"I disapprove of what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it." A beautiful quote from one of the great thinkers of all time Voltaire ( Francois-Marie Arouet). In a true and respectable republic society, freedom of speech has to be the most valued. It is a form of self expression that relays a abundance of opinions and ideas that help expand the human experience. You would agree that this notion in abstract form pours into personal networking, entertainment and even fashion. Yes fashion. The right to wear what you want as a social identification tool highlights paying homage to stylistic p.o.v. Reverence for ones (or someone else's) team, nationality, brand, and or culture provides a recognizable longing to connect with others that do not necessarily represent yourself. This trend keeps us relatable to others. It also makes use of what we as complex beings are able to portray; oneness.
It is easy to publicly discard anyone who is accused of being a "culture vulture". This phrase is undoubtedly embedded in human history in various forms. It represents people and or conglomerates that have obtained perceived recognition or prosperity while failing to acknowledge the source(s) in which inspiration came. Being called a culture vulture is nearly comparable to colonialism in the minds of anyone that fears losing something tribal that in actuality is not independently their own. Examples may include Vanilla Ice, Justin Timberlake, John Cena, Iggy Azalea, every Caucasian with dreads, every Hispanic or Asian with baggy jeans/slanted hat and Kim Kardashian. I'm sure there are more examples but I don't have enough typing space to remind you of all the alleged "criminals". It is very easy to feel slighted at the sight of someone taking something so culturally sacred like dance moves or a cadence or an appearance and merging it together with a developing persona. It feels down right blasphemous to emotionally identify with something ethnically yours just to see it used for capitalistic gain! How could you John Cena walk and talk like a urban rapper to gain a audience. How dare you Justin Timberlake bad mouth Prince while so obviously gaining your inspiration from him and R&B artists just the same. And what is wrong with you Kim Kardashian, what in the world made you believe you can take a selfie while rocking braids with beads at the end of them?! Childish tribalism my friends. Hit the pause button on feeling so enraged.
Is it not plausible that through admiration for someones stylistic representations and renditions of their own culture, I could learn to recreate the same aura in hopes of obtaining like-minded values? Would it be odd of me to copycat the physical forms and movements of the great Michael Jordan (e.g. Kobe Bryant)? Could I not emulate the consciousness through direct repetitious acts of say, Beethoven? You'd argue, "that's a completely different analogy that doesn't parallel your point". In defense I'd bring up how the highest form of praise is through impersonation. It is the act of obsessing with a life unlike your own that magnifies liberation of societal constraints through impressions like a innocent game of pretend. Also, in a capitalistic society where EVERYTHING is about gaining coin, there could not be a more easier or innocent way to kill two birds with one stone (gaining access to wealth while exposing your internal interest). Whose to say Elvis Presley had not been a closeted fan of black culture while allegedly exposing what he learned to a broader audience (fairly unlikely but something to think on)? Don't get me wrong: it is understandable to envision the financial disparity that particularly may have cause in the mid 50's to the end of the 1970's for minorities. Even Hollywood at a earlier time had white actors/actresses play Hispanics, Asians and other ethnicities to placate toward a cult-type audience as acts of familiarity. But in 2018 and beyond, when do we start to attribute the fact that races and cultures are intertwining at a alarming pace and ownership of who is allowed to wear a certain hair style, or talk with a certain dialect, or add to their image a collage of themselves beautified through concepts not of their own in order to make something...quite...new. As a civilization we are approaching the dawn of a Neo Modern Era. There is nothing culturally preserving about that. I wonder...Could it be that the real fear lies within the borders of the nostalgia of what use to be (e.g.my group is allowed to do this, while yours can not), while failing to realize the possibilities of what is to be; admiration through change.
No comments:
Post a Comment