Can someone please explain cultural appropriation to me?

Question

I’m trying but I totally don’t get it

DaveToo · Accepted Answer

Cultural appropriation[1][2] is the adoption of an element or elements of one culture or identity by members of another culture or identity. This can be controversial when members of a dominant culture appropriate from minority cultures,[3][1] though not the opposite.[4]

According to critics of the practice, cultural appropriation differs from acculturation, assimilation, or equal cultural exchange in that this appropriation is a form of colonialism. When cultural elements are copied from a minority culture by members of a dominant culture, and these elements are used outside of their original cultural context ─ sometimes even against the expressly stated wishes of members of the originating culture – the practice is often received negatively.[5][6][7][8][9]

Cultural appropriation is considered harmful by various groups and individuals,[10][11] including Indigenous people working for cultural preservation,[12][13] those who advocate for collective intellectual property rights of the originating, minority cultures,[14][15][16][17] and those who have lived or are living under colonial rule.[1][18][19][17] Cultural appropriation can include the exploitation of another culture's religious and cultural traditions, dance steps, fashion, symbols, language, and music.[20][21][22][23]

Those who see this appropriation as an exploitative state that cultural elements are lost or distorted when they are removed from their originating cultural contexts, and that such displays are disrespectful or even a form of desecration.[5][12][24][25] Cultural elements that may have deep meaning to the original culture may be reduced to "exotic" fashion or toys by those from the dominant culture.[5][6][26] Kjerstin Johnson has written that, when this is done, the imitator, "who does not experience that oppression is able to 'play', temporarily, an 'exotic' other, without experiencing any of the daily discriminations faced by other cultures".[26] The academic, musician, and journalist Greg Tate argues that appropriation and the "fetishizing" of cultures, in fact, alienates those whose culture is being appropriated.[27]

The concept of cultural appropriation has also been heavily criticized.[28][29][30] Critics note that the concept is often misunderstood or misapplied by the general public and that charges of "cultural appropriation" are at times misapplied to situations such as trying food from a different culture or learning about different cultures.[31][32] Others state that the act of cultural appropriation as it is usually defined does not meaningfully constitute social harm, or the term lacks conceptual coherence.[33][34] Additionally, the term can set arbitrary limits on intellectual freedom, artists' self-expression, reinforce group divisions, or promote a feeling of enmity or grievance rather than of liberation.[

BigPunny · Accepted Answer

The reality of 'cultural appropriation' is when someone uses something from another culture in their life. That something could be a custom, practice, idea, item, fashion, pendant, etc. Really, it can be anything.

The theory of cultural appropriation is the inappropriate adoption (appropriation) of one of those things by members of another culture, society, or people when those people appropriating it are the more dominant person or society.

Quite frankly, it comes across as nothing more than people wanting to complain about something. Typically, the ones that complain about it the most, are younger, white social justice warriors.

Here's an example of the ridiculousness that I'm talking about. My wife goes to Wicca groups a lot and those groups are filled with mostly white women aged 20-40, who share various spells, chants, etc.

But if a white woman posts a picture of a dreamcatcher that she either made, or uses, to protect from bad dreams, the group of these, mostly-white, women will excoriate the poster because she is guilty of 'cultural appropriation'.

They claim it's not a white person's thing and they can't share it as their own, etc. etc.

The truth is that most cultures that are borrowed from won't care. I'm Native American and I can tell you that pretty much no one in my family or extended family would care. Cultures should be embraced and there's nothing wrong with believing in things one culture or people believe (d) in and use it for your own uses.

If those women wear garb that you comes from places like Africa, or even the Middle-East, they would probably hear about being guilty of cultural appropriation.

Social Justice Warriors (who are incorrectly called 'liberals') are a very strange breed of human. They go out of their way to find something that triggers them, then they either make signs and scream about it or they'll go on social media and demand that someone be canceled.

In the US, there is almost NOTHING that wasn't derived from another culture. Seriously, think about it. Our food, our language, our dress, our colors, etc. Most of these things were borrowed/taken from other countries, either through migration or the need to change up fashion, etc.

So, that's cultural appropriation in a nutshell. I don't see very many minority groups complaining about this "issue." The ones I see are typically white women complaining about other white women using something that came from a "minority" or otherwise "disenfranchised" group.

