Cultural Appropriation being taken too far

[KitBumbleB]

DD is early secondary age and is exploring her hobbies and interests like other kids her age. One of her friends has discovered that she loves cooking and especially likes making Chinese food.
Last night DD was furiously typing on her phone and when I asked what was up she said one of her friends was having a go at the other for "cultural appropriation" because apparently cooking food of another culture or country is wrong.
The girl who likes cooking was incredibly upset and terrified of anyone else finding out as apparently this is the worst crime a tween can commit.

DD also tells me that according to TikTok, learning a language is also appropriation, especially Japanese as it is seen as fetishism

I know this is not AIBU, but am I the only one who thinks this is nonsense and is turning harmful, its like a mindless pile up.

DD and I are not white btw

@ancientgran your mistake there is expecting logic from a neo-Nazi!

You said cultural appropriation is bad, not good Janet me old mate

🤣😂]what you said isn't remotely what I said was cultural appropriation 😂
Did you actually even read the post, me old mate?
Cool beans if so, but really making yourself look like you haven't understood a word, lovey.

@GoodJanetBadJanet

You said cultural appropriation is bad, not good Janet me old mate

🤣😂]what you said isn't remotely what I said was cultural appropriation 😂
Did you actually even read the post, me old mate?
Cool beans if so, but really making yourself look like you haven't understood a word, lovey.

Oh Janet, or may I call you Jan now we’ve been corresponding for so long? What if I played Vivaldi on my cello in the orchestra and we were paid? Come on now. I need to know whether I should let everyone down by not turning up and leaving a note on my chair explaining that a random on the internet said I wasn’t allowed to make money out of Vivaldi? I’m sure the audience would understand, especially if you wrote it on your special pure (not recycled, obviously, never recycled, that would be plain wrong) headed notepaper 😂

And ‘cool beans’? How are you finding being a teenager Jan? Please say you’re 13, or I’d have to wag my finger at you for culturally appropriating that phrase wouldn’t I? 🤭

Sorry, you set the tone calling me your old mate so I thought that's what you were going for, acting like a teenager so just followed suit 🤣
I'll also go with you OK, hun?!

Yes, and try rereading what I actually wrote as it's clear you haven't understood a word.

Aha! I think you’ve found your level now! Hun eh? 😆 Who was it that mentioned racial purity to which a certain Herr Hitler was so partial. Jan, Jan, come back, stop doing that weird stiff legged walk and what on earth is wrong with your right arm?

Ad hominem attacks are certainly funny, but to get back to the more serious point that you made earlier, I do need you to let me know urgently if I’m allowed to play Vivaldi in tomorrow night’s concert or not because I will be paid you know 🤫

@GoodJanetBadJanet

Yes, and try rereading what I actually wrote as it's clear you haven't understood a word.

Noooooo Jan, you may be right. I don’t speak utter drivel, so I don’t understand a word you’re saying. If any of it made sense I might, but sadly, it doesn’t and you haven’t explained it very well either. Try again hun 😚

so I don’t understand a word you’re saying
Thought so.

@GoodJanetBadJanet

so I don’t understand a word you’re saying Thought so.

You’re awfully repetitive Jan, me old friend. If I were being uncharitable I’d say that’s because you can’t back up your argument. If you’re so sure that, as you said some pages back, one is not allowed to profit from cultural appropriation (your idea), then explain further to one whom you believe to have an inferior intellect. I’m all ears, Hunny Bunny so please don’t churn out your tried and tested, no one understands me argument. Sadly, I understand you all too well and I despair for you. Clarity of thought is a great thing to have, but simply bleating along in unison with Tik Tokers is a less sought after attribute 😫

I’m all ears, Hunny Bunny
Of course you are.
Showing how much in good faith you're posting the more you post.

@GoodJanetBadJanet

I’m all ears, Hunny Bunny Of course you are. Showing how much in good faith you're posting the more you post.

I’m off to bed soon.When are you planning to explain how cultural appropriation works Jan, my young chum? I’m already yawning, so do hurry or I’ll be asleep. Schnell, schnell bitte 😋

@BHX3000

DD also tells me that according to TikTok

And there you have it, there's a difference between real life and TikTok. Sadly, teenagers today seem to extract or their knowledge and 'facts' from the latter.

