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Stuff White People Like
They love nothing better than sipping free-trade gourmet coffee, leafing through the Sunday New York Times, and listening to David Sedaris on NPR (ideally all at the same time). Apple products, indie music, food co-ops, and vintage T-shirts make them weak in the knees.
They believe they’re unique, yet somehow they’re all exactly the same, talking about how they “get” Sarah Silverman’s “subversive” comedy and Wes Anderson’s “droll” films. They’re also down with diversity and up on all the best microbrews, breakfast spots, foreign cinema, and authentic sushi. They’re organic, ironic, and do not own TVs.
You know who they are: They’re white people. And they’re here, and you’re gonna have to deal. Fortunately, here’s a book that investigates, explains, and offers advice for finding social success with the Caucasian persuasion. So kick back on your IKEA couch and lose yourself in the ultimate guide to the unbearable whiteness of being.
They believe they’re unique, yet somehow they’re all exactly the same, talking about how they “get” Sarah Silverman’s “subversive” comedy and Wes Anderson’s “droll” films. They’re also down with diversity and up on all the best microbrews, breakfast spots, foreign cinema, and authentic sushi. They’re organic, ironic, and do not own TVs.
You know who they are: They’re white people. And they’re here, and you’re gonna have to deal. Fortunately, here’s a book that investigates, explains, and offers advice for finding social success with the Caucasian persuasion. So kick back on your IKEA couch and lose yourself in the ultimate guide to the unbearable whiteness of being.
211 pages, ebook
First published July 1, 2008
257 people are currently reading
11751 people want to read
About the author
Christian Lander
7 books54 followersChristian Lander is the creator of the website Stuff White People Like. He is a Ph.D. dropout who was the 2006 public speaking instructor of the year at Indiana University. He has lived in Toronto, Montreal, Copenhagen, Tucson, Indiana, and now Los Angeles, where he lives with his wife, Jess, a photographer who contributed many of the photos in the book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,161 reviews
January 25, 2015
94. Goodreads
Goodreads combines many of the things white people like. They can hang out on the internet, talk to people who have similar views on Sarah Palin and climate change, feel their liberal arts degree is useful for something and put down other white people while pretending to have pleasant conversations with them. The very best part, though, is being able to show everyone the books they've read. If a white person has read a book, they really want all the other white people to know they've read it, but if they make a habit of saying "Oh, I've read The Brothers Karamazov" every time there's a break in the conversation they run the risk of looking like pretentious idiots. On Goodreads, they can list every book they've ever even opened, from Sally, Dick and Jane to Ulysses, without anyone saying a word against them. Sweet!
In fact, they can do even better than this. If a white person is willing to spend an hour paraphrasing something they skimmed last week in the New York Times, they can call it a "review", post it, and collect votes from other white people. For some reason, white people think these votes are valuable, especially when the person who voted leaves a comment. You can turn this to your advantage. If you want to progress your relationship with a white person who posts on Goodreads, all you need to do is vote for one of their reviews. Leave a comment saying that the review is very beautiful and reminded you so much of a novel in your own language, but unfortunately it's not available in English translation. By the third time you do this, you will be one of the white person's best friends and be able to ask them for small favors. Be careful however not to let them give you any books. You may think you are getting a good deal since they are free, but they will be extremely boring and you are also going to get tested on their contents.
Goodreads combines many of the things white people like. They can hang out on the internet, talk to people who have similar views on Sarah Palin and climate change, feel their liberal arts degree is useful for something and put down other white people while pretending to have pleasant conversations with them. The very best part, though, is being able to show everyone the books they've read. If a white person has read a book, they really want all the other white people to know they've read it, but if they make a habit of saying "Oh, I've read The Brothers Karamazov" every time there's a break in the conversation they run the risk of looking like pretentious idiots. On Goodreads, they can list every book they've ever even opened, from Sally, Dick and Jane to Ulysses, without anyone saying a word against them. Sweet!
In fact, they can do even better than this. If a white person is willing to spend an hour paraphrasing something they skimmed last week in the New York Times, they can call it a "review", post it, and collect votes from other white people. For some reason, white people think these votes are valuable, especially when the person who voted leaves a comment. You can turn this to your advantage. If you want to progress your relationship with a white person who posts on Goodreads, all you need to do is vote for one of their reviews. Leave a comment saying that the review is very beautiful and reminded you so much of a novel in your own language, but unfortunately it's not available in English translation. By the third time you do this, you will be one of the white person's best friends and be able to ask them for small favors. Be careful however not to let them give you any books. You may think you are getting a good deal since they are free, but they will be extremely boring and you are also going to get tested on their contents.
December 4, 2013
Stuff White People Like may be misleading to some because, from the title, they'll expect this book to be about stuff that white people like.
[image error]
Various white demographics weren't hurt in the making of this book.
This is not necessarily the fact. In Lander's own words (pulled indiscreetly from wikipedia), this book is "rather a stereotype of affluent, environmentally and socially conscious, anti-corporate white North Americans, who typically hold a degree in the liberal arts."
In other words: Hipsters.
And we all know that hipsters aren't technically people.
There are really only four responses that a white person could have to this book:
1. This book is so racist. I don't get my free-trade, tall, double venti, nonfat, soy-frappacino extra hot from my local coffee shop while I read poetry because I'm WHITE but because it makes me a better person (than you!)
2. Yeah, I kind of do some of this stuff. Sorry! I don't mean to be so white! I guess society has just impacted me that way until I subconsciously strive to be whiter through diversification.
3. This book is fantastic! I'm SOOOOO white! You never met someone as white as me! I do pretty much EVERYTHING in this book! It's hilarious! This one time, I was being white, at band camp...
4. Mavis! Gone get me my boomstick!
Stuff White People Like is part of an internet trend by popular blogs/websites in writing books based on some of the older content and integrating newer content. This tidbit will be especially useful to hipsters because they can go back and pretend that they followed the blog (before it became so popular and sold-out).
Like most books based on a gimmick, it gets very tiring. I read a good two-thirds of this book and fell asleep. While I was napping, a continuous stream of, "White people are happiest when girbersnooberwhacking together. This makes them feel superior to other people who don't know as much about girbersnooberwhacking. A way to exploit this is to read the first paragraph of the hypogrumpustootlebudge and insist your an expert on the details and that it is, indeed, superior and better for the environment."
When I still found that as interesting as the book, I realized that this book was just a little too long.
But if you look deeper, there is a poignant (I get extra white people points for using that word and for looking for a deeper meaning in a gimmick book) and eerily accurate portrayal of upper middle-class white culture - and not JUST hipsters.
My parents are NOT hipsters. My mother is hard-core Christian and my father is a right-wing (just not politically) professionally successful businessman. They are your upper middle class Australians living in a very nice, refurbished home in the middle of one of those desirable locales.
