Check your extremism
These are topics I heard at a coffee shop being discussed seriously by 10 or so local college students that seemed to be made up of various cultures but was predominantly white. I'm inclined to label these people cultural segregationists instead of anti-cultural appropriation-ists.
- Don't learn or speak other languages. The world needs a new universal language to avoid offending someone by speaking theirs.
- Stop eating foods from other cultures. The world needs new culture neutral food dishes.
- You don't teach children about other cultures, you teach them how to avoid offending them.
- Artisans and craftsmen only produce items belonging to their culture for people of their culture to buy. Don't buy anything from them that isn't culture neutral.
There was talk about how people are disrespecting their own and other cultures and how throughout history cultures have become contaminated by mixing them. Discussion ensued on how to prevent cultures from being further diluted, how to take back their cultures, and how to prevent cultural appropriation.
Their solution? Cultural zones.
- The basic concept is that there should be an area in every city that are culture neutral where people of different cultures can work and mix.
- Only the new universal language is to be spoken here.
- People are required to dress in culture neutral clothing
- Shops can only sell culture neutral foods and goods
- The rest of the city should be divided into Cultural Zones.
- People are required to live in the zone based on their ancestry, if no ancestry can be traced then DNA testing can find relatives to identify your culture
- Those identifying with multiple cultures must choose one
- Councils consisting of cultural archaeologists and cultural historians will be formed to guide those living in zones to rediscover their "roots" define what belongs to (in) each culture, and help reintroduce lost or forgotten aspects of a culture
- A culture zone is off limits to those that don't belong to that culture
- Businesses sell only items belonging to their own culture or culture neutral items.
- Individuals cannot own or produce items belonging to another culture.
There was more, but you get the idea. At first I thought they were joking or working on some weird project. But they were serious. An ill timed laugh on the part of someone else who overheard their discussion drew their attention and ire for not respecting other people's culture. What proceeded was a lecture on some of what they perceived as the ills of the world, that White Americans have no culture of their own, that other cultures have become contaminated by cultural exchange, and the all persuasive argument "if we don't do something now".
I listened... thinking REALLY? You are proposing to fix the cultural issues with segregation? I couldn't believe that they talked confidently about these opinions as if they truly represented every culture they appointed themselves to represent. My next thought is that they will probably be future politicians.
After a mini speech from the more more vocal woman of the group, the guy asked if any of them were from cultures in Ethiopia, Yemen, or Arabia. There were a few quiet "no's" and blank looks. He then asked "Why are you drinking a beverage borrowed from another culture?" There were a few indigent and outraged replies as he walked out the door.
It's been a number of years since and I'm glad to see that the country isn't divided into "Culture Zones." I do wonder if any of those students entered politics.