Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

ziq OP wrote (edited )

I think the important thing to keep in mind when deciding if it's cultural appropriation or not is this part:

adoption of minority culture by members of the dominant culture

When e.g. black comedians adapt humor from jewish comedians, it's a lot different than a WASP doing it because both jews and black people in the West are oppressed, and their culture reflects that. White people aren't oppressed, and when they present something they've assimilated from a marginalized culture as their own, they're diminishing the other culture and whitewashing it to fit their narrow worldview.

When the dominants take ideas from marginalized voices, they're further profiting off of the oppression their dominance in society causes in the first place, while denying the originator ownership of the ideas.

8

Wrestitaway wrote

I think it's important to note the difference between cruel mockery and actual apropriatation as well. Either way, there's usually a capitalist that made it his business to appropriate a culture that's always at fault for enabling it.

4