Yet they still fit a great deal of this book. They drove Priuses at the time that this book was published. They want to be more environmentally conscious, they have a nice house with a lot of cultural "focus points", they drink expensive wines and overseas liquors. They eat obscure cheese and they buy their vegetables, fruit and honey from the farmer's market and have their groceries delivered by Farmer's Direct. They go away to their holiday town and bring back lots of folksie oiled feta, quaint bottles of sundried tomatoes etc and high-quality cooking oils that they bought to support the small, local community. Then they are immensely proud of it all and boast about it while trying to appear not to boast about it.
In fact, the only white people who wouldn't find something kindred in these pages are the "wrong type of white people".
Pictured: The Wrong Type of White People
I've heard the term "cultural currency" coined before and this book is all about that. How do you impress other white people, as long as they aren't the wrong type of white people? Well, actually, this book is a pretty good guide on how to do that. If you don't look hard at all, you can see it right here on GoodReads.
The ONLY reason I'm reading Madame Bovary is because:
a) It's got sex.
b) It's a classic and I feel insecure for not having read more of these.
c) Manny told me to.
The guy has a beard, he speaks several languages, reads books in those languages that I can't even effectively impersonate because I don't know enough about them and he's married to a lovely European woman. And that's only as much as I know about him! For all I know he could be drinking free-trade coffee right now and then I could be REALLY screwed. If his profile pic had an image of him wearing glasses then I'd be forced to elevate him to the status of White God. I have to give him the props because he has the cultural currency. He's out-whited me right from the start because it's PHYSCIALLY IMPOSSIBLE for me to grow a beard!
Okay, technically not true but I don't want to go into that!
The one thing this book doesn't do is provide an answer to all of this other than to understand it well enough to exploit it. Unless I'm considering opening up a co-op market or a specialized barkery then I really don't see that as an option. Don't even start me on the beard option that we've already dismissed.
So what's the answer to our lives, white people? Do we keep reading the Madame Bovarys of this world, pretending to understand them (or hate them because we understand them better than all those fools who like them because they don't understand them ENOUGH?). Do we listen to obscure music, drink water out of twist-top metal bottles and sneer at those who buy bottled water? Do we do all this all the while ignoring the fact that maybe we don't even LIKE obscure music but not knowing why we get the satisfaction out of listening to it?
Should we all examine ourselves a little better to try to be a little more nonconformist? Actually that was a trick question because that would be useless since cultural currency is all about being different and nonconformist in a better way!
I strongly feel the answer lies in a trashy Paranormal Romance and so I'm off to go read that.
Don't judge me!
[image error]
Various white demographics weren't hurt in the making of this book.
This is not necessarily the fact. In Lander's own words (pulled indiscreetly from wikipedia), this book is "rather a stereotype of affluent, environmentally and socially conscious, anti-corporate white North Americans, who typically hold a degree in the liberal arts."
In other words: Hipsters.
And we all know that hipsters aren't technically people.
There are really only four responses that a white person could have to this book:
1. This book is so racist. I don't get my free-trade, tall, double venti, nonfat, soy-frappacino extra hot from my local coffee shop while I read poetry because I'm WHITE but because it makes me a better person (than you!)
2. Yeah, I kind of do some of this stuff. Sorry! I don't mean to be so white! I guess society has just impacted me that way until I subconsciously strive to be whiter through diversification.
3. This book is fantastic! I'm SOOOOO white! You never met someone as white as me! I do pretty much EVERYTHING in this book! It's hilarious! This one time, I was being white, at band camp...
4. Mavis! Gone get me my boomstick!
Stuff White People Like is part of an internet trend by popular blogs/websites in writing books based on some of the older content and integrating newer content. This tidbit will be especially useful to hipsters because they can go back and pretend that they followed the blog (before it became so popular and sold-out).
Like most books based on a gimmick, it gets very tiring. I read a good two-thirds of this book and fell asleep. While I was napping, a continuous stream of, "White people are happiest when girbersnooberwhacking together. This makes them feel superior to other people who don't know as much about girbersnooberwhacking. A way to exploit this is to read the first paragraph of the hypogrumpustootlebudge and insist your an expert on the details and that it is, indeed, superior and better for the environment."
When I still found that as interesting as the book, I realized that this book was just a little too long.
But if you look deeper, there is a poignant (I get extra white people points for using that word and for looking for a deeper meaning in a gimmick book) and eerily accurate portrayal of upper middle-class white culture - and not JUST hipsters.
My parents are NOT hipsters. My mother is hard-core Christian and my father is a right-wing (just not politically) professionally successful businessman. They are your upper middle class Australians living in a very nice, refurbished home in the middle of one of those desirable locales.
Yet they still fit a great deal of this book. They drove Priuses at the time that this book was published. They want to be more environmentally conscious, they have a nice house with a lot of cultural "focus points", they drink expensive wines and overseas liquors. They eat obscure cheese and they buy their vegetables, fruit and honey from the farmer's market and have their groceries delivered by Farmer's Direct. They go away to their holiday town and bring back lots of folksie oiled feta, quaint bottles of sundried tomatoes etc and high-quality cooking oils that they bought to support the small, local community. Then they are immensely proud of it all and boast about it while trying to appear not to boast about it.
In fact, the only white people who wouldn't find something kindred in these pages are the "wrong type of white people".
Pictured: The Wrong Type of White People
I've heard the term "cultural currency" coined before and this book is all about that. How do you impress other white people, as long as they aren't the wrong type of white people? Well, actually, this book is a pretty good guide on how to do that. If you don't look hard at all, you can see it right here on GoodReads.
The ONLY reason I'm reading Madame Bovary is because:
a) It's got sex.
b) It's a classic and I feel insecure for not having read more of these.
c) Manny told me to.
The guy has a beard, he speaks several languages, reads books in those languages that I can't even effectively impersonate because I don't know enough about them and he's married to a lovely European woman. And that's only as much as I know about him! For all I know he could be drinking free-trade coffee right now and then I could be REALLY screwed. If his profile pic had an image of him wearing glasses then I'd be forced to elevate him to the status of White God. I have to give him the props because he has the cultural currency. He's out-whited me right from the start because it's PHYSCIALLY IMPOSSIBLE for me to grow a beard!
Okay, technically not true but I don't want to go into that!
The one thing this book doesn't do is provide an answer to all of this other than to understand it well enough to exploit it. Unless I'm considering opening up a co-op market or a specialized barkery then I really don't see that as an option. Don't even start me on the beard option that we've already dismissed.
So what's the answer to our lives, white people? Do we keep reading the Madame Bovarys of this world, pretending to understand them (or hate them because we understand them better than all those fools who like them because they don't understand them ENOUGH?). Do we listen to obscure music, drink water out of twist-top metal bottles and sneer at those who buy bottled water? Do we do all this all the while ignoring the fact that maybe we don't even LIKE obscure music but not knowing why we get the satisfaction out of listening to it?
Should we all examine ourselves a little better to try to be a little more nonconformist? Actually that was a trick question because that would be useless since cultural currency is all about being different and nonconformist in a better way!
I strongly feel the answer lies in a trashy Paranormal Romance and so I'm off to go read that.
Don't judge me!
