Cultural Appropriation?

[Burgoo]

I've just stumbled across a few articles that make reference to mindfulness/medication and yoga.

Both articles argue that the Westernisation of both activities is "cultural appropriation" and that white folk in the West should think about how they are using these activities in every-day life. The key themes seem to be:

1. We need to acknowledge the concepts and where they originated
2. We must bring attention to the oppression that has been meted out onto minorities and other cultures if we are to use "their" concepts/activities
3. We should never benefit financially from activities that are stolen from other cultures (e.g. white-middle-class women shouldn't teach yoga if they are getting money from it because it is stolen from another culture)
4. We shouldn't just take the bits that are "relevant" to our culture - for example, using yoga for physical exercise and ignore the spiritual aspects of yoga.

So... what are people's thoughts on this?

TABU (they are being unreasonable, people who argue this)
TANBU (they aren't being unreasonable, we need to stop taking aspects of other people's cultures and respect all aspects of them)

I say they because I am undecided and wonder if I am missing something!

Georgia is borderline Europe to be fair and the Russinas certainly have the enzymes !

Winter Solstice/Yule

Thank Christ. A voice of reason and sanity in the world of hair and hair products. I thought I was losing my mind. Have a wee read @Jensandwich.

Ireland is an oppressed people and culture. Colonised, exploited, stripped of food even in the midst of a famine, language and sports banned, the "no dogs, no blacks, no Irish" signs. "Paddy" jokes.

Irish bars around the world must only be owned and operated by indigenous Irish people and all excess profits sent back to the old country. Boston and New York's St Patrick's Day parades should start with a long, hand-wringing, statement about acknowledging the historic lands and cultures of Ireland.

Or we could all just grow the fuck up.

I would suggest wine making and drinking is European in origin.

I'm Irish. Absolutely no wine making culture here.

True, wine has been made in Europe for millenia though.

True, wine has been made in Europe for millenia though.

Yes, I'm saying it can't be claimed as a blanket 'European' culture. Also wine has long been made in the Middle East.

So perhaps I'm appropriating wine drinking as an Irish person? 😄

You mean like how Christmas is celebrated by people who are not Christian or of European pagan heritage. Well actually, most people don't give a shit. Most people who do something that makes them feel good, are happy when other people start to share in it. Because we are normal empathetic humans.

How dare you drink wine as an Irish person! Guinness, whiskey, poitín only.

Another voice of reason. This quote feature is brilliant. It saves me having to articulate my thoughts when someone else has made a much better job of it😅😅

How is "namaste" religious?
It literally means "greetings".

Not a single link, citation or source provided by the OP to back up this claim.

Quite. I asked upthread but nil response

Does the word genetics mean anything to you? Here you go, educate yourself

www.thetech.org/ask-a-geneticist/ask107

Agreed. It's not really yoga if you ignore the spiritual aspect. But I'm sure lots of gym bunnies won't get this point 🤷🏻‍♀️

Agreed. It's not really yoga if you ignore the spiritual aspect.

Well what is it then? If you want to give it another name, knock yourself out.

I'm not interested in yoga or it's background*.

@Museya15 why comment then?

I see a lot of “culture appropriation” claims as an attempt to suppress that culture.

Who makes these claims? Not the first generation people who, in my experience, are pleased and proud to share their culture with others.

Yoga is fundamentally about bringing harmony between mind and body.

If you are ignoring the mindful element then you are just performing a series if movements.

Really makes no difference to anyone else if you understand this or not 🤷🏻‍♀️

Years ago I worked for a Jewish guy. He had business associates who were Muslim and Hindu. He threw a Christmas party every year. Everyone was invited and everyone attended. We all had a great time and nobody thought anything was wrong with it.
This was back in the days before all this divisive nonsense was dreamed up.

If you are ignoring the mindful element then you are just performing a series if movements.

And plenty of people are perfectly fine with that. So the point is what? Do they need another name for it or not?

Here you go, educate yourself

Nah, yer alright. I don't need to do extra reading in the field of genetics in order to buy a FUCKING HAIR PRODUCT!! The fact is I know white people with Afro type hair. I have not removed a coil of their hair and sent it off for analysis to check if it's the exact same texture as Afro hair on a black skinned person. That would be a bit rude - and weird - I think. My point is that it is not cultural appropriation to use hair products for Afro hair if you are white and that you are wrong when you say there are no white skinned people with Afro type hair. I really don't think there's any need to go down to the nth degree with this.

My poor blood pressure. I'm not cut out for this shit.

You've clearly missed the point.

If you are ignoring the mindful element then you are just performing a series if movements.

When I hurt my back yoga was recommended for recovery. I performed the series of movements my back got better. What's the problem?

I thought it meant ““The Divine within me bows to the same Divine within you.” Still a greeting I suppose.