system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
CMV: Cultural appropriation is benign at worst and extremely beneficial at best.

I am genuinely dumbfounded by the number of people who believe that cultural appropriation is harmful. Taking issue with cultural appropriation seems to be the equivalent of a child throwing a fit because someone else is "copying" him. 

I can understand how certain aspects of appropriation can be harmful if done improperly (ex. taking credit for originating a practice that was originated by another culture, appropriating in order to mock, poorly mimicking the appropriated practice thereby attaching an unearned stigma to it, etc.). I do not, however, understand how one can find the act of appropriation problematic in and of itself. In most cases, it seems like cultural appropriation is the opposite of bad (some would say good). Our alphabet, our numerals, mathematics, spices, gunpowder, steam power, paper, and countless other things have been "appropriated" (I am 100% sure that a more extensive list that makes the point more effectively can be made by someone with more than a cursory understanding of history). And thank God they were. Cultural appropriation seems to be a driving force in innovation and general global improvement. 

The idea that one culture needs permission from another in order to adopt a practice seems palpably absurd. It violates the basic liberties of the appropriator(s) (and does not violate any rights of the appropriated). The concept makes little sense when applied to entire cultures. It breaks down entirely when applied at the individual level. If my neighbor cooks his meat in such a way that makes the meat more appealing to me, I should have nothing stopping me from mimicking him. Is my neighbor obligated to reveal any secrets to me? Absolutely not. But does he have any genuine grievance with me? Surely not. 

I simply do not see how appropriation is bad. Note: I am referring exclusively to the act of appropriation. I am not necessarily referring to negative practices that tend to accompany appropriation. 

(Edit: I am blown away by the positivity in this thread. I'm glad that we can take a controversial topic and talk about it with civility. I didn't expect to get this many replies. I wish I could respond to them all but I'm a little swamped with homework.)
gpt
>I am genuinely dumbfounded by the amount of people who believe that cultural appropriation is harmful. Taking issue with cultural appropriation seems to be the equivalent of a child throwing a fit because someone else is "copying" him.

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A lot of people share this view because coming from a majority culture they don't see the value of  the items in question.

Perhaps the easiest example for most Americans to understand is stolen valor. It is deeply offensive to most veterans (and many non veterans) when someone wears a uniform or medals/insignias that they are not entitled to wear.

Now someone unfamiliar with military culture or veterans might dismiss this as "it's just little bits of cloth" or "these people are actually showing their respect to the military." But such views would be wrong. Military medals, native American headdresses, Maori tattoos, etc have deep significance in those cultures precisely because only certain people are permitted to wear them. It's an honor.  To wear those things as fashion or "for fun" disrespects that tradition.

That's why people become offended.