By admin 
What is Cultural Appreciation?
Cultural appreciation is the respectful engagement with and celebration of cultural practices, traditions, art forms, and customs that differ from one’s own. Unlike its problematic counterpart—cultural appropriation—cultural appreciation involves genuine understanding, acknowledgment of origins, and support for the communities that created these cultural elements.
In today’s interconnected world, cultural appreciation has become a cornerstone of meaningful cross-cultural dialogue. It requires intentionality, education, and a willingness to listen to the voices of those whose culture you’re engaging with. When done correctly, cultural appreciation enriches both the individual and the broader community, fostering mutual respect and understanding.
The distinction between appreciation and appropriation has never been more relevant, particularly as Gen Z navigates these conversations in real-time across social media platforms. Every TikTok dance, Instagram fashion post, or viral food trend becomes a potential case study in how we engage with cultures beyond our own.
Why Cultural Appreciation Matters in 2025
Cultural appreciation matters now more than ever because our digital age has made cultural exchange instantaneous and unavoidable. The importance extends far beyond avoiding social media backlash—it’s about recognizing humanity in its full diversity and acknowledging the contributions of marginalized communities that have historically been exploited.
Building Authentic Connections: When we practice genuine cultural appreciation, we create bridges between communities. These connections combat stereotypes, reduce prejudice, and promote empathy. In an era of increasing polarization, cultural appreciation serves as a tool for unity.
Economic Justice: True cultural appreciation includes financial support for the communities that create cultural products. When you purchase directly from artisans, eat at family-owned ethnic restaurants, or support minority-owned businesses, you’re practicing cultural appreciation with tangible impact.
Preserving Cultural Heritage: Many traditional art forms, languages, and practices face extinction. Respectful appreciation—learning from authorized teachers, supporting cultural preservation efforts—helps sustain these valuable aspects of human heritage.
Personal Growth: Engaging authentically with different cultures expands your worldview, challenges assumptions, and develops crucial skills like cultural humility and adaptability. These competencies are increasingly valued in professional and personal contexts.
Gen Z has grown up in the most diverse, globally connected generation in history. Their approach to cultural appreciation reflects this reality, demanding transparency, accountability, and genuine engagement rather than superficial gestures.
Cultural Appreciation vs Cultural Appropriation: Understanding the Difference
The line between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation can seem blurry, but understanding the distinction is crucial. The difference lies in power dynamics, intent, context, and most importantly, impact.
Cultural Appropriation: What to Avoid
Cultural appropriation occurs when members of a dominant culture adopt elements from a marginalized culture without permission, understanding, or respect—often for aesthetic appeal or profit while the originating community faces discrimination for the same practices.
Key characteristics of appropriation include:
- Lack of Context: Using sacred symbols or practices as fashion statements without understanding their spiritual or cultural significance
- No Credit Given: Failing to acknowledge the cultural origins of adopted elements
- Economic Exploitation: Profiting from cultural elements while the originating community receives no benefit
- Power Imbalance: Dominant groups facing no consequences for practices that marginalized groups are punished for
- Stereotyping: Reducing rich cultural traditions to caricatures or costumes
A viral example from 2024 involved a major fashion brand selling “elevated basics” that were nearly identical to traditional South Asian garments—at premium prices—without acknowledging the cultural origins or collaborating with South Asian designers. The backlash was swift and educational.
Cultural Appreciation: The Right Approach
Cultural appreciation, by contrast, involves respectful engagement characterized by learning, listening, and supporting the communities you’re engaging with.
Hallmarks of genuine appreciation:
- Education First: Taking time to learn about the history, significance, and context of cultural practices
- Proper Attribution: Clearly acknowledging where practices, styles, or traditions originate
- Community Consent: Ensuring your engagement is welcomed by members of that culture
- Supporting the Source: Directing resources, attention, and credit to people from the culture
- Avoiding Sacred Elements: Recognizing that some practices are not meant to be shared outside specific contexts
- Accepting Correction: Listening when community members express concerns and adjusting behavior accordingly
The TikTok creator who went viral for learning traditional Indigenous beading techniques offers a perfect example. She took months of lessons from an enrolled tribal member, consistently credited her teacher, directed followers to Indigenous-owned businesses, and openly discussed the cultural significance rather than just showcasing aesthetics.
The TikTok Test: Real Viral Examples That Sparked Debate
Social media has become the public arena where questions of cultural appreciation and appropriation play out in real-time. These viral moments offer valuable lessons about where we draw the line.
