Usually it is the Yankees who take offense at the expense of us Latinos. We will always love to see others enjoy a part of our culture (as long as it is not in an exploitative and fetishistic way).
We will always love to see others enjoy a part of our culture (as long as it is not in an exploitative and fetishistic way).
I think this is a big part of the reason why some people get all white-knight about cultural appropriation. It can be quite difficult to know, as a cultural outsider, and from a glance, when something is being done in an exploitative and/or fetishistic way.
Definitely. Innocent until proven guilty. But then, the conversation does still have to happen, sometimes. That’s how people (on both sides of the debate) learn the difference in the first place.
Usually, to solve that, what I do is look at who did it and ask (the person directly or myself) why they did it.
A practical example: You know that new DC animated series? I think it’s called Creature Commandos. I haven’t seen it, but I hear it’s very good. Mind you, if you have seen it, can you tell me if anything happens, anything at all, related to Venezuela?
What happens is that they used as intro a very famous and beloved Venezuelan song: “Moliendo Café” (grinding coffee). All the other Venezuelans I’ve seen have loved it, but I remain skeptical, because I can’t help wondering: Did they chose that song because it’s somehow related to what is told in the story? Because Gunn just wanted to? Or because it sounded “very Latin” and different enough from the Mexican songs they always reuse? If it’s the first, great; if it’s the second, no problem; but the third…?
And the thing is, if I happen to come across the Youtube channel of some Swiss guy doing a electric guitar cover of “Moliendo Café”, I wouldn’t even go to his comments and yell “Cultural Appropriation!”, because he’s just an individual and what he does is harmless (and pretty neat). But a big company like Warner/Discovery…?
Unless the main people responsible are from or have roots in the country where the cultural expression comes from, it can’t be anything but exploitation and, of course, cultural appropriation.
I’m unfamiliar with the show, but thank you so much for engaging with the nuance of the situation, here. I agree with what you have to say regarding context surrounding “Moliendo Café”. Context matters. OP’s comic is a bit too “strawman” for my tastes.
There’s discussion to be had, for sure, but this comic squeezes all the nuance out of a complex topic just to score an easy gotcha.
Well, is just a Small comic, it hasto be this way or else it would not be funny. But yeah, the real world is a lot more complex that any piece of entertainment could ever portrait.
Usually it is the Yankees who take offense at the expense of us Latinos. We will always love to see others enjoy a part of our culture (as long as it is not in an exploitative and fetishistic way).
I guess it was only a matter of time before I was called out on what I do with queso.
I think this is a big part of the reason why some people get all white-knight about cultural appropriation. It can be quite difficult to know, as a cultural outsider, and from a glance, when something is being done in an exploitative and/or fetishistic way.
If it’s difficult to know, people probably should be given the benefit of the doubt
Definitely. Innocent until proven guilty. But then, the conversation does still have to happen, sometimes. That’s how people (on both sides of the debate) learn the difference in the first place.
You know what? you’re right.
Usually, to solve that, what I do is look at who did it and ask (the person directly or myself) why they did it.
A practical example: You know that new DC animated series? I think it’s called Creature Commandos. I haven’t seen it, but I hear it’s very good. Mind you, if you have seen it, can you tell me if anything happens, anything at all, related to Venezuela?
What happens is that they used as intro a very famous and beloved Venezuelan song: “Moliendo Café” (grinding coffee). All the other Venezuelans I’ve seen have loved it, but I remain skeptical, because I can’t help wondering: Did they chose that song because it’s somehow related to what is told in the story? Because Gunn just wanted to? Or because it sounded “very Latin” and different enough from the Mexican songs they always reuse? If it’s the first, great; if it’s the second, no problem; but the third…?
And the thing is, if I happen to come across the Youtube channel of some Swiss guy doing a electric guitar cover of “Moliendo Café”, I wouldn’t even go to his comments and yell “Cultural Appropriation!”, because he’s just an individual and what he does is harmless (and pretty neat). But a big company like Warner/Discovery…?
Unless the main people responsible are from or have roots in the country where the cultural expression comes from, it can’t be anything but exploitation and, of course, cultural appropriation.
I’m unfamiliar with the show, but thank you so much for engaging with the nuance of the situation, here. I agree with what you have to say regarding context surrounding “Moliendo Café”. Context matters. OP’s comic is a bit too “strawman” for my tastes.
There’s discussion to be had, for sure, but this comic squeezes all the nuance out of a complex topic just to score an easy gotcha.
Well, is just a Small comic, it hasto be this way or else it would not be funny. But yeah, the real world is a lot more complex that any piece of entertainment could ever portrait.
Agreed. The humor of the comic is in the hyperbole.
You mean I cannot wear a sombrero while having sex? That’s sad. But okay.
I mean “fetish” in the pretentious and boring way.
I was just joking. Imagine me having sex.
I know you were joking, I just wanted to avoid to imagine anybody else having sex.