It's so strange. Hope this helps!

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Ok, I'll try to explain this a term with a story

A pop-star from a wealthy country goes to an impoverished foreign country to get some “inspiration”. One night he sees a frail old man, in ragged clothing, clearly desperately poor sitting on a street corner with an instrument the pop-star has never seen before. The old man begins to play a tune. The pop-star doesn’t understand a word of the lyrics but the tune is beautiful. The pop-star is of the more talented variety, able to read and write sheet music. So he copies down the song in his mind and heads back to his hotel. He doesn’t even offer a tip the the musician.

He goes home and uses the traditional tune in a song. He plays it on a guitar rather than the traditional instrument he never bothered to learn the name of. It’s close enough for his taste. That song becomes the single for that album and therefore is released with a music video featuring lots of sexy dancers bumping and grinding to it, because sex sells after all. The album goes platinum.

The poor street musician one day hears a crude bastardization of the song he played coming from a TV in a local cafe. He stops to watch and sees a horrid music video with half naked women writhing all over each other. This offends him deeply because the song he was playing is actually a sacred funeral dirge. Then the video ends and it cuts to the performer at a press conference.

A reporter asks him, “where do you get your inspiration”

he replies, “it just comes.”

Ninjazzed · Accepted Answer

More extreme left-agenda horseshit. Cultural appropriation is what liberals call a white person wearing dreads..

But, cultures have never solely belonged to anyone.

Some believe culture is exploited like land or natural resources were exploited by colonialists, but desecrating a landscape is not the same as desecrating an idea.

The landscape can be ruined, but the idea remains. Culture is more resilient than stone because it changes.

Unlike the gold plundered from a sacred place, culture is not pure.

ODC2112 · Answer

Cultural appropriation is a completely Anglo-American concept and typical of the fringes of the academic far left. In the rest of the world, people aren't stupid enough to make up such bullshit. Any anthropologist would say that each culture is the result of infinite contamination and therefore there are no cultural appropriations.

Everything is based on the critical theory of race, namely black Nazism. So the white man is a parasite and steals black culture and profits from it.

It can be defined as: "The unrecognized or inappropriate adoption of customs, practices, ideas, etc. of a people or society by members of another typically more dominant people or society".

In the past there would have been talk of co-assimilation the dominant group adopts the minor group.

The appeal to cultural appropriation is nothing more than a form of aggression towards other cultures by members of a group with a strong collective narcissism. Collective narcissism in this case arises with the politics of identity and ethnic pride.

watrewks · Answer

When you like something you incorporate it into your tastes somehow right? Doesn’t taking things from other cultures mean you appreciate them?

People say it’s racist but it’s literally the opposite. Just because someone doesn’t think of giving credit to another culture for something doesn’t mean they’re trying to destroy that certain culture. I say keep appropriating.

The usual situations you find that happening you can find out the origin culture in a matter of seconds. And think about it, take some sort of food item you enjoy, you probably would get it just because you enjoyed it and just accepted it as it was part of life and not have a second thought about its origins. Upon learning the origins of said food item then you probably appreciated the culture all the more and still continued to get it because you just enjoy it.

There is zero malice behind cultural appropriation and it’s not about making thing “more white.” Honestly often times it’s about what sells. To call it a white thing is to deny that all people do it. Take for example Poland. I’m Polish and I’ve been to Poland several times. They LOVE Americans and American pop culture. They try to act more American and I got soooo many compliments on my American accent when speaking Polish. Now are they trying to destroy America with their love of American pop culture? No way, they appreciate it! To appropriate is to appreciate. 🙂

IndieScent · Answer

The best comparison I can think of is The Nightmare Before Christmas. It's when someone takes something from another culture and acts like it's their own. It's not appropriation if it's something like enjoying another culture's food or attending a public cultural festival. But it is appropriation if a white person tries to have dreadlocks because it ignores the cultural roots and significance of dreadlocks, as well as overlooking how most black people with dreadlocks will be denied a job because their hair is "unprofessional". Similarly, it's cultural appropriation when people at Coachella wear feather headdresses as a fun little costume, but for Native Americans that wear feather headdresses, it's an extremely important and significant part of their culture; and it adds insult to injury when that's happening after everything Americans have done to Native Americans.