Case Study: The Birria Taco Boom
When birria tacos exploded on TikTok in 2023, the trend raised important questions about cultural appreciation in food. The dish, originally from Jalisco, Mexico, suddenly appeared in restaurants nationwide—many not owned by Mexican families.
The Problematic Approach: Chain restaurants and non-Mexican food influencers marketed “birria tacos” without mentioning Mexican origins, history, or traditional preparation methods. Some charged premium prices while actual Mexican restaurants in the same neighborhoods struggled for recognition.
The Appreciative Approach: Food creators who highlighted the dish’s Jalisco roots, interviewed Mexican chefs about traditional methods, directed viewers to Mexican-owned restaurants, and acknowledged their learning process. These creators celebrated the cuisine while centering Mexican voices.
The lesson? When you engage with food from other cultures, ask: Am I giving credit? Am I supporting businesses from that community? Am I presenting this respectfully or reducing it to a trend?
Case Study: Cottagecore and Romani Culture
The cottagecore aesthetic trend faced scrutiny when elements of Romani culture—particularly fortune-telling imagery and “gypsy” aesthetics—appeared without context or credit. The Romani community, one of Europe’s most persecuted minorities, spoke out about appropriation.
The Teachable Moment: Many content creators genuinely didn’t know the origins of certain aesthetics they were using. When Romani activists explained the harm, thoughtful creators listened, removed problematic content, and educated their followers. This demonstrates that cultural appreciation requires ongoing learning and a willingness to adjust.
Case Study: The Black TikTok Strike of 2021
When Black creators noticed their viral dances were consistently being credited to white creators who replicated them, they went on strike. This powerful action highlighted how Black cultural contributions are systematically erased even in real-time digital spaces.
The Impact: The strike forced a broader conversation about digital credit, algorithmic bias, and how appreciation requires active effort to ensure proper attribution. Many platforms subsequently implemented better attribution features.
The lesson applies beyond dance: when you engage with trends that originated in specific communities, trace them back to the source and give explicit credit.
Cultural Appreciation in Action: Practical Examples
Understanding theory is important, but seeing cultural appreciation in practice makes the concept tangible. Here are examples across different areas of life.
Fashion and Style
Appreciative Approach:
- Purchasing directly from artisans and designers from the culture
- Learning about the significance of patterns, garments, or accessories before wearing them
- Avoiding items with sacred or ceremonial significance not meant for outside use
- Crediting the cultural origins when asked about your clothing or style
Real Example: A fashion blogger who fell in love with West African prints took the time to learn about different textile traditions, purchased from Ghana-based designers, and created content educating followers about adinkra symbols and kente cloth significance rather than just treating them as trendy patterns.
Food and Culinary Practices
Appreciative Approach:
- Eating at and promoting restaurants owned by people from the culture
- Learning proper preparation methods and ingredient significance
- Acknowledging the cultural context when sharing recipes
- Not claiming to make “authentic” versions without deep knowledge and respect
Real Example: A cooking content creator who wanted to share Japanese recipes partnered with Japanese chefs, credited them extensively, discussed the cultural context of each dish, and consistently directed viewers to Japanese-owned restaurants and cooking instructors.
Music and Art
Appreciative Approach:
- Streaming and purchasing music from artists from the culture
- Learning about the historical and social context of musical genres
- Attending performances and exhibitions that support artists from the community
- Not sampling or remixing without proper licensing and credit
Real Example: The resurgence of interest in Afrobeats has led many non-African artists to collaborate directly with African musicians, acknowledge the genre’s origins, and use their platforms to highlight African artists rather than simply copying the sound.
Spiritual and Religious Practices
Appreciative Approach:
- Recognizing that many spiritual practices are closed or require initiation
- Learning from authorized teachers and spiritual leaders when practices are open to learning
- Not commodifying sacred objects or symbols
- Understanding that some things are meant to be observed and respected, not participated in
Real Example: Interest in mindfulness and meditation has exploded, but respectful practitioners acknowledge Buddhism’s role in these practices, support Buddhist teachers and organizations, and avoid treating profound spiritual traditions as mere wellness trends.
How Gen Z is Changing the Conversation
Generation Z, born roughly between 1997 and 2012, approaches cultural appreciation differently than previous generations. Growing up as digital natives in an increasingly diverse America has shaped their perspective in profound ways.
Digital-First Accountability
Gen Z expects transparency and immediate accountability. When cultural missteps happen, they demand public acknowledgment and correction. This generation has normalized calling out appropriation not as “cancel culture” but as education and accountability.
The speed of information spread means mistakes go viral quickly, but so do corrections and educational moments. Many Gen Z creators have built followings specifically around cultural education, breaking down complex topics into accessible content.
