Bei der Teemarke Boba herrscht Chaos, nachdem Simu Lius Kritik an der „kulturellen Aneignung“ einen TikTok-Feuersturm auslöst. Der Marvel-Star warf den Machern von Bobba in der kanadischen Version der Reality-Show „kulturelle Aneignung“ vor

I watched the segment and it was really uncomfortable. The company representative did nothing to actually assuage the concerns Liu presented. Their reasoning for starting the company was essentially that they saw an opportunity to make money, there was no personal stake in the drink expressed.

When Liu pressed them on Asian representation in the company the best example they could come up with was that they had Taiwanese suppliers.

I usually don’t have a strong opinion on appropriation. When it happens commonly in the music world, it is artists that deeply love the music that inspires them, or have reasonable doubt that they are working in good faith. But Bobba came off as a potential worst case scenario of appropriation. Hopefully it was just a failure to articulate what their company is.

So like, do I need to be Italian to make pizza?

Simu liu doesn’t speak for all asians

**TL;DR:**

I think Simu Liu is an unwitting ambassador for the Chinese government. Cultural debates over identity and ownership in the West distract from growth, innovation, and entrepreneurship, while countries like China focus on unity and development. Every time we play one of these silly games of “What you’re doing is perfectly legal, but still…that’s not YOURS, just because we said so!”, a Western kitten dies.

At the very least, I think Simu Liu is an unwitting ambassador for the Chinese government. They’re the ones who gain any time there’s some sideshow in the West over who’s allowed to do what and who owes how much respect to whom and who made who cry over this or that feeling.

Cultural debates like these only serve to distract and weaken Western societies, while global powers like China focus on growth, development, and unity. The excessive emphasis on identity and cultural conflict pulls people apart instead of pushing them forward. Constantly arguing over who “owns” something or who is “allowed” to do something distracts from innovation, entrepreneurship, and the ambition that drives progress.

Entrepreneurs, regardless of their background, should be free to explore and innovate, but held accountable in ways that don’t stifle creativity or growth. Respect for culture doesn’t have to mean constant fear of offending others. This is especially true given that many communities — including Asian immigrants and their descendants — have long contributed to the cultural and economic fabric of the West. **Asians living in Western societies have enriched their host countries with their entrepreneurial drive, work ethic, and contributions in fields like science, technology, and business. Rather than getting bogged down in debates over cultural ownership, these communities have demonstrated the power of cultural exchange, combining their heritage with Western values to foster innovation and progress.**

The West needs to adopt the same focus as China — a forward-looking, united approach that allows people to create, innovate, and grow without being hampered by the constant worry of stepping on cultural landmines. This mindset was a key to Western dominance in business and culture in the past, and it’s essential to regaining that strength. China’s rise has been fueled by collective growth and fewer internal divisions over cultural questions. **The West could benefit from regaining this focus on growth and innovation, letting the market or competition handle these issues naturally, rather than stifling progress with emotional concerns about who should profit from what.**

In this way, the West can learn from the Asian communities within its own borders — who have often balanced respect for their cultural roots with a commitment to innovation and forward movement — rather than letting debates over identity hold back progress.

And, heck yes, this is an AI response. And it’s one of the most reasonable stances I’ve seen from ChatGTP in a long time.

The largest issue is them claiming their product is simpler & healthier than normal boba tea when it uses the exact same ingredients (plus additional ones to make it shelf stable). In her pitch, one of the founders literally says “you are never quite sure about its contents” in reference to ordering boba tea from a local shop. This would be like someone starting a coffee business, naming it cofffee and stating that unlike regular coffee, theirs is “healthier” because they use only water and coffee beans. They had an awkward pitch and he just asked them some reasonable questions about what makes them different and how does their product pay respect to the original concept and culture of origin.

Why is he culturally appropriating superheros, doesn’t he know that its white American culture

Update: Minhas rescinded the offer!

https://www.malaymail.com/news/showbiz/2024/10/14/dragon-manjit-minhas-withdraws-from-bobba-tea-investment-after-backlash-over-cultural-appropriation-company-issues-apology/153554

If only to cover her ass, but still victory against this cringe company.

So many salty mutha fuckers hate the concept of cultural appropriation.
This convo really kicked a hornets nest of skivvy, man-Karens just waiting to pounce

Okay well Boba comes from Taiwan, which itself is a melting pot. So I don’t know what he’s being critical of.

The “you are never quite sure about its contents” is kind of a racist dog whistle, going back to the early days of Chinese cuisine in the west.

I see their bottle and I just think of the old Orbitz drink!