"Stuff White People Like"

[Mattapoisett64]

thomasf, you don’t think the difference might be that the creator of Things White People Like happens to be a white person? How is what he’s doing racist? What a ridiculous thing to say.

thomasf is completely correct. Racial stereotypes are offensive, regardless of who promotes and perpetuates them. To say otherwise is to continue the type of double-standard political correctness we’re living under today, where one group can say whatever it wants, and another group is silenced.

 

[JPUSC]

thomasf is completely correct. Racial stereotypes are offensive, regardless of who promotes and perpetuates them. To say otherwise is to continue the type of double-standard political correctness we’re living under today, where one group can say whatever it wants, and another group is silenced.

The person making the stereotypes about whites is white.

 

[SMHW]

I guess I just don’t see how the little essays are funny. White people like halloween. White people like riding bikes. That’s funny? I thought those were parts of life.

Whatever.

The point is that White People conscientiously decide to like those things, (and don’t always realize they are doing so). It’s not that they just like them. They like them because it’s important to their image that others know they like those things.

 

[Marycruz]

thomasf is completely correct. Racial stereotypes are offensive, regardless of who promotes and perpetuates them. To say otherwise is to continue the type of double-standard political correctness we’re living under today, where one group can say whatever it wants, and another group is silenced.

Just check out any video of Chris Rock or Dave Chappelle on youtube, and you’ll see that black people make fun of black stereotypes all the time. Youtube Russell Peters, he is Indian and makes jokes about his cultural background. If the point of a website or comic skit is only to get a good laugh, as opposed to spreading racist hate, I don’t see what the problem is. I don’t think that you have to pretend that cultural differences don’t exist to avoid racism.

 

[adstrinity]

How could you hate Apple products?

CLEARLY he’s not as white as he’d like us to believe. He’s ruining the statistics.

 

[Auriel]

Coffee, Juno, NPR (including podcasts), microbreweries (or at least the beer), Daily Show/Colbert Report.

But there’s a lot of stuff on there that I hate like Apple products, or at least Appleheads, “knowing what’s best for poor people” (I work in a shelter), veganism, marijuana, and religions my parents don’t belong to.

I guess I’m white but not the kind of white they’re talking about.

Same here, not the same kind of white I guess. LOL

I have never heard of it before. I think some of it is funny.

One reason I like comedians such as Chris Rock is because he not afraid to laugh at even himself.

 

[SMHW]

thomasf is completely correct. Racial stereotypes are offensive, regardless of who promotes and perpetuates them. To say otherwise is to continue the type of double-standard political correctness we’re living under today, where one group can say whatever it wants, and another group is silenced.

Satire usually is offensive.

Now in the case of “Things White People Like” I guess you have to decide who should be offended: the white people specifically mentioned or non-whites for whom the whites might be considered something of a metaphor.

 

[Ghoti]

I went through all 123 “things”, and turns out I only like 23. And some of those are dicey: I was in the Army for 20 years – I like coffee not because I’m white, but because I was olive drab. And as for tea and living by the water, I grew up in St. John’s, so I come by those honestly.

So I seem to be only about 23% white. Which is odd, since I am of almost exclusive Anglo-Irish-Scottish ancestry, and the Celtic bits seem to be Gaelicized Vikings and Normans. So on the melanin-impairment scale, physically as well as culturally, I fall somewhere between “wan” and “pasty”.

 

[JugglingReferee]

I know that Canada is a good place, if you are Asian but your family background has white, so you can’t really in to any Asian or Caucasian culture. I believe Canada is a quiet place to settle in old age.

No offense or anything… but this is kinda silly.

Canada is just like the US - there are quiet places and busy places.

I think you want to live in Canada in your old age for the free health care.

 

[JugglingReferee]

I think if I started a list called “stuff black people like” and then listed watermellon, fried chicken, and rap music I’d be called racist. I don’t see the difference here.

Bingo!

 

[roselily]

No offense or anything… but this is kinda silly.

Canada is just like the US - there are quiet places and busy places.

I think you want to live in Canada in your old age for the free health care.

No, I never been to US, but I did hear my friend say that Canada is more beautiful, and since that she had both citizenship of Canada and US, I do not choose, . But I am here, and I see Canada is beautiful, Look at us, the exact location beside the sea, even other province, Farmland tilled by the villagers, Corps grown include corn, potatoes, beans… and apples; Mount Pinnacle; The Silver stream , Clear fresh water available to all for crops, animals, washing, cooking, and drinking,…and many beautiful places in Canada. in here 3minutes to beach, and weather all well all seasons in my place, a vast ares of dense , teeming with animals both friendly and ferocious. I face to face raccoons many time, and they sometime follow you , but just look at you with a kind eyes, the Natural Garden,Filled with flowers all seasons, as well as plants and so tall trees, when you walked there you feel like walking in the Forest of shadow, I like Canada, and I believe there are so many beautiful places in US and many other country too, Europe; Africa,Japan, China, Tropical Island; Desert;…, but I believe no matter which place, if there more and more people in God, that place will be more blessed for their sake. and I believe no matter any races all same. All created by God, forgive me if my words not good and silly, since I just start speak English about couple years, so maybe sometime my words not appears as I want, but I do mean good and love to others from my heart, so do please accept for who I am even silly, and I came here to this Forum just couple months, but I grew more stronger and faithful, I want to learn and make some kind friends in God here; I like play with friends, you know even kids they like play computer games, because sometime they feel lonely, some family just one kid, so he play computer games, have playmates, and together they have great fun. They play games, share hobbies… they play , support friend, and fight, just like here, we came here to learn the Truth, sometime not everyone like you, but we chat, we study, talk about problems, and laugh at all the silly things that can happen in the course of a day. we discuss and pray and same time we grew stronger in Faith, you know I always so excited to see if some one answer my post, no matter they like me or not, it means they care about me, and I always write back, and try to make some kind friends, but now I know -close friendships develop naturally,not through magic! I am a woman, want to be loved as a princess, and I see so many women here, no matter races, I believe every woman all can be a princess in her own world, so many princess live in different parts of the world…European, African, Asia, Tropical, Desert, Snowy Mountain…every woman can be a princess in her own world, Yes, many princesses do wear beautiful dresses and jewels, go to balls, and marry her own princes. But being a true princess is so much more. It is about being the best person you can be. It is about treating all living creatures with kindness and generosity and about accepting people no matter what races for who they are instead of wishing they were different. And most of all, it is bout believing in The Creator , The Father Almighty, love God and love neighbors and believe in her dream.

