The 'cultural appropriation' brigade can't even handle fiction (opens in new tab)

(blogs.spectator.co.uk)

4 pointstanqueray9y ago2 comments

2 comments

The full text of the speech held by Lionel Shriver is available here:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/sep/13/lionel...

A good read. It's painful to hear that writers of fiction are getting harrowed by well-meaning but obviously misguided activists who believe cultural appropriation is seriously a thing.

I'm not surprised — although fascinated — about the way social media has granted these young idealists a platform for their irrational concepts of political correctness taken to the extremes, but I am taken aback about how notions such as safe spaces and trigger warnings have taken hold in academics via the student communities.

Is it the fear of being labelled a racist and having your good name tainted on-line by these very vocal activists with a receptive platform of like-minded individuals available at their fingertips that stops people (fellow students and faculty) from simply brushing it off as nonsense?

tanquerayOP9y ago

I think the answer to the question in the last paragraph is 'yes'.

I do dispute that the brigade are 'well-meaning' though. It is often very much for their own ends, be that in their student union or their career. They are often willing to cause a lot of damage in the name of their cause.

There is some great literature coming through against it though; Tom Slater's "Unsafe Spaces" is excellent. As is lots of the recent stuff by Joanna Williams.

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