Cultural appropriation vs. Cultural integration
Cultural appropriation
Karlyle Stephens
Mesa Legend
People who want to believe that racism doesn’t exist or is not that bad, have much in common with those who see nothing wrong with culture appropriation. This level of oblivion is one only capable of being held by those in the dominant or non-oppressed groups So what’s wrong with cultural appropriation? Well, the very definition of appropriation- to take possession of, for one’s own use- seems to suggest the possibility of some form of injustice or unfairness. So is the case when Katy Perry wearing gold teeth and braids is considered cool or edgy, while blacks have long been liable to be seen as “ghetto” or thugs for expressing themselves in that fashion. Misrepresentation is another key factor, one that makes the injustice even greater.
The bindi, a jewel worn on the forehead of south asian women, has a spiritual significance that is totally lost when white american pop stars wear it during sexy performances. Fortunately in this case, a campaign was started by south asian women to #reclaimthebindi. Because what people who issue these complaints fear most, is getting Elvised; a kind of re-writing of history and facts. Although people may be somewhat aware that rock-n-roll started within black culture, they are still likely to initially associate it with Elvis Presley. Talented rock-n-roll artists like Sister Rosetta Tharpe become lesser known or even entirely unknown like many others. This is what we’re hoping doesn’t happen to hip hop. It will be truly sad to see an art that was uprooted from black communities be entirely white-washed in the history books. Forgetful of the faces who started it all.
This culture domination creates an even bigger disadvantage when the appropriators can go on to acquire great wealth, while the originators and their communities are left in misfortune. This brings me to the final and maybe most important note of this whole issue. We can’t afford to confuse cultural appropriation with appreciation.
People like my opponent will tell you that appropriation is a sign that we all live in one big happy integrated environment. NBA legend Kareem-Abdul Jabbar said it best when he wrote, “appreciating an individual item from a culture doesn’t translate into accepting the whole people.”
Cultural integration
Kian Hagerman
Mesa Legend
Multiculturalism is a defining quality of America and other modern societies; cultural integration is a sign of greater acceptance rather than disrespect. When society accepts, and is influenced by aspects of a subculture, it is the natural result of appreciation and acknowledgment. The main argument of cultural appropriation is that a “dominant” culture is integrating aspects of a “minority” culture, without regard for context. Specific elements of a culture are intrinsically tied to that culture, so the mere act of one culture influencing another already points to the context. The presupposition of this position being that, the dominant culture oppresses the minority culture.
However, most cases of “cultural appropriation” fall under two categories; the actions and choices of individuals, and the culture of a society comprised of many subcultures.
As the actions of individuals are made of their own volition, they mean little and influence even less. The culture of most countries is not dominated by any one group, but contributed to by all who live there. Take music for instance; as a form of art, music can greatly influence people and inspire participation. People who are so inspired, often produce music of their own that fits the conventions of the genre. Musical genres often initially have a cultural component to them, defining their origin as a product of geographical location, or a specific group of people. However, as a genre gains wider recognition outside of that culture, what defines it is predicated less on where it came from, and more on where it’s going.
Rap music began as Jamaican house party music, imported to New York City by immigrants.People who enjoyed the music began creating their own interpretations of what they heard. A rational approach to this example would view it as a demonstration of love for and influence by the genre. Often the influence of mainstream pop culture fundamentally changes the conventions of the genre; many if not all of the aspects of the culture the genre sprang from can disappear. It falls on those members of the culture that wish to preserve how the genre began to do so themselves, by practicing their art in a traditional manner.
Pop culture is constantly changing, to meet the desires of the majority of consumers. Aspects of one’s culture can still be maintained within a subculture, and often are even as they gain mass appeal. The main point to be taken from this is that popular culture, whether on a scale that is national or international, is not the domain of any one group but rather an amalgam comprised of every culture it reaches, resulting in inclusivity.
