"Cultural Appropriation"

[Thumpalumpacus]

I'm explaining the ways that it's distinct from other forms of cultural transfer, -why- people feel the need to separate it from other forms of transfer, and clearing up any misconceptions people had about what was being discussed by that use of the term.

I think, then, that the problem is that others -- not you -- are using a much broader definition of the term in order to garner and nurture offense. And I personally think your interpretation is a subset of the larger phenomenon. I don't, however, think that all cultural borrowing is appropriation; I think intent comes into play as well. Is someone adopting a cultural meme because they simply like it, or are they adopting it because they want to "leg-up" on someone by claiming a closer connection to the culture in question? To me, that is the dividing line.

In that sense, Elvis was cultural appropriation, but Faith No More covering "Easy" wasn't -- because Elvis was monetizing what had never delivered much money to the original creators while sweeping away its roots, while FNM was covering a song which had already made its band rich, and simply paying homage.

Recently on a jazz forum I attend, the thread came up, "Is jazz too white?" This question obviously arose there, and was obviously just as controversial. But I think, again, that it goes back to intent. Benny Goodman? Appropriating. Pat Metheny? Not so much. The difference? The former added little or nothing to the value of the music, while the latter put his own spin on it and while paying homage, took it somewhere else.

I've followed this thread without much comment thus far because I have mixed feelings about the issue. But it's a fact that there are folks, OP included, whose understanding of "cultural appropriation" is much broader than your own, or mine. I get where you're coming from -- can't tell you how many times I've slagged Jimmy Page for fucking Howlin' Wolf over in royalties -- but that's a far cry from hanging a dreamcatcher on one's wall -- which some folks do regard as appropriation, and leverage that for critique, your disagreement notwithstanding. To those folks, I say, I'll hang whatever the hell I want on my own walls, and you can kiss my ass. I'm not going to sue Living Colour for playing heavy metal, either -- the music's out there, do what you want with it and have a heyday.

I think the broader version is what others in this thread are talking about, and in that sense, it seems to me that because of that discrepancy, you and the others are talking past each other.

Just my opinion, and worth every penny you've paid for it.