Cultural Confusion
Culture does not always have to be attached to race. As the world evolves it can also just be a group of people that live in a certain geographical area such as New York City known as New Yorkers. New Yorkers come in many races, shapes, and sizes, but have a common food diet, language, and social behavior that is created from the environment. New York City Culture.
Somewhere along the way the definitions of culture and race have been intertwined. I googled each race culture and found alarming results. Most of which were extremely stereotypical. That is because culture does not start at such a broad level. Culture represents commonalities to include food, language, art, education, and clothing. The only things in common within a large group such as an entire race would be skin color, bodily features, and DNA; none of which represent culture.
This is often confused in music. One race in a particular area creates a sound and it becomes their musical culture. Another race witnesses the sound, appreciates the sound, and embraces the sound. Just because the other race is embracing the sound does not mean that they want to be the other race. They are just appreciating what the other race in that area created. That goes the same with clothing, language, and food. You can embrace any culture. People dine on cuisines from other countries all the time, does that meant they want to be transformed to that racial group? No, they are just appreciating the culture.
Some people are born into other cultures. They have their own race; however, they were raised within a specific area of a different race. Such as people of Asian decent born and raised in Jamaica. They are not Black, but they are Jamaicans because Jamaican is a culture of the country of Jamaica. They eat, dress, talk, and enjoy the same music for that particular area.
Next time you hear someone saying that’s a Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, or Native Indian thing, tell them to be more specific. Next time you hear somebody say “they are trying to be White” or “they are trying to be Black”. Ask them…..really? Are you sure they are not just embracing the culture or born into it?