June 18, 2011
Hey Brian,
Do you guys want play Cranium tomorrow night? Otherwise you could come over at like 10:30 and we could go to the farmer's market. I have been trying to buy local and it is actually the cheapest place to get organic apples. Anyway, you guys could come if you want. There is a new brunch place I want to try. You could also go to the thrift store with us. We want to get tacky wedding decorations.
OMG, have you ever seen that movie Flirting? We watched it last night on Netflix streaming during dinner (we had these new veggie burgers from Whole Foods, and put hummus on them... awesome). Like every famous Australian actress is in it. So like Nicole Kidman and Naomi Watts. Oh and Thandie Newton. Is she famous? It has an awesome soundtrack and is basically like Rushmore in 1960's Australia.
Speaking of which, did I tell you that we wanted to go to Australia after the wedding? It's technically a "honeymoon" but I hate that word. But the flights are sooo expensive. It is like $1,400 to go to Paris, so we might as well pay $1,800 to go to New Zealand. We totally got spoiled with those $550 tickets to Japan (I would so go back there). So instead we are going to Montreal and Quebec City for a few days, and then my friend Alex has offered her apartment in Manhattan for ten days, free. The only bad part is if I go there for that long I'll want to move there.
I wish I could get a job for a non-profit in NYC and it would somehow pay enough and I wouldn't have to mumble "real estate PR" when people ask what my job is. Either that or I could get my MLIS. I want to live somewhere I don't need my car.
It seems weird to me that poor people can afford to live in New York. It seems like it would be tough to live there making $45,000, let alone minimum wage. Speaking of which, did you hear that idiotic thing I posted on Facebook about what Michele Bachmann said about abolishing minimum wage? Good lord. Every time one of the candidates speaks, I feel like I am reading The Onion. Dear Mitt Romney, you are not "looking for a job" like the rest of the umemployed if you own more houses than you can remember at a moment's notice. Seriously, if Obama isn't re-elected, this time I am totally moving to Canada. I mean, it isn't like there will be universal healthcare in the U.S. any time soon. We could live in Montreal and I could start French lessons again.
God I wish I had lived on the Rome campus in college. Or I had gone to South America like Donna.
OK I will call you tomorrow. We are going to finish this movie and then watch Arrested Development. See you.
- Joel
Facebook 30 Day Book Challenge Day 12: Book that is most like your life.
Do you guys want play Cranium tomorrow night? Otherwise you could come over at like 10:30 and we could go to the farmer's market. I have been trying to buy local and it is actually the cheapest place to get organic apples. Anyway, you guys could come if you want. There is a new brunch place I want to try. You could also go to the thrift store with us. We want to get tacky wedding decorations.
OMG, have you ever seen that movie Flirting? We watched it last night on Netflix streaming during dinner (we had these new veggie burgers from Whole Foods, and put hummus on them... awesome). Like every famous Australian actress is in it. So like Nicole Kidman and Naomi Watts. Oh and Thandie Newton. Is she famous? It has an awesome soundtrack and is basically like Rushmore in 1960's Australia.
Speaking of which, did I tell you that we wanted to go to Australia after the wedding? It's technically a "honeymoon" but I hate that word. But the flights are sooo expensive. It is like $1,400 to go to Paris, so we might as well pay $1,800 to go to New Zealand. We totally got spoiled with those $550 tickets to Japan (I would so go back there). So instead we are going to Montreal and Quebec City for a few days, and then my friend Alex has offered her apartment in Manhattan for ten days, free. The only bad part is if I go there for that long I'll want to move there.
I wish I could get a job for a non-profit in NYC and it would somehow pay enough and I wouldn't have to mumble "real estate PR" when people ask what my job is. Either that or I could get my MLIS. I want to live somewhere I don't need my car.
It seems weird to me that poor people can afford to live in New York. It seems like it would be tough to live there making $45,000, let alone minimum wage. Speaking of which, did you hear that idiotic thing I posted on Facebook about what Michele Bachmann said about abolishing minimum wage? Good lord. Every time one of the candidates speaks, I feel like I am reading The Onion. Dear Mitt Romney, you are not "looking for a job" like the rest of the umemployed if you own more houses than you can remember at a moment's notice. Seriously, if Obama isn't re-elected, this time I am totally moving to Canada. I mean, it isn't like there will be universal healthcare in the U.S. any time soon. We could live in Montreal and I could start French lessons again.
God I wish I had lived on the Rome campus in college. Or I had gone to South America like Donna.
OK I will call you tomorrow. We are going to finish this movie and then watch Arrested Development. See you.
- Joel
Facebook 30 Day Book Challenge Day 12: Book that is most like your life.
July 5, 2015
Wow! I'm not nearly as white as I thought!
I only scored 25% when I took the "How White Are You" quiz in the back of the book.
Some of my likes that are shared with other white people are coffee, tea, dogs, beards, glasses, expensive sandwiches, hardwood floors, T-shirts, vintage, bakeries and making others feel bad for not going outdoors.
On the other hand, I have no interest whatsoever in $800 strollers, rock climbing, music festivals, gifted children, microbreweries,Apple products, having two last names and not having a TV.
One love that I (and other white people) share with Goodreads members of all colors? BOOKS!
The role of books in white culture is perhaps as important as organic food - essential for survival. However, understand that this is not about literacy or reading, but about the physical object of a book.
Try this out as an experiment. Show a white person a photo of a living room that features an entire wall of floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. They are guaranteed to respond by saying how much they would love that for their own home and that they are planning on having a living room just like that in the future.
This is because white people need to show off the books that they have read. Just as hunters will mount the heads of their kills, white people need to let people know that they have made their way through hundreds or even thousands of books. After all, what's the point of reading a book if people don't know you've read it? It's like a tree falling in the forest.
Yes, books. They're not just for white people anymore.
I only scored 25% when I took the "How White Are You" quiz in the back of the book.
Some of my likes that are shared with other white people are coffee, tea, dogs, beards, glasses, expensive sandwiches, hardwood floors, T-shirts, vintage, bakeries and making others feel bad for not going outdoors.
On the other hand, I have no interest whatsoever in $800 strollers, rock climbing, music festivals, gifted children, microbreweries,Apple products, having two last names and not having a TV.
One love that I (and other white people) share with Goodreads members of all colors? BOOKS!
The role of books in white culture is perhaps as important as organic food - essential for survival. However, understand that this is not about literacy or reading, but about the physical object of a book.
Try this out as an experiment. Show a white person a photo of a living room that features an entire wall of floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. They are guaranteed to respond by saying how much they would love that for their own home and that they are planning on having a living room just like that in the future.
This is because white people need to show off the books that they have read. Just as hunters will mount the heads of their kills, white people need to let people know that they have made their way through hundreds or even thousands of books. After all, what's the point of reading a book if people don't know you've read it? It's like a tree falling in the forest.
Yes, books. They're not just for white people anymore.
July 9, 2008
What White People Will Learn:
-That everything you do to be different makes you the same as everyone else.
-Whether or not you're 'the right kind of white person'
-What other white people are doing that you could be doing to become even whiter.
