Orientalism: 7 Rings or Barbecue Grill?

The fundamentals of Orientalism can fluctuate depending on the person or era of interest. While the most obvious concepts of Orientalism are painting all Muslims as terrorists and monsters or washing away the Middle Eastern, Asian, and North African cultures with shiny aspects of Westernization, another part of the problem comes into play that contributes to the fact that Orientalism mindsets are here to stay. In pop culture, visions of terrorists and monsters aren't always shown, but singers, actors, and pictures are. With the entertainment industry flourishing in Western culture, it is not rare when white artists branch out for some "inspiration."

While they might not comprehend the histories and tribulations of Asian, Middle Eastern, and North African cultures, they might look at a kimono or Hello Kitty and think "Oh, pretty!" With this mindset, they dissect cultures that are not their own, selecting the flashy, colorful parts and pitching the rest without any respect for the people that embody the cultures. While this concept might appear far-fetched, it's a lot closer than we know.

One example of a white artist who uses certain parts of Asian culture for aesthetics is Ariana Grande. While she has received backlash for cultural appropriation with accusations of her using brownface and queerbaiting, her music video for "7 Rings" brings everything to a whole new level. In her music video, Japanese symbols and memorabilia deck the video from start to end which sparked a debate whether or not she was appropriating or appreciating. However, when she got a tattoo that she thought meant "7 Rings" in Japanese which people eventually discovered translated to "barbecue grill", it was safe to say her knowledge and understanding of the culture was minimal.

What's worst is that she isn't the only one. In 2013, Katy Perry performed at the AMAs "geisha style" fusing several different Asian cultures for one controversial number of "Unconditionally." In result, several people were left offended and misrepresented.

While there might be an association of monsters and terrorists, the issue of appropriation has the whole thing dissolved into a bigger picture. When one person nitpicks part of a culture that isn't theirs the message "I like your culture, but only this part" rings clear. Without confrontation, Western culture will soon take the parts they like about the other cultures and wash away the rest with oblivion and ignorance. Just because a photo of a white artist dressed as a Geisha isn't as brutal as that of a Muslim depicted as a terrorist, it doesn't mean it's not as problematic. For all the ugly, violent stereotypes, there are stereotypes that objectify and glorify from Hello Kitty to chopstick hairstyles.

When someone takes the pretty parts of people's culture and not recognize the nitty gritty details, they are subjecting themselves to Orientalism and its lens. There should be more people open to learning, respecting, and finding a balance between giving and taking. No matter how much people try, a white person can not tell the story of a victim of Orientalism. There should be less stereotypes and more willingness to communicate and grow. For now, we have "barbecue grill."