "Oh that's cool, I like it. I think I'll do that too".

whisky_galore · 05-07-2018 04:35PM

Matt Barrett wrote: »

I think the only negative cultural appropriation would be giving a white actor the role of a black character

That's derived from black and white minstrelsy, basically whites imitating African American mannerisms and patois. Far, far too much negative historical baggage there.

Jazz was derived from African American rhythms, but African Americans, Creoles and whites all had a hand in developing it.

Cordell · 05-07-2018 04:36PM

Lux23 wrote: »

I also hate non-disabled actors playing people with wheelchairs

Indeed, it makes my blood boil. If some actors can get overweight if the role requires, then there should be no stopping them to get truly amputated or one eyed or even paraplegic when needed. Acting aka faking a disability shows insensibility and lack of disability awareness.
Also, playing gangsters, no-no, get out there and drive by kill some guys before even trying to pretend to act gangsta.

mcmoustache · 05-07-2018 04:36PM

Lux23 wrote: »

Is James Bond described as white or is that just an assumption?

There was a comedian who made a skit about this. I think it involved a chase scene around Moscow where the the black James Bond has problems blending in with the crowd and fails to make his escape.

There are some things that a black spy simply could not do in some cities back in the 60s.

Ri_Nollaig · 05-07-2018 04:38PM

Lux23 wrote: »

I hate when white actors are cast in roles that aren't white, there is no excuse for it. I also hate non-disabled actors playing people with wheelchairs or cisgender folk playing trans characters.

However, I don't get how a white person wearing dreadlocks is cultural appropriation and if anything shows a lack of awareness about European cultures like the Celts or Vikings.

Unless its an actual historical person or if that characters heritage plays an important part, does it really matter if they change the race of the character?
And not sure if you are being fictitious but can you honestly think of times where they should have really cast someone in a wheelchair for a role...? Professor X perhaps ?

As for the origins of dreadlocks, I guess it comes down to the "name" and the style. The name is obviously rastafarian while the actual style of just matted hair probably happened on every culture at some point, given its just the result of having long un-combed hair.

Lux23 · 05-07-2018 04:40PM

Cordell wrote: »

Indeed, it makes my blood boil. If some actors can get overweight if the role requires, then there should be no stopping them to get truly amputated or one eyed or even paraplegic when needed. Acting aka faking a disability shows insensibility and lack of disability awareness.
Also, playing gangsters, no-no, get out there and drive by kill some guys before even trying to pretend to act gangsta.

Or they could just get actors with existing disabilities to play the roles? Do you think they don't exist?

Lux23 · 05-07-2018 04:42PM

Ri_Nollaig wrote: »

Unless its an actual historical person, does it really matter if they change the race of the character?
And not sure if you are being fictitious but can you honestly think of times where they should have really cast someone in a wheelchair for a role...? Professor X perhaps ?

As for the origins of dreadlocks, I guess it comes down to the "name" and the style. The name is obviously rastafarian while the actual style of just matted hair probably happened on every culture at some point, given its just the result of having long un-combed hair.

No, I can't but surely it should happen more often? The fact I can't name any shows what a problem it is.

Lux23 · 05-07-2018 04:44PM

mcmoustache wrote: »

There was a comedian who made a skit about this. I think it involved a chase scene around Moscow where the the black James Bond has problems blending in with the crowd and fails to make his escape.

There are some things that a black spy simply could not do in some cities back in the 60s.

But Daniel Craig had no problem running around Madagascar in Casino Royale? Do you think there are no black MI6 operatives at all?

Cordell · 05-07-2018 04:46PM

Lux23 wrote: »

Or they could just get actors with existing disabilities to play the roles? Do you think they don't exist?

I don't think there is a blind actor that can match Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman.

Cultural Appropriation...Am I going mad?

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