What People of Color Will Learn:
-How to become friends with/manipulate white people
-How to make sure you only befriend/manipulate 'the right kind of white person'
-How to talk to white people and have them think that you are cool/smart/fun/romantic
As funny as the book is, it's also an eye-opener. It made me consider the motivation and value behind a lot of the things that I do without having ever thought twice about why I do them. It helped me see how others might perceive me and white people in general.
It's a great book about race and culture that isn't racist.
-That everything you do to be different makes you the same as everyone else.
-Whether or not you're 'the right kind of white person'
-What other white people are doing that you could be doing to become even whiter.
What People of Color Will Learn:
-How to become friends with/manipulate white people
-How to make sure you only befriend/manipulate 'the right kind of white person'
-How to talk to white people and have them think that you are cool/smart/fun/romantic
As funny as the book is, it's also an eye-opener. It made me consider the motivation and value behind a lot of the things that I do without having ever thought twice about why I do them. It helped me see how others might perceive me and white people in general.
It's a great book about race and culture that isn't racist.
September 2, 2016
Beneath the humour of this (mostly hilarious) book is an important statement about the homogeneity, pretence, and entitlement of the white middle classes in their movements as the luckiest bastards on this planet. Chortle, white people (for white people like Stuff White People Like—it’s so true!), but peer long into the mirror, accept your inherent racism, the pathetic logic you use for defending selfish life choices, your shameless acceptance of white privilege as a right, your predilection for ordering £18.99 pizzas when non-white people are starving, your belief that you are ‘unique’ in every way, and the fact that Parks & Recreation is cloying and unfunny beyond Season 3. You suck, whitey!
My White Boy Mixtape
The Fall—The N.W.R.A
Nick Cave—Higgs Boson Blues
The Long Blondes—Autonomy Boy
The Au Pairs—Come Again
Joy Division—Atmosphere
Bob Dylan—Moonshiner
Susanne Vega—Pornographer’s Dream
The Beta Band—Needles in My Eyes
Le Tigre—Hot Topic
Pixies—Space (I Believe In)
Magentic Fields—I Don’t Want To Get Over You
Granddaddy—A.M. 180
Morrissey—Hold On to Your Friends
PJ Harvey—Long Snake Moan
etc etc etc
My White Boy Mixtape
The Fall—The N.W.R.A
Nick Cave—Higgs Boson Blues
The Long Blondes—Autonomy Boy
The Au Pairs—Come Again
Joy Division—Atmosphere
Bob Dylan—Moonshiner
Susanne Vega—Pornographer’s Dream
The Beta Band—Needles in My Eyes
Le Tigre—Hot Topic
Pixies—Space (I Believe In)
Magentic Fields—I Don’t Want To Get Over You
Granddaddy—A.M. 180
Morrissey—Hold On to Your Friends
PJ Harvey—Long Snake Moan
etc etc etc
December 16, 2015
So, Umm... Do "white people" like this book?
No, they don't. They liked the idea of the website before it was created, and may have even laughed at one of the references when they were in on the joke before you. But by the time the site hit the web, it was old news, and they'd moved on to newer and/or older, less mainstream entertainment. Like reading blogs devoted to "How to wear your multiple knotted scarves in ways different from everyone else." And now that I've just drawn attention to that, the search for the newest and/or oldest obscurity is on again.
Seriously though... This book sucked. It wasn't funny, and it was extremely repetitive. The only thing that changed was the item that was liked, and the rest of the chapter, every chapter, was pretty much exactly the same. Or so it seemed to me as I zoned out while listening to this on audio. It was like one big Find & Replace exercise for Lander to write it, I bet.
But, even so, there were things that I identified with in this book. Just not the way he says I do, or should. Or whatever.
I like coffee: Fucking Folgers, with cream and sugar. And I enjoy Starbucks coffee, but I don't soil myself and act like my purgatory on a desert island is finally, finally at an end when I see a store. I don't order drinks that take longer to name than my wait in line to get to the counter took.
I like New York City: It's a fun city with lots of shit to do and see and shit. But I don't act like a douchebag about it and pretend like my having been there makes me some sort of expert. I don't want to live there, like I'm supposed to, apparently, as a "white person". And I'm pretty sure that having a favorite place to eat is allowed, even if other people have heard of it. Like, my friend and I went to this Irish Pub/Diner that I'm sure MILLIONS of other people have dined at, and it was awesome and I'd love to go back. This time I'll have the whiskey with my french toast.
I like the environment, and I wish I'd bought a Prius or something. At least a hybrid. I like sushi, public radio, Farmer's Markets, 80s music, "having black friends" & "having gay friends" (although in my life, it's just called "having friends"). I like non-profits, tea, The Daily Show, Netflix, diversity, The Simpsons, and hope that when I have kids, they are fucking gifted and multilingual because that would be awesome. And I fucking love books, but more, I love READING them**. (And god, the "White Annotated Bibliography" section? Seriously? This dude is a douche. He makes literacy look like something dirty and shameful.)
The undercurrent in the book is that I should like these things because I feel like they make me better, quirkier or more unique than other "white people", when in fact the joke is on me, because it just makes me the same as them. Har har har. Derp.
Apparently, I should feel shame at liking the things I do. And, one would guess, for disliking the things I do too, because what self-respecting middle class "white person" doesn't love Oscar parties, expensive strollers, McSweeney's, "the idea of soccer" aka a reason to buy a scarf (seriously?!), outdoor performance clothes, or Wes Anderson movies? For shame! [For realsies though, I had to google who Wes Anderson even was (-10 white points) and then when I found out, I just laughed, because of the two I've ever tried to watch, Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums, I made it about a combined 45 minutes before wishing I could suddenly be struck blind. People actually LIKE those movies? I'll just remove myself from the list of White People right now, because that shit isn't gonna happen. I don't think I could bring myself to even FINISH one, let alone like it. Snoozeville.]
I was ready to read this and laugh, because I'm into self-deprecating humor as much as the next "white person", a topic which is sadly missing from this book... but I hear there's a sequel!, but umm... no. When making people laugh, it generally helps if there's something funny.
"Stuff White People Like"? Fail.
---
**Except this one.
No, they don't. They liked the idea of the website before it was created, and may have even laughed at one of the references when they were in on the joke before you. But by the time the site hit the web, it was old news, and they'd moved on to newer and/or older, less mainstream entertainment. Like reading blogs devoted to "How to wear your multiple knotted scarves in ways different from everyone else." And now that I've just drawn attention to that, the search for the newest and/or oldest obscurity is on again.
Seriously though... This book sucked. It wasn't funny, and it was extremely repetitive. The only thing that changed was the item that was liked, and the rest of the chapter, every chapter, was pretty much exactly the same. Or so it seemed to me as I zoned out while listening to this on audio. It was like one big Find & Replace exercise for Lander to write it, I bet.
But, even so, there were things that I identified with in this book. Just not the way he says I do, or should. Or whatever.
I like coffee: Fucking Folgers, with cream and sugar. And I enjoy Starbucks coffee, but I don't soil myself and act like my purgatory on a desert island is finally, finally at an end when I see a store. I don't order drinks that take longer to name than my wait in line to get to the counter took.