Intersectionality as Standard
Gen Z naturally thinks intersectionally, understanding that cultural appreciation involves recognizing how race, class, gender, disability, and other identities intersect. They’re less likely to view culture as monolithic and more likely to seek out diverse voices within any cultural community.
This generation questions who gets to speak for a culture and actively seeks out marginalized voices within already marginalized communities—for example, centering queer and trans voices within cultural discussions.
From Performative to Substantive
Having witnessed countless examples of performative allyship and hollow gestures, Gen Z demands substance. They can spot tokenism instantly and expect authentic engagement over surface-level participation.
This means cultural appreciation for Gen Z involves tangible actions: financial support, platform amplification, and genuine relationship-building with communities rather than extractive engagement.
Globalized Perspective
Gen Z’s childhood included unprecedented access to global media, friends across borders, and awareness of international issues. Their understanding of cultural appreciation includes a global perspective, recognizing that American cultural dynamics don’t map perfectly onto other contexts.
This generation is comfortable with complexity and nuance, understanding that cultural exchange looks different depending on historical context, power dynamics, and specific community guidelines.
Tips for Practicing Cultural Appreciation Respectfully
Ready to engage in genuine cultural appreciation? Here are actionable strategies you can implement immediately.
Educate Yourself First
Before adopting any element from another culture, invest time in learning. Read books and articles by people from that culture, watch documentaries, take courses, and follow educators from that community on social media. Your education is your responsibility, not the burden of people from that culture.
Action Step: Create a reading list or follow list specifically focused on learning about cultures you’re interested in engaging with. Prioritize sources created by people from those cultures.
Listen to Community Voices
When people from a culture express concerns about how their culture is being used, listen without defensiveness. Understand that lived experience matters more than your intent. If multiple people from a community say something is problematic, believe them.
Action Step: When engaging with cultural elements, actively seek out what members of that community are saying. Use search terms like “[culture] community perspective on [practice]” to find authentic voices.
Support Directly
Put your money where your appreciation is. Support businesses, artists, restaurants, and creators from the cultures you’re engaging with. This creates tangible economic benefit for communities rather than extractive engagement.
Action Step: Before purchasing or engaging with cultural products, ask: “Is this benefiting people from the culture, or am I supporting a corporation or individual extracting from that culture?”
Give Credit Always
Whether you’re sharing a recipe, posting about a fashion style, or discussing a practice you’ve learned, clearly state its cultural origins. Tag creators, mention teachers, and link to sources from the community. Over-credit rather than under-credit.
Action Step: Make it a habit to include cultural attribution in every post, share, or conversation involving cultural elements. “This [item/practice] comes from [culture] and I learned about it from [specific person/source].”
Recognize What’s Off Limits
Some practices are closed—meaning they’re sacred, require initiation, or are specifically for members of that culture only. Respect these boundaries. Not everything is meant to be shared, and that’s okay. Appreciation can mean respectfully observing without participating.
Action Step: Before engaging with any cultural practice, research whether it’s open or closed. If you’re unsure, err on the side of caution and ask someone from the community who is positioned to answer.
Accept and Learn from Mistakes
You will make mistakes. Everyone does when navigating cross-cultural engagement. What matters is how you respond: acknowledge the mistake, apologize genuinely, commit to learning, and change your behavior. Don’t center your feelings or get defensive.
Action Step: When corrected, use a simple formula: “Thank you for educating me. I apologize for [specific action]. I’m learning about [context] and will [specific change].” Then actually follow through.
Build Genuine Relationships
Cultural appreciation isn’t transactional. The deepest form of appreciation comes from building authentic relationships with people from different cultures. These relationships provide context, nuance, and understanding that can’t come from research alone.
Action Step: Seek out genuine community connections through cultural organizations, community events, or online communities. Show up not to extract but to build meaningful relationships.
Cultural Appreciation as Advocacy: Making Real Impact
The most powerful form of cultural appreciation goes beyond personal engagement to become active advocacy for the communities whose culture you appreciate.
Amplify Marginalized Voices
Use whatever platform you have—whether it’s 50 followers or 50,000—to amplify voices from marginalized communities. Share their content, recommend their work, and create space for them to speak for themselves rather than speaking over them.
When cultural moments go viral, ask yourself: are the people actually from this culture getting the attention and benefit, or are intermediaries extracting value? Redirect attention to the source.
Challenge Appropriation When You See It
If you witness cultural appropriation—whether from brands, influencers, or in your personal life—speak up. Educate others about why something is problematic and how to engage more respectfully. This is especially important when you’re part of the dominant culture.
