Continued: (Ed) Atheism Plus/Free Thought Blogs (FTB)

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

Apparently, they've gotten it off the ground?

Reading the article about cultural appropriation. In it a Native American is complaining when people take bits of cultures which aren't theirs and incorporate them into their own cultures. Then s/he says this:

To bring it back to my example of Native American artistry, there are many updates and changes and growing parts of our culture. Parts of hip-hop music have started to make their way into traditional songs and drumbeats.

Now, is cultural appropriation bad only when white people do it? Where do black people and Native Americans stand relative to each other on the privilege spectrum? I'm genuinely confused about whether and why this is okay.

S/he also mentions white people eating South East Asian food. I have a stir-fry almost every day, and I eat every meal with chopsticks because stir-fries are quick, easy, healthy and delicious, and I learnt to use chopsticks as a very young child and I actually find them better than a knife and fork - both to use for eating, and to wash up. Am I being racist or culturally insensitive with my eating habits? Does the fact that I buy some ingredients from my local Chinese shop (and the owner seems to like me) make it better or worse?

 

[Joe Random]

Reading the article about cultural appropriation. In it a Native American is complaining when people take bits of cultures which aren't theirs and incorporate them into their own cultures. Then s/he says this:



Now, is cultural appropriation bad only when white people do it? Where do black people and Native Americans stand relative to each other on the privilege spectrum? I'm genuinely confused about whether and why this is okay.

<...>

She wrote it in English, and is therefore appropriating my culture.

 

[gentlehorse]

Ill save you all the time:

These people are nuts.

You're welcome.

Here in the hood, we refer to them as batshizzle crazy.

 

[MarkCorrigan]

Wait, white people shouldn't eat South East Asian food or eat with chopsticks now?

 

[WillyWonka]

I ate pizza last night and I am not italian!

 

[Stacko]

No more fusion cuisine for anyone.

 

[qwints]

Now, is cultural appropriation bad only when white people do it?

From the post, Kiaza suggests 3 principles to borrow from other cultures without harmfully appropriating:

Step 1: Understand Who and What You are Borrowing From
Step 2: Go to an Authentic Source
Step 3: Be Ready to Engage With People of That Culture

So, no, I don't think their position depends on who's borrowing from whom.

Am I being racist or culturally insensitive with my eating habits? Does the fact that I buy some ingredients from my local Chinese shop (and the owner seems to like me) make it better or worse?

I don't know what their position is on food - I don't think it's problematic to cook in a certain style. I could understand someone who had a problem with a cookbook or restaurant that labeled itself as "Chinese" without a connection to that culture. Buying from your local Chinese shop makes it better under Kiaza's rubric to the extent it means you understand who you're borrowing from and that you're going to an authentic source.

 

[Humes fork]

She wrote it in English, and is therefore appropriating my culture.

The English appropriated the culture of the Normans. Thiefs!

 

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

From the post, Kiaza suggests 3 principles to borrow from other cultures without harmfully appropriating:

Yes, I read those. I'm not sure how that applies to Native Americans appropriating hip hop. Or my eating with chopsticks.

I don't know what their position is on food - I don't think it's problematic to cook in a certain style. I could understand someone who had a problem with a cookbook or restaurant that labeled itself as "Chinese" without a connection to that culture. Buying from your local Chinese shop makes it better under Kiaza's rubric to the extent it means you understand who you're borrowing from and that you're going to an authentic source.

I suppose that it could hold water since no one actually owns the geometric prints attributed to the Native tribes of North and Central America, or the dialects of English spoken by some Black people in the US, or the foods of Southeast Asia. However, as this is a Social Justice blog, and Social Justice should be committed to minimizing as much harm and maximizing the voices of the marginalized, I contend that it is harmful to take these parts of peoples’ lives and that it is imperative to listen to their voices when they say so.

Bolding mine. That's an explicit statement that it's harmful to eat food from a culture that's not your own.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Wait, white people shouldn't eat South East Asian food or eat with chopsticks now?

Herro!

 

[Mr. Scott]

Exactly how is "appropriating a culture" in its most common forms harmful? Should I be outraged when African-Americans sing Italian opera? The nerve of them!

 

[WillyWonka]

In my city, a lot of Thai restaurants are owned by Chinese people. Should people shun them as not being authentic? Should chefs' race be a determinant in hiring?

 

[Stout]

So, no, I don't think their position depends on who's borrowing from whom.

All that blog post talks about is white people, it's more than clear who she's being critical of doing the borrowing.

A quick glance at her etsy page shows she enjoys appropriating activities that belong to cultures other than native American.

What's really funny is where, in that thread you created on A+ about Irish heritage, she complains that

In the US, Canada and Western Europe, White culture is dominant."

Thread


Let's think about this for a minute. Europe..the place where white people are indigenous to, the place with a whole bunch of different cultures she just decides to lump in together under the umbrella of "white culture" and totally erase any differences those European cultures may have with each other.

Europe, which presumably includes Spain and Portugal, the countries that colonized Mexico, Central and South America has "white culture" whereas the colonies don't ? Weird

I suppose next she'll be moving to Thailand and complaining that there's too much Thai culture.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Exactly how is "appropriating a culture" in its most common forms harmful? Should I be outraged when African-Americans sing Italian opera? The nerve of them!

They can do it because they're not white.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

In my city, a lot of Thai restaurants are owned by Chinese people. Should people shun them as not being authentic? Should chefs' race be a determinant in hiring?

I occasionally go into a Japanese restaurant near my racquetball club. Weird fact - all the workers are Chinese.

 

[dasmiller]

I occasionally go into a Japanese restaurant near my racquetball club. Weird fact - all the workers are Chinese.

I believe the proper protocol under such circumstances is to apologize, order nothing but domestic beer, and tip very well.

 

[Mr. Scott]

I occasionally go into a Japanese restaurant near my racquetball club. Weird fact - all the workers are Chinese.

Practically all the Japanese-themed restaurants near me are owned and operated by Chinese. I assume it's OK for non-whites to appropriated any culture they like, including any of the dozens of white cultures, but white cultures may not appropriate any non-white culture. Am I catching on?

Actually, I don't think there's any logic or consistency to it. I think it's about outrage from minorities and patronizing compassion for them. I suppose appropriation of gay culture works the same way. Straights going to unisex hair salons? Straight men wearing bright colors? The outrage!

 

[Tsukasa Buddha]

Queer Eye for the Straight Guy was the Mein Kampf of my people.

 

[Hercules Rockefeller]

I don't know what their position is on food - I don't think it's problematic to cook in a certain style. I could understand someone who had a problem with a cookbook or restaurant that labeled itself as "Chinese" without a connection to that culture. Buying from your local Chinese shop makes it better under Kiaza's rubric to the extent it means you understand who you're borrowing from and that you're going to an authentic source.

Why? The connection is that they're making Chinese food which is a part of Chinese culture.

 

[rustypouch]

Practically all the Japanese-themed restaurants near me are owned and operated by Chinese. I assume it's OK for non-whites to appropriated any culture they like, including any of the dozens of white cultures, but white cultures may not appropriate any non-white culture. Am I catching on?

Actually, I don't think there's any logic or consistency to it. I think it's about outrage from minorities and patronizing compassion for them. I suppose appropriation of gay culture works the same way. Straights going to unisex hair salons? Straight men wearing bright colors? The outrage!

I think there's consistency to SJW outrage.

If a white, heterosexual man does something, it's worthy of scorn.