Ma Cherie
Oct 23, 2009, 04:48
Hi all,:wave:
been awhile since I've posted here. So I wouldn't know if this topic has come up. Anywho, I've been thinking about the issue of cultural appropriation. I thought this would be relevant since this is a Japanese forum. If you don't know what cultural appropriation is, this Wikipedia article does an okay job of explaining.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_appropriation
Now most of us are on this forum because we have an appreciation of Japanese cultures or at least certain parts of it. But at one point does this appreciation cross over to appropriation? If you enjoy anime, manga, Japanese martial arts, and many other aspects of Japanese culture, would this be appropriation? I don't believe so, for me one example of crossing that line is when you begin to "otherize" it or treat it as though it is something that's exotic to the point of exploiting it. Like Gwen Stefani, maybe I'm just being nitpicky or even sensitive but I have issues with her some of her music videos, where it seems she's almost displaying Japanese girls or using them as props.
I don't want this to turn into a rant, but I want to hear your thoughts.
been awhile since I've posted here. So I wouldn't know if this topic has come up. Anywho, I've been thinking about the issue of cultural appropriation. I thought this would be relevant since this is a Japanese forum. If you don't know what cultural appropriation is, this Wikipedia article does an okay job of explaining.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_appropriation
Now most of us are on this forum because we have an appreciation of Japanese cultures or at least certain parts of it. But at one point does this appreciation cross over to appropriation? If you enjoy anime, manga, Japanese martial arts, and many other aspects of Japanese culture, would this be appropriation? I don't believe so, for me one example of crossing that line is when you begin to "otherize" it or treat it as though it is something that's exotic to the point of exploiting it. Like Gwen Stefani, maybe I'm just being nitpicky or even sensitive but I have issues with her some of her music videos, where it seems she's almost displaying Japanese girls or using them as props.
I don't want this to turn into a rant, but I want to hear your thoughts.