Moving from Cultural Appropriation to Appreciation

Cultural appropriation refers to the act of copying cultural elements from another culture without seeking permission or authority from the source culture. This includes using images, symbols, objects, and ideas from different cultures, which can result in altering the original meaning of the content. While cultural appropriation can have both positive and negative impacts, it is often viewed differently depending on the individual's motives. Some people believe that cultural appropriation undermines minority cultures, while others see it as a means of self-diversification.

The impact of digital society on cultural appropriation is significant. With social media platforms, people are now able to copy and share other cultures' behaviors easily, which has both advantages and disadvantages. Social media plays a vital role in promoting cultural diversity by sharing values, myths, and symbols of various cultures with society. It enables members of a given culture to understand their heritage and promotes the continuation of culture in society.

In today's internet-based culture, images are crucial in sharing the behaviors of different cultures in society. However, the types of images posted on social media can change people's perspectives regarding a certain culture, leading to cultural appropriation. The dominant culture may use objects from another culture ignorantly and without researching to know how the culture operates. This may result in negative consequences, especially when the impact of the shared stories is not taken into consideration.

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Cultural appropriation often involves the transfer of intellectual property, dance, music, food, religious symbols, language, clothing, and fashion. People from one culture may copy the other culture's clothing and design, leading to appropriation in fashion and design. However, the borrowing of cultural elements can be respectful and contribute to promoting cultural diversity.

In conclusion, cultural appropriation is a wide topic with both positive and negative impacts. With the rise of digital society and social media platforms, people must be aware of the impact of their shared stories and images on other cultures. By respecting other cultures and seeking permission when necessary, cultural diversity can be promoted, and the negative effects of cultural appropriation can be avoided.

The act of cultural appropriation can also occur through the use of songs and poetry by artists from different communities and generations. This involves an artist taking content originally created by another artist and altering it to suit their own purposes. When musicians from one culture sing songs from another culture, they are participating in content appropriation.

This practice is common because artists often need to draw from different cultures to create their musical and poetic works. By presenting their experiences with a certain culture, artists can promote cultural appropriation, helping others understand the values and norms of a culture. However, if an artist misrepresents the norms and values of a culture, it can negatively affect the original values of that culture.

One type of cultural appropriation is subject appropriation, which involves an outsider taking ideas from another culture and representing them without the permission of the insiders. This can lead to stereotyping and misrepresentation of the culture. For example, an outsider may present a religious ceremony or cultural event to the public without the consent of the insiders, which can be considered stealing, misappropriating, and misrepresenting the culture of the insiders.

Therefore, artists should carefully analyze the content they are using and be mindful of cultural sensitivities, as some cultural practices may involve secrets that should not be exposed to outsiders (Bicskei 3).

The act of appropriating another culture has both positive and negative consequences. Cultural appropriation may be objected to on moral or aesthetic grounds by those who believe that it can cause harm to people from the appropriated culture. For example, clothing designs that are duplicated from another culture may be viewed negatively based on underlying cultural values (Bicskei 6).

Cultural appropriation can lead to misunderstanding due to different perspectives on culture. Furthermore, copying immoral values from another culture can negatively influence one's own values. For instance, anthropologists taking Zuni War God figurines from the wilderness to the museum was considered wrong and immoral by the Zuni people (Bicskei 10).

Despite criticism of cultural appropriation due to its potential to harm insiders, blending content and ideas between cultures can result in beautiful creations that are acceptable to diverse audiences. The fusion of different musical styles, such as jazz and blues, can create outstanding content, and fashion designers can merge different cultures to create unique clothing designs (Wang 16). Therefore, cultural appropriation can be a positive force when executed with sensitivity and respect for the values of the appropriated culture.

In conclusion, cultural appropriation is widespread in today's world, fueled in part by technology and social media. It is important to be mindful of the potential negative consequences of appropriation and to approach it with care and sensitivity. However, when done with respect and creativity, cultural appropriation can lead to the creation of beautiful and unique works that enrich our society.

Reference List:

1. Bicskei, Marianna. “James O. Young: Cultural Appropriation and the Arts.” Journal of Cultural Economics, vol. 35, no. 3, 2011, pp. 233–36 Web.
2. Han, Hsiao-Cheng (Sandrine). “Moving from Cultural Appropriation to Cultural Appreciation.” Art Education, vol. 72, no. 2, 2019, pp. 8–13 Web.
3. Kellner, “Cultural Studies, Multiculturalism, and Media Culture by Douglas Kellner.” Ucla.edu, 2019, Wang.
4. “Opinion | Finding the Beauty in Cultural Appropriation.” The New York Times, 2019, Web.

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