"No people come into possession of a culture without having paid a heavy price for it"

This quote by James A. Baldwin speaks with the idea that no culture is gotten without a cost. This expense can be seen in the kind of physical, emotional, and spiritual labor. It is the rate that should be paid in order to access to a culture and its customs. This cost can be seen in the form of oppression, exploitation, and marginalization of specific groups of individuals. It can also be seen in the kind of the erasure of particular histories and the appropriation of specific cultural practices. This quote works as a pointer that no culture is acquired without an expense, and that cost is frequently paid by those who are most susceptible. It is a reminder that we need to bear in mind the rate that is spent for the acquisition of culture, and that we must aim to guarantee that those who are most susceptible are not the ones who are paying the rate.