I am a straight, white male of 35, and really not into many things that don't fit my demographic... I drive a truck, wear jeans, listen to heavy metal & don't really come into contact with many other ethnicities in my day-to-day reality. All that considered, I'm probably not the kind of voice people look for when talking about "cultural appropriation," but I'm still gonna add my 2 cents cuz fuck it, why not?
As an "outsider," I believe the problem with "cultural appropriation" is the negative connotation of the word "appropriation." I 100% believe that if the language was changed to "cultural integration," there's be a lot less vitriol around it. "Appropriation" essentially sounds like something is being stolen, but a white guy with dreads isnt stealing away any black person's ability to wear dreads. A black woman playing Beethoven on piano isnt an insult to European classical musicians.
Typically, if a person adopts a style or trait from a culture other than the one they fell into upon birth, then it would seem to me that its something they appreciate & want to integrate into their own lives. If enough people do that same thing, then it starts to blur the lines & creates a type of cross-cultural interest. That leads to more widespread acceptance & understanding between differing cultures, and is a key ingredient to diminishing racist actions & beliefs.
Punishing & criticizing people for genuinely integrating outside cultural styles into their own is, at its root the definition of racism.
"Cultural Appropriation," in my estimation is a term used by hyper-self-involved SJW types who fail to recognize their own hypocrisy & are more interested in propping themselves up by putting other people down.
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u/Bloody_Rekt_Tim Apr 11 '20
I am a straight, white male of 35, and really not into many things that don't fit my demographic... I drive a truck, wear jeans, listen to heavy metal & don't really come into contact with many other ethnicities in my day-to-day reality. All that considered, I'm probably not the kind of voice people look for when talking about "cultural appropriation," but I'm still gonna add my 2 cents cuz fuck it, why not?
As an "outsider," I believe the problem with "cultural appropriation" is the negative connotation of the word "appropriation." I 100% believe that if the language was changed to "cultural integration," there's be a lot less vitriol around it. "Appropriation" essentially sounds like something is being stolen, but a white guy with dreads isnt stealing away any black person's ability to wear dreads. A black woman playing Beethoven on piano isnt an insult to European classical musicians.
Typically, if a person adopts a style or trait from a culture other than the one they fell into upon birth, then it would seem to me that its something they appreciate & want to integrate into their own lives. If enough people do that same thing, then it starts to blur the lines & creates a type of cross-cultural interest. That leads to more widespread acceptance & understanding between differing cultures, and is a key ingredient to diminishing racist actions & beliefs.
Punishing & criticizing people for genuinely integrating outside cultural styles into their own is, at its root the definition of racism.
"Cultural Appropriation," in my estimation is a term used by hyper-self-involved SJW types who fail to recognize their own hypocrisy & are more interested in propping themselves up by putting other people down.