MCViewPoint

by Walter E. Block

So what is the point of mentioning so many reductios ad absurdum? It is this. If you are not an intellectual, a member of especially an elite university, one could be excused for thinking that cultural appropriation is totally and completely unobjectionable. After all, it consists of nothing more and nothing less than people being introduced to cultures, mores, experiences, practices, accomplishments of others.

It is cultural appropriation if a black person listens to Mozart; this dead white male composer is simply not part of that person’s culture. It is cultural appropriation whenever an Oriental person tunes in to rap music; those songs are simply not part of that person’s culture. It is cultural appropriation every time a Jew eats pork; not only is this food simply not part of that person’s culture, it is proscribed by his culture, not to say religion, which, indeed, is part of culture. It is cultural appropriation when a Catholic drinks Manischewitz wine. It is cultural appropriation when a Bulgarian wears a Mexican sombrero. It is cultural appropriation when a non-Indian plays chess, since this game originated in that country. It is cultural appropriation if a non-Jew eats gefilte fish or takes advantage of the Salk polio vaccine. It is cultural appropriation if a Jew reads the New Testament. It is cultural appropriation when a Hindu benefits from the Pythagorean Theorem. It is cultural appropriation when a non-Arab utilizes and benefits from the concept of the number zero, since that insight sprang from that culture.

I could stop here. I have already made my point. But I cannot do so. This is so much fun. So, I’ll press on.

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