If Black American culture exists, why is it so taboo to say that someone "acts Black" or "acts White"?

Some aspects of Black culture can be negative (ghetto life, possible gang activity, illegitimate children, etc.), so some people might not want to possibly be associated with the negative aspects of acting Black.

This might've been true during Jim Crow, but integration has certainly blurred the lines. A lot of elements people claim as "Black culture" have been absorbed into the mainstream(and mostly White) American culture.

You can't "act" like a skin color, nor can you "act" like an ethnicity. To insinuate that such would even be conceivable is nonsensical jargon that exceeds any sound reasoning.

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Alright then, why don't you explain to me how you can act like an ethnicity or a skin color? Not like a PERSON of that ethnicity or of that race, but like that race or ethnicity. If you can do that and somehow manage to make sense, I will tip my hat to you.

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On another note: I did notice that you said "Black American culture", but what you're saying and what the questions says don't follow up. Because the term "black" is a broad sweeping statement that does not cover only black Americans, it simply isn't fair to say that someone acts black or can even act black.

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I answered your question perfectly fine and YOU aren't coming up with any valid rebuttal. You should stop hiding behind flawed logic because you aren't capable of critical thinking.

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It doesn't matter who the term "black" is addressed to when it can mean just about anything. By the way, you can't "act" like a Black American seeing how every single person is different. Once again, flawed logic.

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It's wrong to say that because every single person is different. Not all black people act the same way as you seem to think. The "culture" they come from really doesn't make a difference if you take into account that every single person has a unique personality.

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You're still not understanding that no matter what, you CANNOT act like a skin color. You can act like a stereotype of the person you're portraying (because every single person of that stereotype would act a certain way because it isn't reality), but you can't act like the actual version of the people you're talking about. The differences between people are the very reason WHY it isn't possible to act like a race or an ethnicity, because not everyone is the same. To say that you could "act black" only implies that all black people are exactly the same. In fact, it would be like saying you can act like a "German". Well what defines a German? A native or inhabitant of Germany.

heh it's context, look at it like a verbal weapon that the "other" side uses on their own. some black folks use it on other black folks when they think someone is acting better than the rest of them and white folks use it when they think someone is generally lower class or uses terms like "baby daddy". i have yet to see a black fella say another black guy acts black, or a white fella acts white

it's taboo 'cause it's generally used as an insult, an insult based on race

because blacks can be from all over the world

not just america

and usually when someone says "acting a race" it usually means the stereotypes that come with that race

not the culture

BRILLIANT QUESTION!!! I'm very impressed you came up with this.

Firstly we have to establish what is black culture.

Secondly what is white culture.

Thirdly if there are behaviours that are characteristic of either culture. If not the question is irrelevant.

If yes it is indeed hypocritical the blacks want their children to be brought up, understand and 'exercise'? black culture, yet affirm there is no such thing as acting white or acting black.

Because 'Black', in this day and age is a very wide term.Meaning, ever black person in every different culture around the world ...is different.

A BLACK PERSON acts black has are culture and acting white is liking American eagle etc

it shows black people have managed to develop a seperate culture despite being apart of the same sociaty of over 200 years which points to the fact that black people are ostrisized

Because Black is not a culture its a color..

I would agree with you if they said African American culture, but they don't.