navigating culture

cultural cosplay: a broader framework for thinking about cultural appropriation

visakanv
September 26, 2018

I’ve never quite been satisfied with the overuse of the phrase “cultural appropriation” in all sorts of contexts, or “cultural appreciation” as the (only?) alternative way of thinking about it – and I’ve been thinking that both fit within a larger framework of “cultural cosplay”

I like the phrase “cultural cosplay” because it’s value-neutral. Cosplay is a portmanteau of “costume play”, and I really like that. if you think about it, we’re all cosplaying all the time, 24/7. and sometimes we do it artfully, and sometimes we do it in cringe-inducing ways

“rules” in cosplay (both “regular” cosplay and “cultural” cosplay) are a lot like “rules” in language and communication it’s… 

  • organic
  • somewhat subjective but not completely arbitrary
  • consensus-based
  • evolves over time
  • varies depending on context

Is it okay to wear a costume that belongs to someone else’s culture? It depends! This isn’t new, either. We already appreciate this intuitively with things like, “You shouldn’t wear white at a wedding”, “You should usually dress in muted/dark tones at a funeral… unless the deceased wanted otherwise.”

Should you use emojis in work emails? It depends! People change, cultural contexts change. Does that make it all a farce? In a sense, yeah, but if you insist on shitting the bed because “social norms are all made up,” people are still gonna disinvite you from their parties & commons.

I think generally speaking, if you’re invited to an ethnic wedding, the people will be thrilled to have you participate in their songs & dances, even wear their clothes. It’s a celebration, & it’s centered on them and their culture – and you’re a respectful visitor. Fun for all!

But if you wear that same costume in some other odd context, say, at a halloween party, it can take on this whole different meaning. It’s subjective, sure, so is a mini skirt at a funeral. If you’re going to do it, I hope you know what you’re doing.

This isn’t hard to understand, right? As social creatures we’re usually pretty good at this. Most people know not to swear in professional settings, or around kids. That’s not a restriction on your freedom of speech, that’s called being a decent human being who’s mindful of others.

As a guy in cultural crosswinds myself, I *love* the idea of people from different cultures mixing, learning, trying out each other’s stuff. But this isn’t a binary thing. We don’t have to trample on each other to have a good time. Think dinner party, not moshpit. Flirting, not assault.

A playground analogy: we have to learn to play with other kids we don’t know, and have a good time without punching anybody’s teeth out. A bit of hurt is understandable. a bruised knee here, a bump there. No big deal. But don’t be kicking a kid in the stomach and call it playtime!

tbc

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