Opinion of cultural appropriation?

[KingSweden]

Depends. In a melting pot culture like ours, borrowing words from different languages, incorporating new ideas and traditions, etc, is crucial. That's how assimilation works and you get a stunningly diverse society that, for all its faults, is designed to be a brew of different cultures, ideas and peoples.

Dressing up in sombreros to celebrate Cinco De Mayo? Not a good idea.

[KingSweden]

People shouldn't wear green on St.Paddy'sDay?  Or drink out of steins at Octoberfest?  Use chopsticks at the Chinese restaurant?  Where is the line?  Who gets to decide where the line is?

Well, St Patrick's Day is an actual Irish holiday that people in Ireland celebrate. Cinco de Mayo became a big thing in order to market Corona.

Incidentally, this does cut both ways in absurdity. I was once accused of only knowing how to use chopsticks to seem "cultured" and to "impress girls."

[KingSweden]

What Oldiesfreak is talking about is not really cultural appropriation as people whine about it. The analogy wouldn't be foreign countries having McDonalds but rather people who throw a fit about how white Americans eat "ethnic" food that isn't their culture, or white people having dreadlocks or cornrows or watching anime.

Also it's kind of silly to act like American culture is ONLY corporate stuff like McDonalds, btw DeBeers are not American (autos aren't really a good example, that's kind of like calling Samsung phones an aspect of Korean culture), there is American culture that goes beyond all that. Onion rings and cheese curds are very much American foods in origin, but is it an attack on the cultures of other countries if someone set up an independent restaurant there that served them? Is Japanese or Latin American culture threatened by playing baseball there? There actually are some minor leagues for what Americans call football in Switzerland and Germany, is that cultural appropriation or a threat to those places?

Complaining about "cultural appropriation" actually strikes me more as a far right style view, in the belief that all peoples and cultures need to be segregated, and that it's wrong if anyone steps outside of "their role".

This is pretty much in line with my beliefs. Specifically that part at the end. The beauty of culture is in its ability to adapt and flow. I think everyone has a right to hold on to their cultural traditions, but they also have the right to take on certain elements of other cultures.

It is entirely hypocritical for those on the left to criticize anyone for stepping outside of their own "cultural boundaries". The entire concept of "cultural boundaries" is inherently tribalist in nature. You cannot draw your sword against the evils of xenophobia and racism while defending such an insidious form of tribalism.

Great summary, thank you. This 100%