 

[Gurnemanz]

Hm. Interesting how it has to be “white people”.

 

[Annn]

Just check out any video of Chris Rock or Dave Chappelle on youtube, and you’ll see that black people make fun of black stereotypes all the time. Youtube Russell Peters, he is Indian and makes jokes about his cultural background. If the point of a website or comic skit is only to get a good laugh, as opposed to spreading racist hate, I don’t see what the problem is. I don’t think that you have to pretend that cultural differences don’t exist to avoid racism.

A+. The web site clearly satirizes stereotypes about “whiteness” and white people, like black writers/comedian satirize stereotypes about black people. Has no one here ever read satire before?

 

[Cracker_Mom]

Coffee, Juno, NPR (including podcasts), microbreweries (or at least the beer), Daily Show/Colbert Report.

But there’s a lot of stuff on there that I hate like Apple products, or at least Appleheads, “knowing what’s best for poor people” (I work in a shelter), veganism, marijuana, and religions my parents don’t belong to.

I guess I’m white but not the kind of white they’re talking about.

I’m not that kind of white person, either.
I thought the book was really funny from what I read online.Especially the section on “poor people.” I asked our library to order a copy.We’ll see if that actually happens…

 

[SMHW]

A+. The web site clearly satirizes stereotypes about “whiteness” and white people, like black writers/comedian satirize stereotypes about black people. Has no one here ever read satire before?

Yes! Yes! Yes!

As I said in another post, satire frequently is “offensive”.

“Stuff White People Like” describes people (of any race or color, actually) who develop preferences, join causes, and practice behaviors that are basically good (and often are *very *good and important such as concern for other people and environmental issues). But the satirical targets are actually those (whether white or otherwise) who are more concerned with the social approval they get for what they do than they are for what they do. (Such people usually care more about social approval from their own race/culture than they do about any race/culture for which they might be trying to show sensitivity.) This need for approval has a childlike quality to it. It’s like a child who desperately needs an adult to say, “Good job.”

“Stuff White People Like” pokes (gentle) fun at whites (or anyone) who starving to be told that they are good little boys and girls and doesn’t realize it.

 

[Cracker_Mom]

A+. The web site clearly satirizes stereotypes about “whiteness” and white people, like black writers/comedian satirize stereotypes about black people. Has no one here ever read satire before?

Apparently some folks have not. If you check out other forums you’ll see the same thing.
Being Catholic, even an orthodox, conservative Catholic, doesn’t mean leaving your sense of humor,wit, & common sense behind.
Lighten up folks, lighten up.

 

[Captain_America]

It’s only moderately humorous to me. and a bit repetitious, kind of like The Onion is always pretty much the same kind of thing.

 

[roselily]

……

 

[Sarabande]

I don’t know how many have already heard of this website (or its subsequent book), but I think it is awfully insightful at poking fun at the silly things that “white people” invest their identities in (myself included). Some of the humor is kind of humbling, actually

Despite the title, the demographic the author pokes fun at is much more particular than all American white. It mainly targets, affluent, liberal, urban whites from their 20s-40s (of which the author claims to be a himself). But, for anyone who has lived in a major city that is being highly gentrified, referring to them as “white people” in general, makes perfect sense.

Some of my favorites:

Religions their parents don’t belong to
Organic Food
Hating their parents
Promoting Awareness
Public Radio
Bicycles
Grammar
Being Offended

Enjoy!

Some of this was interesting and somewhat humorous. But I find this to be the case with many people of various cultures. Many of these points are more of class issue, rather than a “white” issue, though. It should be “What Upper-Middle Class People Like”.

A few of them were ridiculous. #11 Asian Girls struck me as just plain wrong. The explanation behind it was incredibly ridiculous and not funny. The author obviously has had no experience with the major racial prejudice my parents received for being an interracial couple and family. It was a serious situation for them and it had nothing to do with the “factors” mentioned. And I know that this is the case with many mix-raced families. Calling someone of mixed race a “hybrid” is just as wrong as being called a “half-breed”, “mutt”, “mongruel”, or any other derogatory word, all of which were names thrown at my siblings and I as we grew up. All it does is perpetuate hatred, division and stereotypes. And people still think dating outside of their “race” is disgusting. My husband and I experienced this ourselves when a man not much older than us thought that my “white” husband was demeaning himself by dating a half-breed like me. He thought it was despicable and disgusting. How could my husband be spoiling his race by mixing with me? It’s one thing to be satirical, but that kind of “poking fun” is the sort of thing which help prolong this hatred. Sorry, I’m usually pretty light-hearted with stuff, but the author’s rant on this was borderline ignorant and hateful.