So What's A White Boy To Do?

[East Coast Hustle]

And that's really why this whole thing is ridiculous. Who the fuck is anyone here to tell anyone else here what is or isn't culturally appropriate for them?

[Elder Iptuous]

trying to codify acceptability in context of cultural affectation seems silly to me, and trying to enforce it (by social means) seems unlikely to accomplish anything.
people bent out of shape about it could perhaps better change the situation and be better adjusted by simply making fun of the appropriators rather than getting their war bonnets ruffled...

[Juana]

ECH, will you humor me for a minute, please? I want to answer that, or try, and I'd appreciate it if you would.

[East Coast Hustle]

Or, from another angle: If we as a society stopped treating certain cultures and groups like absolute shit and treated them as full equals, would anyone give two ratfucks if white people wore war bonnets? So this is really just a distraction from the real issues, but since it's easy to make noise about and all you have to do to be on the right moral side of the issue is to NOT do things, it's a really easy way for well-to-do white people to feel better about themselves.

LOOK HERE, OLD CHAP! I'M NOT WEARING A WAR BONNET AND YOU SHOULDN'T BE EITHER!
\

[Juana]

trying to codify acceptability in context of cultural affectation seems silly to me, and trying to enforce it (by social means) seems unlikely to accomplish anything.
people bent out of shape about it could perhaps better change the situation and be better adjusted by simply making fun of the appropriators rather than getting their war bonnets ruffled...

People generally don't respond well to having important parts of their culture absconded with and disrespectfully portrayed by others. Making fun of them is something I've observed, too, but frankly I understand why someone might get angry.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

People can make fun of their own culture and similar ones, whether or not they subscribe to the part they're making fun of. Cultures steeped in wider memes, like Christianity, can make fun of those memes, again, whether or not that person subscribes to them.

Or at least that's what makes sense to me.

I can make fun of whatever I find to be silly, no matter what size or cultural background is involved.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Or, from another angle: If we as a society stopped treating certain cultures and groups like absolute shit and treated them as full equals, would anyone give two ratfucks if white people wore war bonnets? So this is really just a distraction from the real issues, but since it's easy to make noise about and all you have to do to be on the right moral side of the issue is to NOT do things, it's a really easy way for well-to-do white people to feel better about themselves.

LOOK HERE, OLD CHAP! I'M NOT WEARING A WAR BONNET AND YOU SHOULDN'T BE EITHER!
\

THIS.

RIGHT HERE.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

And that's really why this whole thing is ridiculous. Who the fuck is anyone here to tell anyone else here what is or isn't culturally appropriate for them?

It is a religious and cultural requirement for me to take the piss on anything and everything.

And if You People can't handle that, then you're being damned insensitive about my culture.

[Juana]

Or, from another angle: If we as a society stopped treating certain cultures and groups like absolute shit and treated them as full equals, would anyone give two ratfucks if white people wore war bonnets? So this is really just a distraction from the real issues, but since it's easy to make noise about and all you have to do to be on the right moral side of the issue is to NOT do things, it's a really easy way for well-to-do white people to feel better about themselves.

LOOK HERE, OLD CHAP! I'M NOT WEARING A WAR BONNET AND YOU SHOULDN'T BE EITHER!
\

I tend to think that if we weren't treating them like shit, like their culture was a novelty, no white person would probably think about wearing a war bonnet or putting Shiva on their shorts. Not treating people like shit requires respecting their culture.

People can make fun of their own culture and similar ones, whether or not they subscribe to the part they're making fun of. Cultures steeped in wider memes, like Christianity, can make fun of those memes, again, whether or not that person subscribes to them.

Or at least that's what makes sense to me.

I can make fun of whatever I find to be silly, no matter what size or cultural background is involved.

I almost said something to that effect, but I'm still not sure. IF a person is doing it accurately and with the understanding of the context in which said silly thing exists, maybe? Probably?

And that's really why this whole thing is ridiculous. Who the fuck is anyone here to tell anyone else here what is or isn't culturally appropriate for them?

It is a religious and cultural requirement for me to take the piss on anything and everything.

And if You People can't handle that, then you're being damned insensitive about my culture.

I'm for making fun of things accurately and not in ways that express bigotry (NOT accusing you of that, but people in general do that a lot). General human nature that applies across cultures is open season.

[LMNO]

I can't put Shiva in my shorts?


YOU'VE GONE TOO FAR--



Oh, you said on my shorts.  Still, it's a stretch to call that disrespectful, isn't it?

[Elder Iptuous]

trying to codify acceptability in context of cultural affectation seems silly to me, and trying to enforce it (by social means) seems unlikely to accomplish anything.
people bent out of shape about it could perhaps better change the situation and be better adjusted by simply making fun of the appropriators rather than getting their war bonnets ruffled...

People generally don't respond well to having important parts of their culture absconded with and disrespectfully portrayed by others. Making fun of them is something I've observed, too, but frankly I understand why someone might get angry.

of course nobody likes to be disrespected.  some people might get violent (i.e. Mohammed cartoon response), some might get angry (crucifix in peejar response).  i can understand the latter, but it's really a personal problem unless they're causing material harm, no?

as far as having culture absconded with, i don't get that at all.  nobody is taking anything from you.  they're imitating.  if they're making an effort to do it well, that's flattery.  if they're not, then it's laughable.  so laugh.

[Juana]

A person with Shiva-shorts is a) exploiting Hindu culture commercially and b) putting their ass on one of the most important deities in the religion. It's stripping the meaning off Shiva because he kind of looks cool, which is kind of an asshole move, imo.

trying to codify acceptability in context of cultural affectation seems silly to me, and trying to enforce it (by social means) seems unlikely to accomplish anything.
people bent out of shape about it could perhaps better change the situation and be better adjusted by simply making fun of the appropriators rather than getting their war bonnets ruffled...

People generally don't respond well to having important parts of their culture absconded with and disrespectfully portrayed by others. Making fun of them is something I've observed, too, but frankly I understand why someone might get angry.

of course nobody likes to be disrespected.  some people might get violent (i.e. Mohammed cartoon response), some might get angry (crucifix in peejar response).  i can understand the latter, but it's really a personal problem unless they're causing material harm, no?

as far as having culture absconded with, i don't get that at all.  nobody is taking anything from you.  they're imitating.  if they're making an effort to do it well, that's flattery.  if they're not, then it's laughable.  so laugh.

I think Nigel put it well. To paraphase her, it's an affect-effect of colonization. "Oh hey, here's another thing I can take! *yoink*"

[Elder Iptuous]

except nothing is taken.

[Juana]

Except something is. It's not tangible, but it's taking meaning.

[East Coast Hustle]

Or, from another angle: If we as a society stopped treating certain cultures and groups like absolute shit and treated them as full equals, would anyone give two ratfucks if white people wore war bonnets? So this is really just a distraction from the real issues, but since it's easy to make noise about and all you have to do to be on the right moral side of the issue is to NOT do things, it's a really easy way for well-to-do white people to feel better about themselves.

LOOK HERE, OLD CHAP! I'M NOT WEARING A WAR BONNET AND YOU SHOULDN'T BE EITHER!
\

I tend to think that if we weren't treating them like shit, like their culture was a novelty, no white person would probably think about wearing a war bonnet or putting Shiva on their shorts. Not treating people like shit requires respecting their culture.

Absolute horseshit. I can think of numerous cultures I don't have even a tiny shred of respect for, yet if I encounter someone who is a part of that culture I still treat them decently, like they're another human being. Not treating people like shit just requires not treating people like shit regardless of what you think about their culture or other ultimately superficial aspects of them.