Easiest way to avoid cultural appropriation is, don't wear other people's cultures like it's a costume. Also, don't use or take something of another's culture without stone of that culture willingly giving it to you.

normalice · Answer

A thing or custom a culture comes up with that another culture happens upon, figures out how to make profitable, and then does so without sharing the profits with the culture it originated from.

In so many words, cultural appropriation is "intellectual property theft," except it is the property of a whole community instead of just one person, thus no one thought to put a patent on it or whatever.

Now, is it wrong to seek a profit somewhere no one was looking? Maybe. It's kind of grey area. The thing being sold wasn't the seller's idea. But it's also true that selling it wasn't the culture's idea. in my opinion, it is yet another instance of the ongoing fight between engineering and marketing..

FilmGuy93 · Answer

Imagine if somebody who wasn't a member of your culture took something really important and iconic about your culture and by using that thing; they cheapened the meaning. So you know those really pretty Indian bridal outfits, imagine a non-Indian woman wearing one of those outfits for Halloween. Or Coachella girls dressing up like Native Americans for the festival. Stuff like that.

I think the cultural appropriation line is based on whether or not the person using the cultural element is doing so in a way to loses meaning.

Ditto626 · Answer

Well cultural appropriation is when you take something like a outfit, tradition, food dish, or anything pertaining to a culture you are not a part of and using it to gain something like money, attention, praise, etc. In the end you are dishonoring the culture. Kind of saying that Taco Bell is authentic Mexican food.

However, the SJWs bitch and complain about every little thing as being racist or cultural appropriation over minor things. A few years ago a high school senior wore a Chinese style dress to her Prom and people in America were saying that's cultural appropriation and it was wrong. Someone was asking Chinese people in China about it and they were saying that it was cool she was representing their culture. They also said she looked nice.

Xoirwinkan · Answer

Some whiny-pants complaining when a white person 'uses' an aspect of another ethnicity's culture, usually clothing or hairstyle, and claim that it is racist and insensitive. And yes, I have only seen it used as a weapon against whites. I haven't seen people shouting 'cultural appropriation' when other cultures use suits or cars, things which are European based. Before the current age of politicised idiocy, such cultural 'sharing' was a quaint form of tourism. It's funny because in America minorities often cry about "white supremacy" but when people try to emulate other (minority) cultures that's a crime.

hellionthesagereborn · Answer

Its when a minority group who has appropriated other cultures says that other groups cannot appropriate "their" culture, even if its something that isn't really their culture to begin with. i. e. its racism and discrimination that is designed to target other ethnic groups, traditionally "white" ethnic groups (or percieved to be white ethnic groups) by saying they are some how bad people for doing anything that even remotely looks like it belongs to another ethnic group that isn't "white". Generally as a means to guilt and bully said group. Its also never applicable in reverse i. e. the consumption of "white culture" is perfectly acceptable, the reverse is never acceptable.

Xoxocutekitty · Answer

It's like thinking that people who do theater in high-school are losers, weirdos, over emotional, etc but then buying tickets to Broadway saying how much you 'enjoy the theatre.'

There's this huge disconnect between valuing the culture, and valuing the people that make up the culture. there's a lot of work that goes on between a kid in high-school with a dream and someone on a Broadway show.. there's also hundreds of other people, stage crew, musicians, coordinators etc that make Broadway well Broadway. So to just like parts of one culture, without acknowledging the other factors which make the culture possible is where people get irritated.

Now there's no 'correct' way to appreciate someone or something. But it IS rude when women and and men wear sexy costumes, talking about how much they 'appreciate' the culture, while also talking about how dirty and shady 'workers' of the same ethnicity are, providing the food service for the same event.

ChrisMaster69 · Answer

I don’t get it tbh.

I can understand offensive stuff but not the stuff that has been fashion for years.

Also some stuff is multi race and things like tattoos global.

look at Celtic Tattoos

Are we going to have Tattoos police making sure anyone not of Celtic descent does not use anything resembling Celtic artwork.