When we grew up, we were obsessed with pizzas and making our own at home. Pizza was not a 'normal' dish where I grew up. Would anyone say making lots of Italian food would be cultural appropriation? I don't think so.

I have heard people (Americans) saying making Italian food, if you are white, is not ok.

Wild.

There's always something... with teens. Tell your DD not to engage. Maybe her friend doesn't know the meaning... it is a thing but not in this scenario!

Avoid the American side of TikTok. During lockdown I downloaded the app (I know, I know) and bloody hell it's awful.

Did you know that fake eyelashes and acrylic nails are apparently American culture? 😂 obviously it's not but I seen so many Americans ripping apart other nationalities for wearing them.
Oh, and french and Dutch braids too. They go wild for them

@bellac11. Sorry, I hadn’t spotted that. I Must learn to read properly and not skim.

Threads like these make me want to tear my hair out...but then I read little gems such as the start of potatoes and chocolate and fish n chips etc, and i cant resist carrying on reading. Fascinating stuff.

With the mixing of more and more cultures just how far back does your ancestry have to go to "allow" you to not be appropriating it? Three generations, four, or just a speck of blood? Even the Romans who invaded Britain weren't pure Italian as they made many conquered countries give up their people to join their armies or do we only go back as far as William the Conqueror? What happens if some of the culture says its fine, some says no and half doesn't care? Who gets the final say, the government?

The above was kind of tongue in cheek btw, before the pile on starts but it is something I sometimes ponder about.

Couldn’t resist Googling “Italian food cultural appropriation” - Quora threw up this relatedquery: “Did Italian-Americans appropriate Catholicism from Hispanic culture?“

They get put right in the responses smartish, but this goes to show the level of ignorance that’s out there.

I'm glad this thread has reminded mostly in good faith and tongue in cheek.
Some genuinely fascinating information and amusing responses from well informed and witty posters.

I've told DD not to engage, I'm sure there are many clever and funny responses we could come up with but honestly, I don't want her getting involved in pointless tit for tat with someone who is young and misinformed but believes herself to be be the mouthpiece of righteousness.

You'll be delighted to know I made an authentic chinese meal from scratch (I buggered it up, too spicy for me) and we even had chocolate and coffee afterwards.

Little rebels....

Going to belly dance round the room to make up for my sins....

@Pixiedust1234

Threads like these make me want to tear my hair out...but then I read little gems such as the start of potatoes and chocolate and fish n chips etc, and i cant resist carrying on reading. Fascinating stuff.

With the mixing of more and more cultures just how far back does your ancestry have to go to "allow" you to not be appropriating it? Three generations, four, or just a speck of blood? Even the Romans who invaded Britain weren't pure Italian as they made many conquered countries give up their people to join their armies or do we only go back as far as William the Conqueror? What happens if some of the culture says its fine, some says no and half doesn't care? Who gets the final say, the government?

The above was kind of tongue in cheek btw, before the pile on starts but it is something I sometimes ponder about.

This is exactly the reason why the concept of cultural appropriation is such nonsense and very accurate

Cultures have weaved traditions in and out of themselves with different influences for thousands and thousands of years. Nothing belongs to anyone group or nation or society, nothing belongs to any one race or religion.

Total nonsense. There is no way on this planet I'm only going to only eat sausages and mash and chicken and chips. Victoria sponge is a different matter though. Unless I should only eat Welsh food like laverbread, Welsh cakes and cawl.

[quote PrettyVacancy]@ancientgran Come on now, step away from the spices. Be kiiiiiiiiind 🤣[/quote]
Well what about the potatoes? Can I keep them, please. I'm begging now, I can't live without my potatoes but I suppose I will have to do without Bombay Aloo which makes me very sad.

Thinking about it can Indians eat Bombay Aloo? Potatoes being culturally appropriated in India?

Turnip aloo?

Ffs tiktok is such bollox

Turnip aloo, I'll have to think about that. It could work.