Pasta and Ice Cream were both invented in China. So what kind of cultural appropriation is it when you've not only used the items but also have convinced many that you invented it?
It gets complicated. For instance there is debate as to who exactly invented pasta. Noodles found at a dog site in China date back over 4,000 years- but were made from millet and aren’t really an analog of modern noodles. For the most part- when comparing pasta dishes from Italy and China the overall preparation and ingredients as well as other details differ significantly on top of that. We run in to things like convergent evolution, especially when discussing “simple” or “fundamental” concepts. Who invented the wheel first? More importantly- just because two places both have the wheel did one “steal” it from the other?
Some of the earliest designs of functional manned powered flying machines come from Italy- yet Italy isn’t credited as the birthplace of manned flight is it? People around the world had independent and similar ideas on manned flight since by nature of physics- there’s only so many ways to do it, it makes sense that any ideas with a hope to work would be similar- but how many of those designers built off or were inspired by ideas they got from earlier inventions and designs?
Now- specific to claiming invention it may not be fair for Italy to claim it invented something it cannot prove it did- and significant proof exists to say they didn’t- but it isn’t uncommon for such claims to be matters of perspective and misunderstanding when it comes to claiming credit for invention.
As far as cultural appropriation goes- the stealing of a technological invention isn’t quite what the concept refers to. If that were the case how would we ever figure out who was “appropriating” computers? The first digital computer recorded was by the United States- does that mean that anyone else making computers “appropriated” something from American Culture? But analog computers date back many thousands of years. Automatic analog computers were recorded in Ancient Greece- China had automatic and manual analog computers as well. So was it appropriation for the Americans to “take” the analog computer and make it digital?
Cultural appropriation is a concept that we can go wild with if we want to be obtuse. The intent of the concept is to refer specifically to certain phenomenon. What’s most important to remember is that some form of “appropriation” is a natural form of diffusion and integration and isn’t inherently negative even if we are used to seeing the term used negatively. It can BECOME negative especially where a majority takes from a minority and especially where a minority culture is threatened or otherwise at threat and where preservation is being attempted.
A sort of key yet in the question of cultural appropriation is wether such appropriation threatens the culture being appropriated. For instance, even if we use Chinese noodles as an example: Have centuries of noodle use by other countries harmed Chinese culture or effected the Chinese ability to enjoy and maintain their traditional cuisine? Has it stopped or impeded the Chinese culture, threatened it with extinction, or taken that which is sacred and profaned it? Does China consider spaghetti a sin against humanity and an insult to their ancestors?
Theres a difference between cultural crossover and adaption and cultural appropriation. Listening to rap music isn't a problem; being a middle class white kid and pretending that you're a black guy who has had the same experiences as the artist is.
Pripyatplatapus says it well but o figure I’m here so... sorry OP- that’s NOT cultural appropriation. The pizza you get in America, the pasta? Not like what they make in Italy. People mention st Patrick’s day too- and meals of corn beef. Corn beef was something the British made in their colony of Ireland to export to their territories. Beef wasn’t largely available on Ireland and pork, like bacon, was a more common meat staple with corn beef being either a more expensive food or a symbol of oppression. When Italians and Irish came to the United States certain things were more available and cheaper here like beef, dairy, etc. this led to a development of Irish/Italian/etc- American food and culture.
When an Italian makes a dish and shared it, sells it, promotes it and tries to get it to be part of the mainstream cultural fare it isn’t appropriation. Appropriation is when a non catholic or Christian sees Jesus and decides he looks like a cool guy and should be a pop culture spewing condom mascot. It’s when a culture has something they do not want to share or is contextual, and another group takes that thing without asking and use it in a context the other culture doesn’t consider appropriate. Cultural appropriation isn’t when you adopt a culture or when cultures merge aspects of each other through proximity, it’s when one takes something from the other and makes it their own and removes the context.
Being interested and practicing other culture and making fun of it is not the same thing.
You want human to be connected, to share and to love but others can't do "your" things.
You want human to be connected, to share and to love but others can't do "your" things.