Kilts and tartan are cultural to a number of areas but definitely not others, do we now ban any form of tartan design from those not allowed it in their culture.

these type of things simply piss people off and result in a popular backlash from areas of the population that normally don’t give a shit.

Jammaa · Answer

I think you've gotten plenty of answers explaining it and hopefully get it by now but if you haven't there's a video that I watched that explained it well for me. Here's a link:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/TGH12QmW02A

In simple terms, it's stealing culture. That being said, I think racism is a big problem still but I don't think cultural appropriation is that big of an issue compared to other racial issues like segregation and being beaten or killed. In fact I know that there are minorities who appreciate when white people acknowledge the culture. And I've heard minorities say, "no one really owns culture. "

DarkCarousel · Answer

Cultural appropriation is adopting an element of someone else’s culture. It would be considered disrespectful to do it in mockery. However, offense taken by cultural appropriation is just a perception from the offended party.

How can you appropriate actions, gestures, intellect, etc? Act black. Act white. How can anyone determine ownership of these things?

I once read an article saying that white people shouldn’t be allowed to roller skate or roller blading because it’s appropriating black culture. Unless I’m directly claiming to have originated roller skating— and therefore falsely claiming the origin for personal gain, I’m simply just enjoying that particular activity.

We can’t tiptoe through life expecting not to offend one another. We have to do our best. Some people will get offended anyway.

The_Maphio · Answer

It doesn't exist. It's a made up thing by the oversensitive dumbasses crowd that would see anything that did originate from a certain culture be insensitive and offending if it doesn't manifest itself in the very same cultural environment. Curiously enough, that is only applied to those whose the oversensitive dumbasses crowd don't like. Dumb girl with neon coloured cornrows, for instance, are not culturally appropriating, but a normal girl with a leveled head wearing a cheongsam is.
Usual dumb double standards. Don't give the light of the day to them.
If you appreciate some style from another culture, make sure to show it.

The_Other · Answer

Cultural appropriation is the history of humanity. Religion, Dressing, Food, Art etc, every culture has taken one or more ideas from other cultures, it's just that some people decide to pick and choose which ones to get outraged about and in the age of internet it seems louder than ever because these specific, mini group of people that make too much noise about it now have easy access to a keyboards and... twitter.

Most normal people don't really care, in fact i think most normal people would probably be happy that you're doing something from their culture and enjoying doing it.

RingOfFire · Answer

I can explain it.

"Cultural appropriation" is part of a fantasy narrative created by those who hate America to make innocent white people hate themselves so Marxist communists can take over the country and enslave Americans. It holds that white people who dare to adopt or emulate cultures and customs of non-whites are evil racists who are committing a form of soft genocide against those whose culture they invoke.

The aim of this Marxist assault on freedom is to make white people hate themselves and their country so that they will surrender it to the communists and to create the false impression that white people are inherently racist and that America is evil. The false concept of "cultural appropriation" is one weapon they employ to try to make that happen so they can install their evil dictatorship.

FunkyMonkee · Answer

Apparently, it's an American thing that only SJW's and the like are concerned with. Basically, it means that, if you're of one culture, mostly if your white, you can't wear something, look like, speak like or act like someone from ANY other cultures because it's supposedly racist!! It doesn't seem to bother them at all, though, when black chicks have their afros straightened to look like white chicks! Or when white people take up and use black slang, music and attire. THAT'S okay!! But, if you're white and you wear stuff that might normally come from Japan or India, or Poland, etc., you're a racist!!
You're, SUPPOSEDLY appropriating something from someone else's culture as if it was your own.

Oceation · Answer

My understanding of cultural appropriation is that it is when someone takes something from another culture and markets it in a mocking, almost exploitative way. Celebrities tend to do this a lot, where they steal something from another culture and market it as if they invented it, without giving credit to the culture it's originally from. This is different from cultural appreciation, where someone can enjoy borrowing things from other cultures for their own personal enjoyment.

