J.E.B. Mungall

Cultural appropriation has become a buzzword in recent years, with some claiming that it is a form of oppression that should be eliminated from society. Many people view cultural appropriation as a societal ill because it involves the adoption and exploitation of elements of a culture by members of a dominant culture without regard for the original culture’s values, traditions, and history. This can lead to the erasure or marginalization of the original culture, as well as the perpetuation of harmful stereotypes and tropes. However, cultural appropriation in certain forms has played a crucial role in the development of human societies and can be acknowledged as having positive effects rather than wholesale condemned.

To understand why cultural appropriation is a good thing, we can look back at some of the first great civilizations in human history. The Persians, Greeks, and Romans were notorious cultural appropriators, borrowing and adapting ideas and practices from the cultures they encountered through conquest or trade.

For example, the Persians adopted elements of Babylonian culture, such as their legal and administrative systems, while also incorporating aspects of Egyptian and Greek culture into their own. The Greeks were heavily influenced by the cultures of Egypt and Mesopotamia, while also incorporating ideas from the Persian and Indian cultures they encountered through their conquests.

The Romans, meanwhile, borrowed heavily from Greek culture, adopting their gods, art, philosophy, and even their alphabet. They also incorporated elements of Etruscan and Egyptian culture into their own, creating a unique blend of cultural influences that helped to shape the Western world as we know it today.

By borrowing from other cultures, these civilizations were able to expand their knowledge and understanding of the world, as well as develop new ideas and practices that contributed to the advancement of human society. The Greeks, for example, made significant contributions to philosophy, mathematics, and science, while the Romans developed a sophisticated legal system that formed the basis for modern Western law. These ideas, appropriated often by way of conquest demonstrates a rather nuanced view these imperial powers had over the cultures and civilizations they conquered—that there were things of value in a conquered people that could be incorporated into the empire for the benefit of all. Perhaps it’s rather unintuitive, but in some ways, ancient imperialism did have a penchant for a belief in the value of diversity.

Moreover, cultural appropriation helped to create cultural exchange and dialogue, leading to greater understanding and appreciation of different cultures. The Greeks, for example, were able to learn from the Egyptians and Mesopotamians about astronomy and medicine, while the Romans incorporated elements of the religions of the peoples they conquered, creating a rich tapestry of religious beliefs and practices.

Another example of cultural appropriation can be found in the Muslim world, where ideas of science and mathematics from ancient Greek culture were adopted and improved upon.

During the Islamic Golden Age, which lasted from the 8th to the 14th century, Muslim scholars made significant contributions to fields such as mathematics, astronomy, and medicine. However, much of their knowledge was based on the works of ancient Greek scholars such as Euclid, Pythagoras, and Aristotle. The Muslim scholars translated and studied these works, building on them and improving them through their own research and experimentation.

For example, the mathematician Al-Khwarizmi, who lived in what is now Uzbekistan, is credited with developing algebra as a discipline separate from arithmetic. He drew heavily on the works of Greek mathematicians such as Diophantus and Euclid, but also introduced new concepts and methods that transformed the study of mathematics.

Similarly, the Persian physician Avicenna drew on the works of Greek physicians such as Hippocrates and Galen, but also made significant contributions to the field of medicine through his own research and writing. His most famous work, the Canon of Medicine, was a comprehensive medical encyclopedia that remained a standard reference for centuries.

Through their cultural appropriation of Greek ideas, Muslim scholars were able to make significant contributions to the fields of science and mathematics, laying the groundwork for the scientific revolution of the Renaissance. Their work helped to advance human knowledge and understanding, and paved the way for modern science and medicine.

However, just like the Christian philosophers who would follow them in reading and interpreting the ancient Greeks, Muslims scientists did not ascribe any particular love or respect for other aspects of Greek culture—much of which is antithetical to tenets of Islam: its polytheism, sexual license, depictions of nudity, and general differences of philosophy. Like every cultural appropriator before them, they did not have a philosophy that all cultures were equal in value, but rather that most cultures had valuable aspects. One thing that we see in these early imperial powers is (at least generally) an attitude to incorporate other cultures into the empire, dispensing with certain practices that were considered irredeemable or wholly incompatible with the conquering culture. This created a cohesive state that could be governed and defended—and was more often than not far safer than a single smaller culture going it alone in a very violent antiquity.

In modern times, cultural appropriation continues to play a positive role in society, allowing for the exchange of ideas and practices that help to promote understanding and respect for different cultures. This is particularly true in the arts, where cultural exchange and collaboration have led to some of the most groundbreaking and innovative works of art in history.

Of course, there are legitimate concerns about cultural appropriation, particularly when it involves the exploitation of marginalized cultures or the misuse of cultural symbols and practices. However, I believe that these issues can be addressed through respectful engagement and dialogue, rather than through blanket condemnation of cultural appropriation as a whole. While we can certainly look to the history of cultural appropriation and see many sins and horrors committed by ancient imperial powers, we cannot be blinded by negativity bias and miss the astounding cultural advancements the sharing of ideas has had on humanity.

Cultural appropriation has been a driving force behind human progress and development, leading to greater understanding and exchange of ideas between different cultures. Rather than being wholly condemned as a form of oppression, cultural appropriation should be acknowledged as a positive force for human societies.