tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304928500646903522.post9036852545959591644..comments2024-03-18T15:45:32.866-04:00Comments on bensozia: Dubious Canadian InitiativeJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01037215533094998996noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304928500646903522.post-50691636819317585442017-05-14T13:54:38.050-04:002017-05-14T13:54:38.050-04:00My stance is still the same since your last post o...My stance is still the same since your last post on this subject, so I'll briefly sum up.<br /><br />Cultural appropriation certainly exists. I don't see how that can be debated.<br /><br />That said, most of the time it is perfectly fine, producing either harmless or actually beneficial results, and it's something all cultures engage in naturally. I don't see how anyone could object to respectful appropriation.<br /><br />But <i>that</i> said, there are still lots of ways to be insulting, offensive, disrespectful, and even outright damaging in the way you choose to appropriate something, and for what purposes. And when you hear or read about someone complaining about "cultural appropriation", typically what they're actually complaining about is the kind of appropriation that is done in such a toxic manner. We're talking cigar store Indians, frat boys throwing racist Cinco de Mayo parties, et cetera. Basically anything where you take someone else's culture and spit on it for your own amusement or profit.<br /><br />Now, yes - there are some people who are confused and who do argue that all cultural appropriation is evil, which is clearly nonsense. Only some of it is problematic. But likewise, to be on the other side and argue that no cultural appropriation whatsoever is evil, or that it doesn't even really exist, is just as ludicruous.<br /><br />Some of this confusion might be attributeable to language, of course. We're using a nonspecific blanket term to refer to an entire spectrum of activity, some of it good, some of it bad. Is it any wonder many people end up conflating it all together, when it all technically falls under the awkward term of "Cultural Appropriation"? We need more precise language. But I digress.<br /><br />The point is, we should not be afraid to engage in cultural appropriation, but we should also strive to be as respectful as possible.<br /><br />As I said last time, we need to make sure we don't reduce <i>"an entire history and culture - or even many distinct, different cultures - into a crudely simplified, mindless, often absurdly commercialized shorthand symbolism, whose only purpose is to amuse and profit off of the ignorant and shortsighted."</i>G. Verlorennoreply@blogger.com