I like New York City: It's a fun city with lots of shit to do and see and shit. But I don't act like a douchebag about it and pretend like my having been there makes me some sort of expert. I don't want to live there, like I'm supposed to, apparently, as a "white person". And I'm pretty sure that having a favorite place to eat is allowed, even if other people have heard of it. Like, my friend and I went to this Irish Pub/Diner that I'm sure MILLIONS of other people have dined at, and it was awesome and I'd love to go back. This time I'll have the whiskey with my french toast.
I like the environment, and I wish I'd bought a Prius or something. At least a hybrid. I like sushi, public radio, Farmer's Markets, 80s music, "having black friends" & "having gay friends" (although in my life, it's just called "having friends"). I like non-profits, tea, The Daily Show, Netflix, diversity, The Simpsons, and hope that when I have kids, they are fucking gifted and multilingual because that would be awesome. And I fucking love books, but more, I love READING them**. (And god, the "White Annotated Bibliography" section? Seriously? This dude is a douche. He makes literacy look like something dirty and shameful.)
The undercurrent in the book is that I should like these things because I feel like they make me better, quirkier or more unique than other "white people", when in fact the joke is on me, because it just makes me the same as them. Har har har. Derp.
Apparently, I should feel shame at liking the things I do. And, one would guess, for disliking the things I do too, because what self-respecting middle class "white person" doesn't love Oscar parties, expensive strollers, McSweeney's, "the idea of soccer" aka a reason to buy a scarf (seriously?!), outdoor performance clothes, or Wes Anderson movies? For shame! [For realsies though, I had to google who Wes Anderson even was (-10 white points) and then when I found out, I just laughed, because of the two I've ever tried to watch, Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums, I made it about a combined 45 minutes before wishing I could suddenly be struck blind. People actually LIKE those movies? I'll just remove myself from the list of White People right now, because that shit isn't gonna happen. I don't think I could bring myself to even FINISH one, let alone like it. Snoozeville.]
I was ready to read this and laugh, because I'm into self-deprecating humor as much as the next "white person", a topic which is sadly missing from this book... but I hear there's a sequel!, but umm... no. When making people laugh, it generally helps if there's something funny.
"Stuff White People Like"? Fail.
---
**Except this one.
August 18, 2016
The "white people" mentioned here are basically left-leaning white liberals. If you leave out the "white", it includes me. :)
I love satire, even if it is at my own expense. Lander does a fair job of lampooning the pretentions of armchair socialists, who wear expensive clothing, sip expensive drinks and consider themselves to have done their mite for the society by avoiding plastic and participating in "awareness" drives. Basically, they want to make a difference without letting go of their comforts.
However, his sketches became repetitive after a while, and none of them were laugh out loud funny. They provided some mild amusement, and were quick and easy reads.
I love satire, even if it is at my own expense. Lander does a fair job of lampooning the pretentions of armchair socialists, who wear expensive clothing, sip expensive drinks and consider themselves to have done their mite for the society by avoiding plastic and participating in "awareness" drives. Basically, they want to make a difference without letting go of their comforts.
However, his sketches became repetitive after a while, and none of them were laugh out loud funny. They provided some mild amusement, and were quick and easy reads.
August 20, 2008
Okay, I have to admit that what I liked most about this was that each of the 150 "chapters" were about a page each, which made it really easy to pick up and read when I just had a minute or two.
Although according to the quiz I am only 10% white, I got a good chuckle over quite a few of the things "the right kind of white person" likes. Two of my favorites?
#87 Outdoor Performance Clothes
"When white people aren't working, they generally like to wear outdoor performance clothes . . . The main reason white people like these clothes is that they allow them to believe that at any moment they could find themselves headed to a national park. It could be 4PM on a Saturday when they might get the call: 'Hey man, you know what we need to do? Kayak then camping, right now. I'm on my way to get you. There is no time to change clothes.'"
#54 Kitchen Gadgets
"If you go into a white person's kitchen you will find a waffle maker, a rice cooker, a steamer, a food processor, and panini press, and a blender . . . But in order to truly enter into whitedom they need to own the holy grail of white kitchens -- the KitchenAid stand mixer . . . Kitchen gadgets also serve as one of the main reasons why white people get married. Look at their registry and you will find products for any possible kitchen task."
No, it's never going to win literary prizes, and yes, there were some things I didn't get (like I said, I'm only 10% white, according to the author, so some things were bound to go over my head!), but I got some good laughs out of it!
Although according to the quiz I am only 10% white, I got a good chuckle over quite a few of the things "the right kind of white person" likes. Two of my favorites?
#87 Outdoor Performance Clothes
"When white people aren't working, they generally like to wear outdoor performance clothes . . . The main reason white people like these clothes is that they allow them to believe that at any moment they could find themselves headed to a national park. It could be 4PM on a Saturday when they might get the call: 'Hey man, you know what we need to do? Kayak then camping, right now. I'm on my way to get you. There is no time to change clothes.'"
#54 Kitchen Gadgets
"If you go into a white person's kitchen you will find a waffle maker, a rice cooker, a steamer, a food processor, and panini press, and a blender . . . But in order to truly enter into whitedom they need to own the holy grail of white kitchens -- the KitchenAid stand mixer . . . Kitchen gadgets also serve as one of the main reasons why white people get married. Look at their registry and you will find products for any possible kitchen task."
No, it's never going to win literary prizes, and yes, there were some things I didn't get (like I said, I'm only 10% white, according to the author, so some things were bound to go over my head!), but I got some good laughs out of it!
May 21, 2011
Smug condesention from a white guy, mostly about how his friends are and going under the assumption all white people of a certain income bracket are the exact same way. Of course, I do some of the things in here, but just as many were totally unappealing or ridiculous. It's just a hype book and I won't be reading the second book by Mr. Lander. It's a clear example of a blog with semi-original material getting a book deal based on hits. The blog has similar content for free.
This was part of my clearing out of some of my "Did Not Finish" books. Luckily, I was able to pick up from my bookmark since this book was only put aside in March.
This was part of my clearing out of some of my "Did Not Finish" books. Luckily, I was able to pick up from my bookmark since this book was only put aside in March.
December 28, 2008
I don't really know what I think about this book or even how to describe it.
i just read it while house sitting. i wanted something to read while soaking in the bathtub. While the family I am house sitting for has literally hundreds of books, most are novels (lots and lots and lots of mysteries) or historical/academic texts. I didn't want to start something that I wouldn't be able to finish and I didn't really want to get into any heavy reading. So I poked around until I found this.
I think this book is supposed to be funny. There's no handy little label in tiny print on the back cover, so I'm not sure. The book pretends the reader is a non-white person trying to learn about white people, but really, I think this book is marketed to white people who can read it and have a little laugh at themselves and their friends.
Honestly? I think this book is pretty dumb and I can't believe the author actually got someone to publish it. How did that happen? However, you should know that according to this book, I am the "wrong kind of white person" (I guess that's an euphemism for POOR), so my opinion is not to be trusted.