Anonymous · Answer

I’m an American Latina. Born in Cali and raised mostly around “Whites” in Washington. I would be called a “White wash Latina” pretty much my entire existence. I enjoy what’s considered “White” music, dress “White” and act “White” hell the majority of my friends are Caucasian

So the majority of the Latino culture has always made me feel inferior or not “Latina” enough because of this. And some Whites/African Americans I’ve met said I do “Culture Appropriation”

I didn’t just decide to act or be white one morning. Which to me, THAT is cultural appropriation. I grew up around it, it’s always been my environment lol

Still-alive · Answer

well ill give it my honest try without looking it up but the way i understand it, its when a person of a different usually more hegemonic culture takes a certain cultural norm or practice and just uses it as their own. usually as a shallow fashion statement or reasoning as to why that practice developed in its original culture in the first place. hope that made sense

SashaAMB · Answer

It’s like plagiarism. It’s taking a cultural expression or experience and making it “whiter”, usually without showing respect or acknowledgement for the other culture. You can enjoy and even adapt things from other cultures (think fusion cooking), but learn about the thing you are enjoying and pay it respect. Google “white girl Mah Jong” for an example of cultural appropriation. Lots of white people play Mah Jong, most of them don’t make a brand new board stripping the game if Chinese culture.

JackSmy · Answer

For example, white people using "Bling Bling" or "All Dat" and some idiots, thinking it's ok to say "M' N****R" to a black friend!
NO CLUE, and just thinking they are trying to connect and fit in, like NERDS trying to Date the Cheerleader!

Snakeyes7 · Answer

I don't blame you, it's a load of crap.

The best way I can describe it is when you utilize a style, methods, language, traditions, food or anything else that represents another culture that doesn't match your race or skin color the way the woke cult wills it, even if the culture to race associations are wrong like how dreadlocks aren't specifically African. It doesn't matter what your intentions are for doing it, guilt is already assumed and you will be disparaged as a racist.

It's really racist and the only ones who don't see the irony in this concept are the racist SJWs who push this garbage.

Friendlybro79 · Answer

Remember when imitation was the highest form of flattery? I hope one day we can get to a place where we all realize our geography might separate us but we're all striving for the same things for the most part. We should all be celebrating our differences, like cuisine, art, fashion etc.

We should also acknowledge history and all the terrible things humans have done to fellow humans so we don't repeat them. That all being said, we need to start looking at each other as friends and not foes. Unfortunately you can't force everyone to like each other but we can certainly be better to each other.

We're all humans of the same race. We should be proud of what we've all accomplished, acknowledge our mistakes, vow to be better, and have fun and appreciate each other.

Then cultural appropriation won't be an issue.

Tstrbrainer · Answer

It's when a person of one culture adopts certain things from another culture.
It could be trying out new style of clothing, dishes, songs, dance steps, rituals etc. I don't know treatment and spiritual training is inclusive in the term.

I think I've heard the term recently, don't remember where.

Is this connected with your work?

Enigma69 · Answer

in brief: total political nonsense. Start with for example if u are a white person, and you attempt to look like an Asian person in appearance etc, that would be classified as cultural appropriation. Its also more subtle in that if you use a term in for example a chinese language, but you are not chinese, then its supposed "culrutal appropriation". or if some white folks put black color on their faces to make them look like black folks as part of a party joke, they get shamed for mocking a certain ethnicity. ultimately its all hogwash in my opinion.

COMMODOREII · Answer

Appropriation is defined as the action of taking something for one's own use, typically without the owner's permission.

Cultural appropriation is defined as the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the customs, practices, ideas, etc. of one people or society by members of another and typically more dominant people or society.

As if they or the person who is considered a type of culture or person has any right to said culture. I remember in anthropology 101 that many cultures adapt and evolve things the learn from other cultures. For example the Italians taking up pasta though technically noodles came from China. Or some cultures like to believe that only theirs enjoy spicy food when in reality chiles came from Mexico.

Leavesbound · Answer

Cultural appropriation refers to the perception that a person is copying another person's cultural identity and acting like they are entitled to it. The perception is almost always misconstrued since all culture is copied and embellished upon by everyone.

Birdlegs · Answer

The way I kinda see it is if someone uses another culture for their own gain. Say a famous white woman with naturally straight hair wears dreads in her hair and says she made up a new hairstyle, uses it as her marketing, and profits off the fact she “made the hairstyle” then I’d say that’s cultural appropriation. I’m not big on saying things are cultural appropriation though since it’s not reaaally a real thing.