When brands or creators mess up, hold them accountable by commenting, contacting them directly, and supporting community members who call out the problem. Your voice as someone outside the marginalized community can sometimes reach audiences who dismiss concerns from affected communities.
Support Policy and Systemic Change
Cultural appreciation at a systemic level means supporting policies that protect cultural heritage, intellectual property rights for traditional knowledge, and economic opportunities for marginalized communities.
This might include supporting legislation protecting Indigenous designs, backing initiatives that fund minority-owned businesses, or advocating for accurate cultural representation in media and education.
Educate Your Own Communities
Don’t leave the work of education solely to marginalized communities. When you learn about cultural appreciation and appropriation, share that knowledge with your own community—family, friends, colleagues, and social circles.
Create educational content, have conversations, and model respectful cultural engagement. When people from your background see you engaging thoughtfully, they’re more likely to follow suit.
The Future of Cultural Appreciation
As our world becomes increasingly interconnected, the question isn’t whether cultural exchange will happen—it will. The question is whether that exchange will be exploitative or enriching for all involved.
The future of cultural appreciation lies in recognizing that engagement with other cultures is a privilege that comes with responsibility. It means moving beyond surface-level trends to a deep understanding, from extractive consumption to reciprocal relationship, from performative gestures to substantive support.
Gen Z is leading the way in demanding this higher standard, but the work belongs to all of us. Every choice about what we consume, share, wear, and celebrate is an opportunity to practice genuine cultural appreciation.
The path forward requires humility—acknowledging what we don’t know and remaining teachable. It requires accountability—owning our mistakes and doing better. And it requires action—not just learning about other cultures but actively supporting the communities that created them.
Cultural appreciation, done right, enriches everyone involved. It preserves traditions, supports communities, fosters understanding, and celebrates the beautiful diversity of human experience. It’s work worth doing—not just to avoid backlash but to build a world where all cultures are respected, preserved, and valued.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cultural Appreciation
Q: How can I tell if something is cultural appreciation or cultural appropriation?
A: Ask yourself these key questions: Am I giving credit to the culture of origin? Am I supporting people from that culture? Do I understand the context and significance? Have I been told by members of that community that my engagement is problematic? Did I learn about this from members of the culture or extract it without connection? If you’re taking without giving back, lacking context, or receiving feedback that your engagement is harmful, you’re likely in appropriation territory.
Q: Is it ever okay for me to participate in cultural practices from cultures I’m not part of?
A: It depends on the specific practice and culture. Many cultural elements are open to respectful learning and participation—like taking cooking classes, learning languages, or attending public cultural festivals. However, sacred or closed practices require membership in that community or specific initiation. The key is doing your research, seeking permission when appropriate, learning from authorized teachers, and respecting boundaries. When in doubt, ask respectfully or err on the side of observing rather than participating.
Q: What should I do if someone from a culture tells me I’m appropriating their culture?
A: Listen without becoming defensive. Thank them for taking the time to educate you, even if the feedback feels uncomfortable. Ask clarifying questions respectfully if needed, but prioritize their lived experience over your intentions. Apologize genuinely, commit to learning more about the context you missed, and change your behavior. Don’t expect them to do additional emotional labor explaining everything to you—do your own research afterward. Remember that being corrected is a gift that helps you grow and engage more respectfully in the future.
Q: Can I wear clothing or accessories from other cultures?
A: Context matters enormously. Wearing a sari to an Indian friend’s wedding, where you’ve been invited to do so, shows respect and participation. Wearing a Native American headdress to a music festival is appropriation—headdresses are sacred items earned through specific acts and not meant as fashion accessories. General guidelines: avoid items with sacred or ceremonial significance, purchase from people within the culture, understand what you’re wearing and why, and be prepared to explain the cultural significance if asked. When unsure, ask someone from that culture with whom you have a genuine relationship.
Q: How do I support cultural appreciation beyond just avoiding appropriation?
A: Move from passive avoidance to active support. Shop at minority-owned businesses, especially those selling cultural products from their own heritage. Attend cultural events and performances, paying for tickets when possible. Hire consultants and experts from specific cultures when working on projects involving their culture. Share and amplify content created by people from the cultures you appreciate. Donate to organizations supporting cultural preservation. Educate yourself continuously through books, courses, and media created by people from those cultures. Most importantly, build genuine relationships with people from different backgrounds and show up as an ally when they face discrimination.
Final Thoughts: Cultural appreciation is an ongoing practice, not a destination. Stay humble, keep learning, and remember that the goal is mutual respect and enrichment for all communities involved. Every thoughtful choice you make contributes to a more equitable cultural landscape.