RE: SHOULD WHITE PEOPLE HAVE DREADLOCKS?
Hi @papa-pepper, thanks for sharing your views and opinions on this controversial topic. I see where you are going, and I am grateful that their are persons out there in the world, who don't judge people by their race.
Nevertheless, the question "if a person should wear it or not because of his/her racial background" isn't just a question to pride in their own cultural background. You see, the question "if a person should wear it because of the racial background" is a really complex one.
On the surface it might be a racist question floating above while the density to this question lies underneath. Trying to understand, why a person would even pose such a question, gives an answer to what we have been looking for. The answer to why this question was posed in the first place is because, the person asking isn't sure if there was a loss of information on the way trying this new "style".
Did they do their homework first, read up where its origin lies?
Do they appreciate other cultures as much as they do their own?
Or are they just copying because of the new wave splashing all over the social media networks?
Wouldn't it be a discriminatory question if a broker told a random guy, who never put the effort in looking up how the system works, has the money, but wants his gains as fast as possible, - if he is sure with what he is doing?
In my opinion people tend to not appreciate where these "new trends" come from, be it because the media doesn't give any disclosure where they have their influence/inspiration from, or be it because some people just want to stand out as much as possible without any pre-knowledge of what or why they are doing it.
-And as recently surfacing (2016), the well-known cornrows are being called "boxer braids" by elitists and the media, clearly re-naming a style they took from the urban culture and re-branding it as their own.
So to make things clear, I think white people can wear dreadlocks how much they want, however respecting the culture it comes from is a must, and acknowledging that by using/wearing something from a different culture must be respected and appreciated as they do their own culture.
Thanks for reading.
The origin of what "culture" dreadlocks come from would be highly, highly debatable. Personally, I'd say that there are only two possibilities. Either they originated with Adam and Eve and their ancestors, or with Noah and his wife, and their ancestors. Either way, I'm part of their ancestors, so I guess it is appropriate.
In response to doing research or just following a trend, I think we should also fully realize that people are free to as educated, or as ignorant, as they wish, so those points aren't really valid at all.
Thank you for checking this post out and replying with your insight and views!
You have a point there. And yes of course, people are free to be as educated, or as ignorant. - but being ignorant just brings up this whole debate over nothing. And when the debate starts, people tend to take sides and use race an excuse to argue about things. It wouldn't even be part of a controversy if people weren't ignorant, but that's just how people are.
Also, maybe to back your argument, the fact that cultural trends that have been there for decades get rebranded only to make it more appealable to the mass isn't quite right. Why not leave it as it is? People whichever race can still use these kinds of "trends" without giving washing it out from its origin. @hippie-with-a-gun states my commentary. It's all about acknowledging the other half and respecting them as equals instead of dividing them.
Thank you for replying.
Saying white people shouldn't wear dreadlocks is like saying that blacks shouldn't wear white style clothes or straighten their hair. It shouldn't bother you what someone else does or doesn't do. If it does, then you have far too much time on your hands and need to get a life!