Martin Puchner, an acclaimed author and Harvard professor, discusses the blurred lines between cultural appreciation and appropriation. He argues that culture has always evolved through borrowing, and this should be celebrated rather than seen as ownership. Puchner explores historical moments of cultural transmission, the reinterpretation of artifacts like the bust of Nefertiti, and contemporary issues surrounding global phenomena such as BTS. He advocates for a model of engagement that promotes understanding and appreciation of diverse cultural practices.
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insights INSIGHT
Culture's Transmission
Culture is a non-utilitarian activity that requires external storage and transmission, unlike genes.
Storage places like caves, temples, libraries, and the internet preserve cultural knowledge for future generations.
insights INSIGHT
Cultural Storage and Transmission
Cultural transmission relies on storage in special places like caves, temples, libraries, and technologies like the internet.
These storage methods are crucial because culture is not automatically passed down like genes.
insights INSIGHT
Generative Errors
Misunderstandings and errors in cultural transmission are inevitable and can be generative.
They allow new generations to project their own concerns onto the past, injecting urgency into its continuation.
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Martin Puchner's "The Language of Thieves" uniquely blends academic scholarship with personal memoir. The book delves into the philosophy of language, exploring its complexities and ambiguities. Puchner uses his own experiences to illustrate key concepts, creating a narrative that is both intellectually stimulating and emotionally engaging. The work also grapples with Germany's historical past, adding a layer of personal reflection to the broader philosophical inquiry. It's a captivating exploration of language's power and its connection to individual and collective identity.
The Written World
The Power of Stories to Shape People, History, Civilization
Martin Puchner
Martin Puchner's "The Written World" is a comprehensive history of literature, tracing its evolution from the invention of writing to the digital age. The book explores the cultural and societal impact of literature across different eras and civilizations. Puchner examines how writing has shaped human thought, communication, and power dynamics. He also analyzes the role of technology in the dissemination and transformation of literature. The book offers a nuanced perspective on the ongoing relationship between literature and technology, highlighting both the challenges and opportunities presented by the digital revolution.
DJ Culture
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Ulf Poschardt
In an age where the line between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation seems ever more blurred, can anyone actually own a culture? In this conversation acclaimed author and public intellectual Martin Puchner explains that the history of mankind has always been a story of borrowing from one another and that this is something to be celebrated, not lamented. The idea of ownership implicit in debates about cultural appropriation, he argues, presents an insular tale about how culture evolves — flattening out the complicated textures of human history and, in the end, what truly makes us us. Our host for this discussion is Edward Wilson Lee, fellow and lecturer at Sidney Sussex College, University of Cambridge.
Intelligence Squared 
