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Message: <blockquote data-quote="MGibster" data-source="post: 8493023" data-attributes="member: 4534">So it appears as though I have two options here.  I can apologize or I can double down and attack to hide my embarrassment.  Since this is the internet, I think it's obvious that I need to double down and attack.  Just kidding.  I should have read what you posted more closely and I apologize.  And I would actually agree that it's pretty easy most of the time.   But I don't think it's always so easy.  I suspect the protestors and the museum staff responsible for the exhibits were of a fairly similar social class; Middle class college educated individuals.  Most museum employees who run the show are college educated and it's usually among the privileged who can afford to go to college that I hear bring up cultural appropriation and Orientalism.  Those aren't exactly the battle cries of the working class.  Here's where it gets complicated.  The Japanese are not an oppressed people.  They are an economic and cultural powerhouse who are heavily engaged in trade and cultural exchange with the United States and the rest of the world.  Japan wasn't offended by this exhibit and most of them have no problem with westerners wearing traditional Japanese clothing.  Most kimono manufacturers would love it if more Americans wore kimonos because theirs is a shrinking market and they'd love new customers.  Why is it we prioritize the feelings of a few Asian Americans in this issue?  The most common argument I hear is that Asian Americans are, well, Americans, and we should prioritize their feelings.  Okay, I'm Americentric myself so I can kind of buy that.  Others say it's because of the specific issues that Asian Americans have had to deal with over the last few centuries that the Japanese haven't.  And, again, okay, but that kind demonstrates that this is somewhat complicated, no?  And we can relate this to Asian inspired role playing games.  Japan, China, and Korea are all too keen on exchanging their culture with the United States.  They're not an oppressed people on the worldwide stage.  There won't be many Japanese people who care if someone publishes Legend of the Five Rings any more than most Americans care if a Japanese company published a western style RPG.</blockquote>

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