Intelligence Squared Can Anyone Actually Own A Culture?
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May 15, 2023 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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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.
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.
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.
