Cultural Appreciation

Cultural Appropriation is when a person uses elements of another culture that is not their own. Cultural appropriation is seen as a bad thing because people feel as if aspects of their culture are being taken out of context or that others have no right to partake in them. For example, when the Kardashian's posted pictures of their hair in cornrows, many African American's felt that they were guilty of appropriating their culture, or borrowing parts of African American culture without consent.








In the new TV show "Atlanta" starring Childish Gambino, the main character Earn finds himself at a party with wealthy white people. He and his girlfriend are two of the three black people present, the third being the wife of the rich white host. Throughout the episode, Earn spends time with the host and learns that he is extremely interested in African American culture. He talks about how he's been to Africa and about the people he's met, all while Earn becomes increasingly annoyed. At the end of the episode when Earn tells him "You're not Black", we see that the problem Earn has with the man is his appropriation of his culture. The dude responds with the apology and then Earn tells him to stop being so "damn likable".

This brings us back to the way cultural appropriation is seen as a bad thing. Why is it a bad thing to have a genuine interest or admiration for another's culture? Isn't appropriation a form of appreciation? I think so. I don't think it's reasonable for us all to stick to our own aspects of our own individual culture. Because we all borrow each other's culture. If the Kardashians are appropriating black culture when they wear cornrows, would that mean that Black women are appropriating European or Indian culture when they wear weaves? What is you're mixed? That would mean you have to choose what culture you're "allowed" to partake in. Everyone partakes in elements of other people's culture and it's unavoidable.