Reading this book is like eating too many cookies. (I've done that today too.)
i just read it while house sitting. i wanted something to read while soaking in the bathtub. While the family I am house sitting for has literally hundreds of books, most are novels (lots and lots and lots of mysteries) or historical/academic texts. I didn't want to start something that I wouldn't be able to finish and I didn't really want to get into any heavy reading. So I poked around until I found this.
I think this book is supposed to be funny. There's no handy little label in tiny print on the back cover, so I'm not sure. The book pretends the reader is a non-white person trying to learn about white people, but really, I think this book is marketed to white people who can read it and have a little laugh at themselves and their friends.
Honestly? I think this book is pretty dumb and I can't believe the author actually got someone to publish it. How did that happen? However, you should know that according to this book, I am the "wrong kind of white person" (I guess that's an euphemism for POOR), so my opinion is not to be trusted.
Reading this book is like eating too many cookies. (I've done that today too.)
July 1, 2018
These books are hilarious and really, the most hilarious thing about them is that white people think they are hilarious. Why is that?
I mean, it's all true. But why doesn't that mean that white people DON'T find it funny?????!
Read this morning:
So true! I took a couple of white men to a Fritz the Cat movie in Sydney ages ago now. It was held in a cinema in Glebe which was in the process of being condemned. Indeed, we all had to sit in the balcony level, I believe because it had been decided, all things considered, that it was better to fall than be fallen upon. Frankly, I thought the chances of falling were pretty good: any time anybody did something as vigorous as cross their leg, the entire balcony structure shook.
rest here: https://alittleteaalittlechat.wordpre...
I mean, it's all true. But why doesn't that mean that white people DON'T find it funny?????!
Read this morning:
To fully understand why white people love [Adult Swim] so much you have to understand the world of 'under-ground animation,' which is something that has been beloved by white people since Fritz the Cat. The more hard-core white people (single white men) will often take their passion for this type of animation so far as to attend an 'Alternative Animation Festival,' often held at movie theatres you thought were long abandoned.
So true! I took a couple of white men to a Fritz the Cat movie in Sydney ages ago now. It was held in a cinema in Glebe which was in the process of being condemned. Indeed, we all had to sit in the balcony level, I believe because it had been decided, all things considered, that it was better to fall than be fallen upon. Frankly, I thought the chances of falling were pretty good: any time anybody did something as vigorous as cross their leg, the entire balcony structure shook.
rest here: https://alittleteaalittlechat.wordpre...
October 10, 2010
My mother got me this for my birthday. She's totally making fun of me! I'm gonna show her the entry on Noam Chomsky because that's her. We'll see who is laughing then. (She'll then point to the entries on glasses, Michel Gondry, vegetarianism and Arrested Development. Then I'll point to "hating your parents".) (Or she might've gotten this for me since one of my weirdo pasttimes is making my african parrot speak to me in a little voice I created for him: "Evil white man" [that's me] and rants on me being like Idi Amin. No wonder I have such low self-esteem.)
I laughed some times. Mostly, though, the observations were off because it presupposes it is "white people" and not the much more accurate "scenesters" (others say "hipsters", but I prefer "scenesters" 'cause I'm so cool and different [Hey, my twin wears those mass manufactured John Lennon fashion frames! {I'm jealous}]).. Poking fun at tastes snobs it is pretty damned funny at times.
The Japan entry made me laugh 'cause I've pissed kids off knowing more about anime than they did when they were trying to tell me all about it.
Of course the cynicism is off. I love Wes Anderson and The Wire 'cause they are great. It's like dismissing Woody Allen 'cause he had a hard-on for Ingmar Bergman and purposely not taking into account that he could be very funny. Angles, sigh. I think if a lot of the things mentioned are popular it is because it wasn't hard to find it out. In the early '00s almost all icons on internet forums were of Donnie Darko. 'Darko' is great, but same fans would not venture beyond that to watch other surrealist films about people with mental disorders or time travel. Because it wasn't easy to find out about it. I did laugh at some of the token review quotes 'cause I've heard 'em before. I think it's the same deal. It's a cliche to say "I'd listen _blank actor_ read the phone book". Not really listening to what other people say you can pick up stuff like that and then repeat it without thinking that you weren't actually saying what you really felt about Philip Seymour Hoffman or Javier Bardem. It's not deliberate conformism, I don't think, but something less sinister than that: they don't like all that stuff enough to bother finding out about the rest. No one is really impressed with obscure knowledge anyway. (No one would be impressed with my knowledge of Canadian teen shows. Believe me, I've tried. My party corners are lonely sniff.) If it is good and enough people talk about it, the Wes Andersons become trendy. Some things are lifestyles. Every rich kid in Spain wears a Che Guevarra shirt. In the USA it is Scarface, or a brand new Def Leppard shirts (proof it is a fashion thing. Those shirts are supposed to be OLD). I've never known a college kid in a Bob Marley shirt who really liked the music. But they sell his shirts every where. Ridiculous, sure, but who cares?
It's funny when you can recognize stuff like the shirts and posturing. That's all it is meant to be. Did I need this book to point anything out to me? No way.
To real snobs (there are some) I'd always say make your own secret and don't rely on other people to make it for you. Mona Lisa did it. (It's trendy to repeat yourself if you're my favorite Canadian musicians.) (At least there wasn't a part poking fun at Canadianophiles like me.) (There isn't even a word for us, yet. Whew breathes sigh of relief.)
My favorite send-up of snobs: Mr. Show skit.
I laughed some times. Mostly, though, the observations were off because it presupposes it is "white people" and not the much more accurate "scenesters" (others say "hipsters", but I prefer "scenesters" 'cause I'm so cool and different [Hey, my twin wears those mass manufactured John Lennon fashion frames! {I'm jealous}]).. Poking fun at tastes snobs it is pretty damned funny at times.
The Japan entry made me laugh 'cause I've pissed kids off knowing more about anime than they did when they were trying to tell me all about it.
Of course the cynicism is off. I love Wes Anderson and The Wire 'cause they are great. It's like dismissing Woody Allen 'cause he had a hard-on for Ingmar Bergman and purposely not taking into account that he could be very funny. Angles, sigh. I think if a lot of the things mentioned are popular it is because it wasn't hard to find it out. In the early '00s almost all icons on internet forums were of Donnie Darko. 'Darko' is great, but same fans would not venture beyond that to watch other surrealist films about people with mental disorders or time travel. Because it wasn't easy to find out about it. I did laugh at some of the token review quotes 'cause I've heard 'em before. I think it's the same deal. It's a cliche to say "I'd listen _blank actor_ read the phone book". Not really listening to what other people say you can pick up stuff like that and then repeat it without thinking that you weren't actually saying what you really felt about Philip Seymour Hoffman or Javier Bardem. It's not deliberate conformism, I don't think, but something less sinister than that: they don't like all that stuff enough to bother finding out about the rest. No one is really impressed with obscure knowledge anyway. (No one would be impressed with my knowledge of Canadian teen shows. Believe me, I've tried. My party corners are lonely sniff.) If it is good and enough people talk about it, the Wes Andersons become trendy. Some things are lifestyles. Every rich kid in Spain wears a Che Guevarra shirt. In the USA it is Scarface, or a brand new Def Leppard shirts (proof it is a fashion thing. Those shirts are supposed to be OLD). I've never known a college kid in a Bob Marley shirt who really liked the music. But they sell his shirts every where. Ridiculous, sure, but who cares?
