Apart from some very clear and specific cases, I can’t get on board with cultural appropriation at all. One of the few modern left wing issues I have very little time for, people might be surprised to hear lol
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Interesting view, I’ve always believed in a ‘global’ world, as in people and ideas moving constantly with different cultures interacting with each etc.I always thought London was the best place for this still I went to New York as an adult.
Although I don’t mind cultural ‘appropriation’ (horrible term) I do feel it’s important to show reverence and respect to certain aspects of people’s culture
I am indeed surprised
I think the issue of respect and reverence is important to this.
For example, I saw some blog calling out Bruno Mars for cultural appropriation because he apparently tries to evoke a sense of blackness (I always thought he was black but I think it turns out he’s Puerto Rican) in order to sell soul/rnb records. That he was standing on the shoulders of black pioneers and making money off their achievements.
I then saw a different black person politely disagreeing in a reactive blog, highlighting the deep respect and reverence Bruno Mars had shown for those that went before him, literally saying he couldn’t do what he does if they hadn’t blazed a trail.
So in my book, he’s all good. He’s got ample respect for those who came before him, he’s just a talented guy making music he loves. Good for him, you know? I feel the same way about Justin Timberlake for example.
But then you have cases like Miley Cyrus, whacking some braids on her head and twerking and shit. She shows little to no appreciation for the culture she’s mimicking, she uses for a while to earn a quick buck, cause controversy and create some buzz around her name, and then drops it straight away because to her it was just a gimmick. In cases like that, I can sympathise with people who get mad and feel like she just stole their culture to make money from it. It’s not some great crime, I don’t think she deserves any sort of consequences, I just think it’s fine for people to call that out if they feel the need to. It’s just basically a dick move, but nothing more egregious than that imo.
Jamie Oliver is making money from this, sure. It also seems like his terminology was off because I’ve just learned that you can’t have such a thing as jerk rice. But the guy is a chef, you only have to watch a few minutes of some of his many shows to know that the guy absolutely loves food, and I’m sure he has a lot of respect for the nations who created the food he enjoys making. I don’t see how it’s distasteful for him to release food ranges from other cultures.
I’m also pretty sure I’ve already seen Jamie Oliver do a jerk masterclass (:mustafi:) with Levi Roots.
It’s food. He’s called it that so people will understand what it is and what it’ll probably taste like. What else is he going to call it? Caribbean style rice? Because it’s not that either.
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I saw a journalist on twitter make a very good point about the phenomenon of overusing this term.
In some cases it is legit, like taking the piss out of things extremely important to some cultures.
BUT, a lot of those that get very prissy about cultural appropriation are diaspora folks that don’t really have much connection to their culture at all (at least not on any deep level) so when they seek white folks or others also connecting with their culture on that same superficial level that they themselves have, they don’t like it because it shows they don’t have any deeper connection than food or clothes or whatever.
People like me that have a deeper connection have no problem with people wearing shalwar kameez, saying Punjabi slurs, eating biryani (you’re welcome to it cos I think it tastes shite 
) because ispeak the language, visit my country, stay in touch with my roots.
If the only reason you are though of as different to white people is because of your skin or whatever, then I guess you will get pissed if they look at your food etc because it shows you really aren’t different to them at all.
Of course black people who had their culture forcibly taken from them when they were enslaved don’t apply to this, they can say cultural appropriation all they want lol
That’s just as well man because I don’t want to live in a world in which I can’t call someone a bhenchod.
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It’s my favourite slur
taught some of my closest uni mates all the best ones (from like 99% white Belfast) so they were ready to impress while studying in London for a year
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My culture is not your goddamn prom dress.
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People complaining about dreadlocks is another stupid one.
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Not quite as stupid as a white man who has dreadlocks though lol
What is wrong with you?
Dreads can look good or bad, regardless of skin colour.
I’m yet to see a white guy with dreads who didn’t look like a total bellend so I’ll have to take your word for it
Mate they put way too much extra shite in it, puts me off. Give me pilau any day
lol
Surely culture is fluid. Jamie Oliver can call his crap rice anything he likes.
But if cultural appropriation doesn’t matter, then it needs to not matter to white folks too. Like no more spazzing out when a black person plays a role in a tv show about the middle ages for example. Just get on with it.
The amount of abominations I see all over the world pretending to be Danish pastries…
Fucking honey covered croissants sprinkled with almonds and shit like that. Has absolutely nothing to do with Danish pastries whatsoever.
You don’t see me complaining about it. I’m just quite chuffed that people are so keen on our culture even if it means they get some of it wrong.
I love how keen people are on danish culture even if they don’t always get it 100% right.
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Fucking Londoners misappropriating Cornish culture with their fake pasties. The turnip and potato should not be pre-mixed or it’s not authentic!
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