CAT 2022 Question Paper | VARC Slot 3

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Question 20 : The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage.

Tamsin Blanchard, curator of Fashion Open Studio, an initiative by a campaign group showcasing the work of ethical designers says, "We're all drawn to an exquisite piece of embroidery, a colourful textile or even a style of dressing that might have originated from another heritage. [But] this magpie mentality, where all of culture and history is up for grabs as 'inspiration', has accelerated since the proliferation of social media... Where once a fashion student might research the history and traditions of a particular item of clothing with care and respect, we now have a world where images are lifted from image libraries without a care for their cultural significance. It's easier than ever to steal a motif or a craft technique and transfer it on to a piece of clothing that is either mass produced or appears on a runway without credit or compensation to their original communities."

Explanatory Answer

The main idea expressed here is that the proliferation of social media has led to easy access to fashion ideas from different cultures and it is now easier than ever to unethically use these ideas or techniques without giving credit or compensation to the original communities. Option C captures the essence of the paragraph.
Option A says that the media has 'encouraged mass production'. This is incorrect.
Option B talks of 'cultural collaboration', which is not what the given paragraph is about.
Option D is not worded well. It talks about copying an embroidery design or pattern of textile from native communities who ‘own' them. The ideas belong to a community, they are not ‘owned’ by them. Also, this option does not touch upon credit or respect that is owed to these communities.

The answer is 'Taking fashion ideas from any cultural group without their consent is a form of appropriation without giving due credit, compensation, and respect.'

Choice C is the correct answer.