It's funny when you can recognize stuff like the shirts and posturing. That's all it is meant to be. Did I need this book to point anything out to me? No way.
To real snobs (there are some) I'd always say make your own secret and don't rely on other people to make it for you. Mona Lisa did it. (It's trendy to repeat yourself if you're my favorite Canadian musicians.) (At least there wasn't a part poking fun at Canadianophiles like me.) (There isn't even a word for us, yet. Whew breathes sigh of relief.)
My favorite send-up of snobs: Mr. Show skit.
March 27, 2009
After Salman Rushdie exposed me for the ignoramus that I am (I couldn’t claim a full appreciation for his prize-winning allegory Midnight’s Children), I decided to go light with my next selection. So now I’ve been exposed for fitting a cultural stereotype a little too closely. It’s all in good fun, though. So what if I’m a coffee-drinking, European-traveling, New Balance-wearing, Wrigley Field-attending, dog-loving, documentary-watching white guy who likes irony, apologies, the idea of soccer, San Francisco, grad school, subtitles, self-deprecating humor, plaid shirts, The Simpsons, acoustic covers, Netflix, hardwood floors, and avoiding confrontation? That doesn’t make me a bad person. Besides, the author failed to recognize my individuality as a fan of U2 with a penchant for Thai food. (That and a willingness to make feeble jokes.)
For increased enjoyment, I’d recommend reading this book in small chunks. That’s easy to do since each of the 150 numbered entries is only about one page long. With littler bites, you might not notice the repetition as much (like the five times he mentioned our unusual obsession with 80’s night parties). The themes didn’t vary much either. You quickly realize it’s a certain type of white person he’s labeling—one that used to go by yuppie. And we’re all so alike: so proud of our progressivity, yet so unaware of how predictable we are. Homogeneous themes about homogeneous folks, I guess. But let’s not go too deep analyzing a humor book. It did make me smile (in a self-deprecating way), so I can’t trash it too much.
For increased enjoyment, I’d recommend reading this book in small chunks. That’s easy to do since each of the 150 numbered entries is only about one page long. With littler bites, you might not notice the repetition as much (like the five times he mentioned our unusual obsession with 80’s night parties). The themes didn’t vary much either. You quickly realize it’s a certain type of white person he’s labeling—one that used to go by yuppie. And we’re all so alike: so proud of our progressivity, yet so unaware of how predictable we are. Homogeneous themes about homogeneous folks, I guess. But let’s not go too deep analyzing a humor book. It did make me smile (in a self-deprecating way), so I can’t trash it too much.
September 13, 2019
While this book was mildly amusing, for the most part, it came across as completely disparaging and overly stereotypical. The jokes were not haha-funny, but were mean-funny. Now, those types of jokes ARE funny, IN DOSES. Not an entire book worth. Also, 95% of the items were generic things that EVERYONE likes for no specific reason. Sushi? really? "Bad breakups"? Like I said, way overgeneralized. The author was trying way too hard to be funny and successful with this venture, but it came across very hateful toward his own race. It would have been much more enjoyable had he adopted a look-how-funny-this-seems-to-everyone-else attitude instead of a look-how-idiotic-and-shallow-white-people are attitude. Deleting the sequel from my to-read.
December 5, 2010
I was saving this book for when I was in need of a pick me up and maybe that need and my already depressed feelings of the day going into this book were too strong, as though the humor was a little short to balance out my mood. For whatever the reason, I had hoped this book would be better than it ended up.
Anyways...I snickered a good amount but there were no deep belly laughs or rolling on the floor laughing escapades. I almost feel as though the author tried too hard. This book is targeted towards stereotypical liberals more than anyone. And stereotypes, assumptions, and generalities are the wind in the sail here. The author does make some funny insights and, of course, this book could be offensive but nothing really bothered me, unless you count the times I cringed because I so solidly fit the bill. Though every time the author was way out in left field, I felt a little victorious. Essentially, the reader can not help but rate themselves. I dislike being told how similar to the masses I am, and I mean the masses, not just the white masses. Do you think there will ever be other versions? Stuff Black People Like?
Anyways...I snickered a good amount but there were no deep belly laughs or rolling on the floor laughing escapades. I almost feel as though the author tried too hard. This book is targeted towards stereotypical liberals more than anyone. And stereotypes, assumptions, and generalities are the wind in the sail here. The author does make some funny insights and, of course, this book could be offensive but nothing really bothered me, unless you count the times I cringed because I so solidly fit the bill. Though every time the author was way out in left field, I felt a little victorious. Essentially, the reader can not help but rate themselves. I dislike being told how similar to the masses I am, and I mean the masses, not just the white masses. Do you think there will ever be other versions? Stuff Black People Like?
July 27, 2008
This book is mortifying! It lists short essays on 150 things white people embrace. And not the "wrong kind" of white people, who would be those considered trashy or not within the important artistic and aware cities of New York, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle or Austin. According to it, I am at least 40% white, which = pompous. At first I was a little nervous about the title because I thought it might be idiotically off-base or embarrassigly white while pretending not to be. Nope. It is a perfect skewering of middle class hipsters, intended as a guide for those who are not "white" to use to understand, befriend or manipulate white people. It is so hilarious I don't know what to say. Except that I'm suddenly wondering how I managed to become such a slave to middle class white culture? Embarrassing! Oh, the humanity! This book should be required reading for every Caucasian American liberal. Only, is that just more self-aggrandizement? I'd say not because it makes you question why, when and if you do, you fit the stereotypes so utterly.
August 8, 2010
This book, in addition to be very funny, was also astonishingly insightful. It amazes me that edgy Christians who think they are developing some sort of prophetic "third way" are just being terminally white.
July 22, 2008
As any true white person knows, our book came out just a few weeks ago. Stuff White People Like by Christian Lander is one of the funniest things I’ve read all year. If you aren’t up on how to be the whitest you can be, this will definitely tell you everything from which authors to read (stick to Sedaris) and which newspapers you should make sure to always have on your coffee table while other white people visit your Ikea infested abode(The New Yorker and the New York Times, respectively).
It takes about small but important things such as the scarf phenomenon and is very correct in terms of its weather regulating abilities. I could relate to this. In fact, my white ass is sittin’ at work right now, with a scarf on listening to the Velvet Underground and Nico, a must have for true whities.
Whether you are or aren’t one of them white folks, this book will make you giggle and you’ll get through it in a jiffy. Stuff White People Like is a book you can read through more than once and it highlights the good things (there’s good things?) about white culture. I definitely need to re-read it and take some of those tips to heart, I’m less than 50%. I was ashamed.
