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Full Version: Oh, Disney, did you really expect there wouldn't be backlash from this?
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Disney accused of appropriation for trademarking Swahili words 'Hakuna Matata'

Disney says that they're protecting their business interests. The last time I looked, "protecting business interests" and "cultural appropriation" are overlapping circles on the Venn diagram of corporate behaviours - it's possible to do both at the same time.
To be fair, it's entirely possible to trademark certain words in any language in specific contexts to protect your business interests.

It really matters how Disney would enforce that trademark.

I'm not saying that those who have leveled the complaint don't have a point. I'm saying that Disney isn't without a valid defense as long as it constrains itself to enforcing their trademark on Lion King related clothing.
my question is, why didn't this suit take place back when the animated version of the movie came out? (its a semi-rhetorical question)
answer as i figure it, the orriginal movie made so much damn money that now with the remake someone sees their chance to cash in. (but this is because i'm an asshole, so what do i know)
(12-25-2018, 09:07 PM)Rajvik Wrote: [ -> ]my question is, why didn't this suit take place back when the animated version of the movie came out? (its a semi-rhetorical question)
answer as i figure it, the orriginal movie made so much damn money that now with the remake someone sees their chance to cash in. (but this is because i'm an asshole, so what do i know)

More like the Swahili speaking population of Africa didn't care, because they had other things to worry about.

Complaining about your rights being abused, especially in so nebulous a manner as cultural appropriation, only starts getting important enough when you have the means to make those complaints. A population that is starving will care less about their own rights as long as it means they're not going to starve.

Of course, once a population has established sufficient food security and no longer needs to worry about starving that doesn't mean that they instantly start thinking about whatever rights they let be abused. That takes time. Scars take a while to heal, and often need a new generation before they start being addressed.



All of this of course doesn't mean that the one suing Disney for cultural appropriation isn't thinking he can cash in or something with this suit. It's quite possible.
... I remember when people used to talk about America being a cultural melting pot like it was a good thing. Then it was "multiculturalism," then "mixing bowl," and now here we are with creating a signature phrase in another language or offering recipes adapted from some other ethnicity to local tastes is cultural misappropriation. I'd say that "missing the good old days" makes me feel old, but really in this case it just makes me feel sane. If we'd stayed more of a melting pot maybe there'd be less gaping divisions in our society and politics.
(12-26-2018, 06:47 AM)classicdrogn Wrote: [ -> ]... I remember when people used to talk about America being a cultural melting pot like it was a good thing. Then it was "multiculturalism," then "mixing bowl," and now here we are with creating a signature phrase in another language or offering recipes adapted from some other ethnicity to local tastes is cultural misappropriation.

From what I read in the article, the issue isn't "creating a signature phrase in another language", it's "taking a pre-existing signature phrase in another language and making money off it without asking first".


(12-26-2018, 06:47 AM)classicdrogn Wrote: [ -> ]I'd say that "missing the good old days" makes me feel old, but really in this case it just makes me feel sane. If we'd stayed more of a melting pot maybe there'd be less gaping divisions in our society and politics.

Canada has been multicultural instead of being a melting pot since Day 1, and we don't have anywhere near the political polarization that the USA has.
(12-26-2018, 11:12 AM)robkelk Wrote: [ -> ]it's "taking a pre-existing signature phrase in another language and making money off it without asking first"
That's still as silly as getting upset about Staples using "that was easy" as a corporate motto, though, or selling Volkswagons in the US with the "Fahrvergnügen" slogan to stick with the foreign language aspect. Or Duel of the Fates having nearly-nonsense Sanskrit lyrics chosen mainly for how the words sound to an English-speaking ear based on roughly translating an ancient Welsh poem.

Quote:Canada has been multicultural instead of being a melting pot since Day 1, and we don't have anywhere near the political polarization that the USA has.
True enough. One less thing to blame for our problems instead of rampant shambolic ninnery, I suppose. Dodgy

(Which is a phrase I've been aching to use for days. Just say it aloud, "Rampant shambolic ninnery." It rolls off the tongue like fine liquor!)
I think the issue is that Disney is trying to make it so other people can't use the phrase. It's one thing if a bit of culture happens to make money for you. It's entirely another to say that your rights to it are exclusive.