Cultural Appropriation

[iNow]

Could people explain why any of these are offensive

The concepts of tribalism and self-identity resonate for me.

 

We're mostly hairless apes...basically chimps with clothing and internal combustion engines... so it's an us/them ingroup/outgroup separation. Mixing and integration of the groups may be perceived as diluting that groups defining characteristics, characteristics often used to define and give shape to self-identities.

 

Some acknowledge the strength brought by this diversification while others view it as a loss. I suspect the reasons why are myriad and largely tied to local culture and upbringing.

[CharonY]

 

I think part of the problem comes in when you are claiming some benefit from the culture you are appropriating without putting in the work of the culture. For example, if you are pretending to be 'cool' black at the bars on weekends but have not lived through being pulled over for your skin color or being followed around in every store you enter, I can see that being annoying to blacks.

Similarly, Vietnam vets typically don't think highly of those who claim to be vets but did not live through that nightmare. I also doubt Baseball World Series winners appreciate people who pretend they were on the club but didn't live through the grueling season that earned them that title.

 

That is part of it, certainly. There is often also the assumption that for cultural relevant aspects someone outside of the group is by default not as able to grasp it and it takes significant effort to demonstrate that this is not the case. Often that is mixed with certain stereotypes to makes things worse.

Just read a story today that the author of a magazine article was offended by the naming of 'Tomahawk' cruise missiles in the strike on the Syrian airfield. Just imagine how she'll feel when they go in with Chinook, Kiowa, Iroquois and Apache helicopters.

 

Sometimes you just gotta laugh.

 

Funny bit is that these criticisms are pretty much just distraction. I mean, considering all the issues and how often they got the short end of the stick, I doubt that they will take particular offense on that. But hey, I guess some people rather like to tackle that, as reading up on actual societal issues does seem like quite a bit of work.

[Endy0816]

Just read a story today that the author of a magazine article was offended by the naming of 'Tomahawk' cruise missiles in the strike on the Syrian airfield. Just imagine how she'll feel when they go in with Chinook, Kiowa, Iroquois and Apache helicopters.

 

Sometimes you just gotta laugh.

 

This made for an interesting read:

 

https://medium.com/war-is-boring/everyone-relax-the-armys-native-american-helicopter-names-are-not-racist-d21beb55d782

 

 

Dream Catchers are a good case where the objectors have more valid criticisms. Child's mobile, altered and now commonly mass produced out of materials that have never even seen nature.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreamcatcher

[CharonY]

Now thinking about that, actually thinking that Native Americans may be upset about something without asking them in the first place is quite patronizing, isn't it? I mean, it goes into a similar mindset of actual cultural appropriation as one just assumes something about a different group and runs with it.

[iNow]

In an orchestra or symphony, each instrument and each note harmonizes. The chords resonate and land on our ears in ways that trigger us emotionally and transport our moods, often into transcendent states. Done correctly, each individual element contributes in such a way that the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts.

 

It strikes me that some folks perceive "outsiders" or others "pretending" to be part of the legacy ensemble as flat notes, like chords played by an untuned string or an unskilled musician which ultimately "ruin" the melody and subtract from the core identity of the group instead of adding to it.

 

Apologies if this reads as gibberish. The thought I'm attempting to convey here is at best only one quarter formed.

[Phi for All]

In an orchestra or symphony, each instrument and each note harmonizes. The chords resonate and land on our ears in ways that trigger us emotionally and transport our moods, often into transcendent states. Done correctly, each individual element contributes in such a way that the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts.

 

It strikes me that some folks perceive "outsiders" or others "pretending" to be part of the legacy ensemble as flat notes, like chords played by an untuned string or an unskilled musician which ultimately "ruin" the melody and subtract from the core identity of the group instead of adding to it.

 

Apologies if this reads as gibberish. The thought I'm attempting to convey here is at best only one quarter formed.

 

I get it. I've mentioned something similar with driving on the highway and pack mentality. We often perceive others trying to merge with our "pack" to be disruptive intruders, much like your "flat notes" in the orchestra.

 

We may be trying to convince ourselves that these people can't possibly bring a positive contribution to our circumstances. I'm guilty of confirming my own biases when I'm not being vigilant (although I know for a fact there's a correlation between clueless, inconsiderate drivers and Trump bumper stickers). Often these days, our interactions with each other are too brief to form meaningful assessments, yet they also seem charged with meaning, whether it's a FB post, or a tweet, or even just a chance encounter at the grocers.