What I’ve gathered from this thread is that it’s been spun into more rich racist bullshit.
i do think this is a mischaracterization that some people are pushing because it's easy, though fundamentally untrue. imo, most of the people who originally cultivated and belonged to the idea were women (a lot of them queer) who were looking for way to find authenticity in a very artificial and consumerist world. it was people thrifting and gardening and baking, etc. i'm thinking back to tumblr like ten years ago when it was actually relevant and that's what i can remember of it at least, that and a whole bunch of moodboards with pretty art and landscapes lol
but obviously, any time there's money to be made, monied interests are going to come along and try to co-opt something. it's why any hobby space is now filled with people posting about all the crap they buy for their hobby, instead of actually doing it. anyway, like i wrote in a much longer comment (which tbh feels like a futile use of time, as i forgot how fruitless arguing an idea on the internet actually is/feels), i don't think it's worthy of disdain, etc.
I think we can acknowledge this man's poor behavior and systemic misogyny in India without painting over a billion people as unqualified to lead or as dangerous to our country's cultural character. I have several of friends raised and educated in India, now living in the US, who are quite feminist--almost certainly more so than the average American citizen, especially given near half of Americans will vote for a sexual predator for the third presidential election in a row.