Week 2 Social Empathy

Pryanka Narayan

ASA 141

Week 2

            Clothing, social empathy and the power of stepping into someone else’s shoes, is a highly intriguing article as it discusses a crucial component within society today, cultural appropriation. The author Michael Hurt discusses the critical ideology through the lens of social empathy. For instance, he states when an individual decides to take part in another’s culture (either through clothing, jewelry, henna tattoos, etc.) they are also deciding to take on a large responsibility and power that must be executed correctly. For instance, he states there are incorrect ways to take on the power, and there are correct ways that revolve respecting that culture. Respecting the culture regards understanding the context and history behind what that individual is deciding to part take in. Though a critical problem that is arising within our society is cultural appropriation where one will decide to partake in another’s culture for the pure sense of gratification while disregarding the history behind that culture. Personally, I feel this is a huge problem within our society, and while I do agree there are many consequences for cultural appropriation I do feel as if this topic is dividing society, rather than connecting society. For instance, I think it is crucial for one to know the history behind another’s culture if they decide to partake in it, but I feel often people are being crucified by others if they do not agree. For example, often within social I have seen people of Hmong descent, South Asian descent, and Caucasians who have indulged in the art of rapping, and rather than as a society coming together, I have seen people justify there acts as cultural appropriation. Or for example, the very famous Instagram post of the Caucasian girl wearing a Kimono to prom who was also classified as cultural appropriation.  In my opinion, I do not believe she was wearing the Kimono just for the act of finding it as a beautiful costume, I feel as if she was embarrassed by its beauty and wanted to appreciate the Japanese culture by wearing it to her prom. I do not think that specific cultures should label parts of their culture just to be worn by people who are within the same culture. America is a melting part, and we as a society should be coming together, and encouraging each other to take a part of each other’s culture and informing others behind the history of our culture. And while it is salient to not have our cultures be turned into props and costumes, it is also important not to scrutinize others for partaking in other’s culture. My question is, has society taken culture appropriation and ran with it in the wrong direction? Have we lost the true meaning behind culture appropriation, and are we using it as a stadium to divide society, rather than to bring society together?