Hmm, maybe the world is changing for the better, in little ways at least. On Monday, liberal magazine The Economist ran an article criticizing the progressive concept of cultural appropriation, calling it a “dubious, harmful concept,” that “obstructs freedom of expression.”
The Economist defined “cultural appropriation” as the “idea that a ‘dominant culture’ wearing or using things from a ‘minority culture’ -- say white American college kids in Brazilian Bombachas or baggy trousers -- is inherently disrespectful because the objects are taken out of their native context.”
Now there are many people, especially “woke” progressives who have stood by this and will still screech to high heaven everytime they see a white person with dreadlocks, or a white high school student wearing a Chinese prom dress. Like the publication stated, accusations of cultural appropriation are “great at stirring up Twitter outrage.”
Where it’s really problematic, the article pointed out, is that this whole debate isn’t about establishing better standards for intercultural communities or relationships, it just ends up being a subjective hissy fit, by which a minority group can police others according to how offended they are.
Given that Yale students have driven staff from the campus for suggesting everybody should relax about culturally insensitive Halloween costumes, the problem is self-evident. Still, it’s amazing to see a mainstream publication bash something that has been so in vogue lately. Almost miraculously, The Economist stated, “The threat here is quite overt. Offence is inherently subjective; university bureaucrats should not punish one student simply because her clothes hurt the feelings of another.”
On top of that, there’s “the threat of social stigma -- that students, fearful of being accused, will censor themselves or feel themselves censored.”
To put into context the stupidity of such a crusade, the magazine provided an example of cultural appropriation taken to the extreme at Gonzaga University. The school “issued a firmly worded statement ‘warning’ non-Mexican individuals against celebrating Cinco de Mayo.” And the school’s multicultural center posted an infographic warning “Don’t you dare try on that ‘Sombrero.'
But in reality, cultural appropriation is “less about cultural respect or intolerance.” It’s about “reinforcing the oppressor-oppressed binary through which social justice advocates see the world.” They have deemed white Christians as one of the current oppressors, and thus any cultural mixing on their part is social justice heresy.
The magazine used a reverse example from the past New York Met Gala to illustrate this. The entire event could have been said to appropriate Roman Catholic art and culture, however no one batted an eye. Compare this to earlier Met Gala events, when there have been cries of appropriation against an Asian theme.
The Economist even went so far as to say the Met Gala would be fine with costumes of Jesus and the Virgin Mary, but had Jared Leto “dressed as Muhammed, even if in a plain and historically accurate thobe and turban, he would provoke all manner of disgust and denunciation.” I guess when the hypocrisy and double standards are this obvious, even lefty media have to admit it at some point.
