Then we add cultural appropriation to the mix.
Basically, it's bad form for traditionally colonial cultures to borrow cultural elements from colonized/ minority cultures. White North American's shouldn't be using the myths and legends of Mesoamericans or the Chinese or the Arabians.
Some random thoughts on this;
But I can appropriate the Japanese, Koreans, Pacific Islanders, Africans (including Egypt), India, Greeks, Russians, assorted eastern Europeans, assorted Scandinavian/Nordics etc?
(none of wich I'm culturally tied to other than vikings probably raided my long ago Scottish ancestors at some forgotten point)
Sweet. I've still got enough cultures to bastardize into D&D versions left on the list to last me a life time.
What if I weren't a
white North American?
Would I have your blessing to appropriate the Messoamericans/Chinese/Arabians then?
I find it particularly funny that you declare that I, as a white North American, shouldn't be using
Messoamerican stuff - but you don't say anything about the Native Americans in what's the USA/Canada.
Well, you kinda do in the previous sentence. But you specifically call me out for the Messoamerican. Sorry, that's on the Spanish in the 1600s.
Can western Europeans/British use Messoamericans/Chinese/Arabians?
Have you heard of this little thing called
The Roman Empire?
If I were to avoid borrowing from places they colonized, that became essentially minorities within the Empire, that'd cut out most of what D&D is based on.
Or were you talking about places my culture had colonized?
Sorry, as a white North American since I'm apparently from an inherently evil "colonial culture" & thus the bad guy, what makes you think I give a kobolds crap about borrowing from them?
But if I don't include stuff from other cultures? Then I get branded xenophobic & get crap for it....