Brokenheartedx · Answer

When folk Dye their hair red, wear tartan and drink whisky they steal my culture... Everyone has done one of the above... Do we kick up a stink, naw we do not! We have pride that our beautiful little country and its culture spreads wide around the globe... It sets the Scots apart from the rest

DJB72 · Answer

It's where prissy snowflakes don't understand that an individual of Caucasian European ancestry putting on the clothes designed by members of a different coloured skin are actually just making sure they don't get arrested for indecent exposure, but it's deemed "inappropriate"

The reverse - people of non-caucasian ancestry - wearing European-designed clothing and behaviour is, obviously, not "appropriating" European culture because naturally only Caucasian people can be racist in accordance to the fuckwits rulebook for snowflakes.

Bluemax · Answer

Most of the folks here have answered it quite ably. I will add that it is very often a tactic used to shut down a competing business. Here in California it has been used to attempt to shut down non-Mexican street vendors selling tacos on college campuses.

Dalisay · Answer

It's a tool used by liberals to support their victimology. When they do it, it's called celebrating diversity or multiculturalism. But when they see an opportunity to cancel someone they don't agree with, they call it cultural appropriation. This is usually followed by charges of racism, moral lecturing, and virtue signaling.

Anonymous · Answer

It is where you inappropriately model a culture in a form of ridicule or degradation, it apparently isn't allowed unless the culture you are ridiculing or degrading is white , because racisms.

Any sensible person can do their best not to be rude, but critiquing a culture or questioning its tenets is crucial to growth and acceptance in society. Bad practices need to be pointed out and corrected. It is unreasonable and insane to say any portrayal of a culture not your own is offensive and evil. A respectful representation is entirely reasonable and improves understanding and acceptance.

ImproveEveryDay · Answer

The most simple answer is probably when someone takes something from another group's culture. It can literally be anything that is defined as part of a specific's group culture, solely. It really shouldn't even exist tbh. No one "owns" anything in our individual culture. Just cuz one group started something doesn't mean only they can have it. For example, some people might see a white woman wearing dreads to be cultural appropriation, as it was taken from black culture. But again, no one "owns" the hairstyle, nor should they. It's insane for anyone to think they can just completely "own" a particular concept just cuz it began with their people.

TheorionMage · Answer

Ever had a friend who is so fixated on external cultural cues (hair, styles of speech or dress, mannerisms)
that they make a fool of themselves posing as (whatever. Black, Latino, British, Jamaican, cross-dressing female impersonation, etc.)?

Someone fundamentally dissatisfied with THEIR OWN 'born' potential and profoundly envious of another's. A 'Cosplay Poser'~

Gosceewual · Answer

its basically black people trying to get copyright over a certain fashion or hair... for example... theyre trying to claim braids as their own.., and anyone else who wears em... they say they are "stealing" from them... its fucking bullshit because black people steal from our culture too when they tuck in their shirt in their pants... or wear a tie... or straighten their hair... im pretty sure white people did that stuff first... all cultures use other cultures fashion.. we all share from each other... so black people can jus fuck off with their culture appropriation bullshit... they dont own braids, fucking clowns

jshm2 · Answer

You must be pretty simply, then.

It's copying another cultures symbols or rituals for your own profit or depiction. The "intent" on the offending side is what decides the level of appropriation.

Some do it accidentally, others do it to cause offence.

eterna1drag0n · Answer

It's just another way for people to feel victimized and say something is racist. An example would be black people saying white people can't have corn-rows in their hair because it's a black thing and that's cultural appropriation. Even though the vikings had corn rows in their hair thousands of years before black American did.

Miristheiss · Answer

It doesn't exist.
It is just some made up, BS term some contrarians made up in the last 10 years or so to rile people up and to divide people. Dress however you want, wear whatever clothes you want. If you like clothes... etc. that another ethnic group made known... all the better. Who cares.

