What is your understanding of the expression 'cultural appropriation?'

jpn_guy

Let me give you an example. A minority in, say, the UK or US wants to set up a restaurant using an "ethnic" family recipe. As newcomers to the country, they have few connections or capital. Banks may be reluctant to loan to minorities, fearing they will leave with unpaid loans.

That's quite a contrived example. And considering the number of Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi restaurants in London, Tokyo and New York, probably not an accurate one.

My take is that the SJW screeching about cultural appropriation about, for instance, wearing a kimono if you are not Japanese is completely a case of trying to find a reason to be offended and to virtue signal.

Ask me again around Christmas time.

Its funny how restaurant keeps popping up as examples. The word authentic as it relates to restaurant is simply a marketing ploy if the food / value is good then business will flourish, else wise it will fail. Whose to say is it authentic (culturally appropriate) or not and does it even matter. The finance folks might give your food a try, but I doubt whither your food is culturally appropriate would play a part in your financing. People rate the same restaurant differently, and if you can't compete while serving culturally appropriate food then the market just has different taste.

That said, there is some truly horrendous “sushi” overseas. Especially in trendy areas like LA, Seattle, SF...

Non Japanese Asians operating Sushi establishments in overseas countries 

If they have been properly trained and undergone apprenticeship with a certified sushi chef, I don’t see the big deal. Isn’t there some TV show that goes around documenting the daily lives of foreigners in Japan striving to become certified sushi chefs, craftsmen, martial artists, etc so they can bring the art back home.

In English or Japanese? Both answers would be totally different.

Non Japanese Asians operating Sushi establishments in overseas countries "Appropriating" the Asian appearance so that customers won't suspect that the Sushi is not authentic.

Minstrels, blacking-up and all that is insulting and has no place in today's society.

Exactly. Blackface is not cultural appropriation, nor is it the adoption or adaptation of 'other' culture. It's simply poor mimicry of a physical feature. A person's culture is not dictated by the colour of their skin, and vice versa.

We all borrow from other cultures. We can enrich each other and learn from each other.

But there are things that have rightly been consigned to the dustbin of history. Minstrels, blacking-up and all that is insulting and has no place in today's society.

No one is safe about this!!!

Everybody takes something (or many( from different cultures.

Let it go♪♪♪♪

“My concept came out of a problem that needed solving,” explained Marantz, who founded the company, NiteCap, to sell her so-called “invention” that was already being used by millions of black women every day. “It inspired me to create something of my own.”

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Here is an(other) example of how someone takes something that has been established in a dominated culture for decades, and claims that it's a new invention. Is a hairscarf trivial? Not when it erases an entire cultural history. Ignorance is no excuse.

Ignorance is not an excuse? Um, in this case, it's 100% an excuse. How could someone appropriate something if they don't even know it exists? In such a case (and I don't claim that this is such a case), ignorance would literally preclude it being cultural appropriation. Instead it's a person coming up with a good idea someone else already came up with. It happens regularly. I've come up with multiple ideas over the years for products/services, and upon research, found out someone is already doing it and well established at it. If I had neglected to do my market research and developed the product/service on my own in ignorance, you couldn't claim I stole the other person's idea.

This is where the 'cultural appropriation' idea becomes ridiculous. Blanket condemnation of the idea, regardless of intent or knowledge, is extremism. Extremism poison on healthy society.

Why is it that only Americans seem to care about this stuff?

Here is an(other) example of how someone takes something that has been established in a dominated culture for decades, and claims that it's a new invention. Is a hairscarf trivial? Not when it erases an entire cultural history. Ignorance is no excuse.

“My concept came out of a problem that needed solving,” explained Marantz, who founded the company, NiteCap, to sell her so-called “invention” that was already being used by millions of black women every day. “It inspired me to create something of my own.”

https://theglowup.theroot.com/white-woman-claims-she-invented-the-hair-bonnet-black-1836603944?utm_source=theroot_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow&fbclid=IwAR0bU1zsdBXE_4hp1MPMOanTg2GxRqEPe3I1N5cvbuI57MUkSRB3yLo7LBY

LMGTFY.

"The term cultural appropriation emerged in academic literature as early as the 1960s as a tool used to critique colonialism and its effects. The term gradually moved from scholarly jargon into online social-justice activism. It jumped into the mainstream by 2013 as exemplified, for instance, by a popular Huffington Post article critiquing Katy Perry’s indiscriminate incorporation of East-Asian cultural imagery into a “geisha-themed” performance.

As a result, opponents of cultural appropriation naturally began to pop up, declaring that people were being oversensitive, ridiculous, or even that they were promoting segregation. This naturally sparked debates, spreading the term even more.

Another factor that popularized cultural appropriation is people’s increasing willingness to call out the problematic behavior of high-profile people, such as Selena Gomez when she wore a bindi outside of its religious context.

Halloween is also a time when discussion about the issue is cyclically reignited, as people sometimes dress up as racial stereotypes (e.g., white college students wearing Native American headdresses at parties)."

[https://www.dictionary.com/e/pop-culture/cultural-appropriation/ ]

Using symbols, clothing, and forms of appearance (eg dreadlocks) in a wrong/inappropriate context; for the purpose of making money; to mock or mimic... When 'society' is inconsistent / hypocritical about who may or may not use them (eg white person with dreads - "Cool!"; Black person with dreads - "Unacceptable!")

As is pointed out, cultural appropriation must be checked for when misused by the dominant, privileged against the dominated/ underprivileged.

The definition of cultural appropriation is that of dominant culture adopting minor culture. I think that anyone who sees that as bad, think that their own culture as superior/dominant that they don't need to learn from others. Afraid to be painted as racist, they hide behind their narrow mindedness. You can never do wrong if you don't do anything after all.

Cultural Appropriation is one when jealous person or persons sees another person succeed at or in a particular field, and the easiest feel good method to chop them down is to give false credit so something that had nothing to do with the success in the first place.

I don't understand it at all.

Adopting and adapting 'other' cultures enriches us all.

I don't see what all the fuss is about.

It's all human culture anyways.

The Beatles singing Little Richard and Chuck Berry songs.

Otis Redding and Stevie Wonder singing Beatles songs.

Damn them!

It's about as ridiculous as it gets. Humans have been 'appropriating' culture between cultures for as long as humans have been intermingling. And imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Anyone who is calls enjoying parts of other cultures as appropriation is a moron.

An excuse for the professionally offended to whine.

Yup! I agree with mph-1212. It's just another SJW excuse to get offended for.

Just another social justice warrior, busybody phrase used by people who want to sow discord and make others feel bad. Having an interest in another culture is a good thing because it brings people together.