Is Cultural Appropriation Always Wrong?

An interesting piece by Parul Sehgal which looks at cultural ‘‘cross-pollination’’/‘‘appropriation” throughout history, particularly referencing contemporary examples in pop culture and the resulting heated debate. Sehgal acknowledges the offensive nature of many of these cases, yet considers the dangers of restricting such exchanges.

Highlights

“It’s a truth only selectively acknowledged that all cultures are mongrel.”

“It’s a seasonal controversy that attends awards shows, music festivals, Halloween: In a country whose beginnings are so bound up in theft, conversations about appropriation are like a ceremonial staging of the nation’s original sins.”

“…it has never been easier to proceed with good faith and Google, to seek out and respect context. Social media, these critics suggest, allow us too much access to other people’s lives and other people’s opinions to plead ignorance when it comes to causing offense….Seen in this light, ‘‘appropriation’’ seems less provocative than pitiably uninformed and stale. ”

“…writer Tom Bissell said ‘‘there would be fewer wars’’ if more novelists allowed themselves to imagine themselves into other cultures. It’s a seductive if utterly unverifiable claim.”

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Click here to read the full article.

Questions:

Is the contemporary  preoccupation with cultural appropriation just part of this generation’s “outrage culture”, or is there legitimate cause for concern?

In your opinion, what is the difference between appropriation and appreciation? Where is the distinction between “colonizing” an identity and celebrating/sharing cultural experiences?

Sehgal talks about the evolution and globalization of hip-hop, which arguably — taking into account Korean b-boy champions, the Russian twerking phenomenon, and Iggy Azalea — has lost its identification with race. In this ever-shrinking world, we are exposed to and influenced by a diverse range of peoples; is it even possible to avoid the intermingling of cultures?

Are there any foreseeable merits to cultural appropriation/exchange? Can it function to bring us closer together as a people?