Orangeandturquoise · Answer

"Cultural appropriation refers to the use of objects or elements of a non-dominant culture in a way that doesn't respect their original meaning" - Wikipedia.  I'd change "meaning" with "context"

genericname85 · Answer

It's a ideological nonsense term. The snowflake generation loves to take offense to shit on behalf of other people. You know when someone that's not part of your culture tries to immigrate your culture in a good spirit or as a joke, they call that "cultural appropriation" and they think if you do that, you're worse than Adolf Hitler. It's hilarious. And stupid.

newfreshstart · Answer

Cultural appropriation is the adoption of an element or elements of one culture or identity by members of another culture or identity. This can be controversial when members of a dominant culture appropriate from minority cultures, though not the opposite.

PaynefulPleasures · Answer

Hope this helps ✌️

Anonymous · Answer

Its just the victim mentality at work. They want to fear Whitie or whoever is stealing from them. My East Asian girlfriend and I went into the Cherokee reservation. Her mode of dress and hair treatment looked very local. NOBODY complained of cultural appropriation. She, herself, was flattered by the attention she got and called it "cultural APPRECIATION"

NoLookingAtSoleil · Answer

I _think_ it is taking a particular thing and declaring it as belonging to/invented by some culture.
Muslims seem to do this with music, which is idiotic considering music is like 100000 years old (predates religion by millenia)
Turks declare almost everything Turkish, even if all they invented (or copied from the Mongols) is the stealing of children of those who look capable (but were disadvantaged artificially by the Ottomans - so their children could be stolen and married into inferior but more numerous families so Turkish 'gene pool' could improve (which it hasn't - most middle easterners are morons, like the Indians)

TallAnon · Answer

Using another's culture in inappropriate ways, making fun of it, using something sacred as something sexual, etc.

NYCQuestions1976 · Answer

Mostly oversensitive nonsense. If someone who's not of Italian descent eats Italian-style food on a regular basis, should I be upset or annoyed? Of course not.

Anonymous · Answer

It's basically like as others said. When that certain culture is imitated as a part of fashion statement and praised by people, but in reality it's actually used to mock and make fun of that culture to whom it rightfully belongs to. A hypocritical situation

DeltaCharlieEcho · Answer

It’s just race baiting. It is possible to respect an aspect of another culture and implement it in your life without it being some kind of racist thing. Right now the single greatest mark of power is your victimization level. Applying something that you like from another culture into your life seems to be viewed as an attack on the victimization. All cultures have wisdom to offer, only a fool would refuse to accept something of value when it comes your way.

A_Bell · Answer

Another stupid Marxist term to divide people. Race is so important to leftists and Nazis (national socialists.) Most of us don't give it any thought or care, we just care about individuals.

SaoirseS · Answer

Wouldn’t the hit musical Hamilton on Broadway be considered cultural appropriation?

Grond21 · Answer

It's nonsense. It doesn't have a logical framework, so you can't logically understand it. It's full of inherent contradictions, especially the way that term has been used

CubaPirate · Answer

Well some people are up here and others are down there. Simple really, its just a matter of knowing where you fit in the modern world. LMFAO Why is everyone and everything so serious these days. Lifes for living make the most of what you have, and have fun doi g it we're only here once

Curmudgeon · Answer

It's propaganda designed by the Demunist Commiecrat Left to prevent us from learning from each other:

Astarlessnightsky · Answer

The Concept in itself simply means something from one culture gets used by a member of a different cultural group.  Eg. Tribal Tattoos being used by American or European people.

Mark-IV · Answer

It’s a dumb concept made up by basic white liberal tramps with no qualifications in life other than gender studies or some other made up useless degree

Andres77 · Answer

There was a YouTube video of a white kid getting his ass kicked because he had dreadlocks. They broke his phone and knocked him down and kicked him repeatedly. Just an excuse to be a bully.

Oppressed_Leecher · Answer

it's a way to abolish all cultures because white liberals think celebrating a certain culture is offensive to the culture they are celebrating. keep abolishing until there is no more culture left except leftist white culture

loves2learn · Answer

It’s disrespectful to appropriate something with a very specific meaning and purpose to one culture and misuse it in another culture.

Chthou95 · Answer

It's a bunch of triggered liberals that feel if you're a certain race, you shouldn't be enjoying culture from other race. Which if that's the case, a lot of these liberals shouldn't be eating chinese food or mexican food if they're all about cultural appropriation

Can someone please explain cultural appropriation to me?

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Can someone please explain cultural appropriation to me?

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