I hear white people really like Che Guevara, maybe I’ll read a book about him next. Pick up some white-cred.
It takes about small but important things such as the scarf phenomenon and is very correct in terms of its weather regulating abilities. I could relate to this. In fact, my white ass is sittin’ at work right now, with a scarf on listening to the Velvet Underground and Nico, a must have for true whities.
Whether you are or aren’t one of them white folks, this book will make you giggle and you’ll get through it in a jiffy. Stuff White People Like is a book you can read through more than once and it highlights the good things (there’s good things?) about white culture. I definitely need to re-read it and take some of those tips to heart, I’m less than 50%. I was ashamed.
I hear white people really like Che Guevara, maybe I’ll read a book about him next. Pick up some white-cred.
January 14, 2013
Things in this book that I really do like and/or apply to me:
-Coffee
-Farmer's Markets
-Wes Anderson Movies
-Wine
-Not Having TV
-Brunch
-Indie Music
-Sushi
-Public Radio
-Dogs
-Kitchen Gadgets (yes, including my ♥ Kitchen-Aid Mixer ♥)
-Documentaries
-T-Shirts
-Scarves
-San Francisco
-Plaid
-Reusable Shopping Bags
-Not Having Cash
-Books
-Cheese
Side note: In the 'Vintage' chapter, the author states that when white people get older (like over 30) and lose opportunities to wear vintage clothing such as a "Pittsburgh Special Olympics '76" T-shirt, they focus more on vintage furniture and decorations. Not necessarily true. If I had a shirt that said the above quote, I would still wear it ALL THE TIME.
-Coffee
-Farmer's Markets
-Wes Anderson Movies
-Wine
-Not Having TV
-Brunch
-Indie Music
-Sushi
-Public Radio
-Dogs
-Kitchen Gadgets (yes, including my ♥ Kitchen-Aid Mixer ♥)
-Documentaries
-T-Shirts
-Scarves
-San Francisco
-Plaid
-Reusable Shopping Bags
-Not Having Cash
-Books
-Cheese
Side note: In the 'Vintage' chapter, the author states that when white people get older (like over 30) and lose opportunities to wear vintage clothing such as a "Pittsburgh Special Olympics '76" T-shirt, they focus more on vintage furniture and decorations. Not necessarily true. If I had a shirt that said the above quote, I would still wear it ALL THE TIME.
August 29, 2017
DNF
Couldn't do it. Tried numerous times, skimmed through the book thinking certain ones would make me laugh but nope. Idk if it's because I have so much crap going on in my life that this wasn't even slightly amusing to me or the fact I'm only 0.06% white according to the quiz in the back of the book. Go figure.
Couldn't do it. Tried numerous times, skimmed through the book thinking certain ones would make me laugh but nope. Idk if it's because I have so much crap going on in my life that this wasn't even slightly amusing to me or the fact I'm only 0.06% white according to the quiz in the back of the book. Go figure.
November 29, 2010
Edit: I'm done with this. At least as much as I'm going to read. I didn't read every single one, mostly just the ones that I felt applied to me/ people I know. Otherwise it'd just not really interesting to me. I don't care how stereotypical it is for white people to snowboard, 'cause I don't snowboard or know anything about snowboarding. Anyway, it's amusing.. pure silliness. OR IS IT. I admit it also makes you question your choices/tastes. I mean, if this random white guy is able to predict your tastes lifestyle etc based on your demographic..makes you think that the media really does affect your desires, on a very basic level that you are powerless over. Which is a bit disturbing. Anyway, go read it! It's funny. His little flowchart quizzes (for career advice, baby naming, and where to move) are REALLY good.
Dear goodreads friends: I'm not dead. I just haven't read an actual book in an embarrassing amount of time. I'm not really sure this counts as an actual book, but I'm easing myself back into literacy, so this will have to do. This shit cracks me up. So far my favorite is Barack Obama, it just says "White people like Barack Obama because they are afraid that if they don't they will be considered racist". That is 100% true, don't even try to argue. Also I skipped to the back to see what percentage white I am..20%. Since I am ethnically 50% white, I have 30% more whitepeoplestuff to like before I'm just like over the top white. This is completely logical and mathmateical, do not argue with THAT either.
Dear goodreads friends: I'm not dead. I just haven't read an actual book in an embarrassing amount of time. I'm not really sure this counts as an actual book, but I'm easing myself back into literacy, so this will have to do. This shit cracks me up. So far my favorite is Barack Obama, it just says "White people like Barack Obama because they are afraid that if they don't they will be considered racist". That is 100% true, don't even try to argue. Also I skipped to the back to see what percentage white I am..20%. Since I am ethnically 50% white, I have 30% more whitepeoplestuff to like before I'm just like over the top white. This is completely logical and mathmateical, do not argue with THAT either.
August 15, 2015
I have to say, I was excited whan I saw this book at Borders, because I've read the blog and thought it was hilarious, but I was really disappointed when I read the book. The humor from the blog doesn't transfer well into the printed medium, and it felt like the majority of the book content was no more than entries from his blog in a print-and-bound version, with a few added visual aids.
While Lander's sense of humor is fine for small daily doses on a blog, it wears thin quickly when one is sitting and reading entry after entry over a longer period of time.
Considering that I actually paid money for this book, I expected more developed content. Instead, I paid to re-read stuff I had already read online for free.
While Lander's sense of humor is fine for small daily doses on a blog, it wears thin quickly when one is sitting and reading entry after entry over a longer period of time.
Considering that I actually paid money for this book, I expected more developed content. Instead, I paid to re-read stuff I had already read online for free.
April 26, 2009
This is one of the most insulting, paternalistic, painfully unfunny pieces of self indulgent liberal tripe I have ever read. There is no redeeming value to it. A snide and condescending attitude abounds in it.
Knowing I got this book from a library is the only redeeming factor - I would feel terrible if I paid for it. Even so, the only socially responsible action will be to discretely ditch this piece of crap in the nearest wastebasket once it has been re-shelved, lest anyone else accidentally be exposed to it.
Knowing I got this book from a library is the only redeeming factor - I would feel terrible if I paid for it. Even so, the only socially responsible action will be to discretely ditch this piece of crap in the nearest wastebasket once it has been re-shelved, lest anyone else accidentally be exposed to it.
February 21, 2009
I wish I hadn't bought this book. I should have checked out this guy's blog first because then I would have realized his humour annoys me more than it makes me laugh. The book, and his blog for that matter, could be more accurately labeled "Stuff Pretentious West Coast Yuppies Like". The few times I did laugh were when I recognized someone I know (including myself) that fit the stereotype he was describing, and I was like "wow, am I that annoying!?" Maybe these past few years living in the West End of Vancouver have begun to take their toll and I'm becoming yuppiefied without my knowing it.
March 18, 2010
I didn't understand this book. Maybe because I'm only 13% white. Which is weird because my skin is so transparent you can see my veins.
I got points for liking cheese but I thought that was because I was born in Wisconsin...not because I was white. French people don't like cheese? Didn't they invent Brie?
I lost points because my kids aren't multilingual. Hell, sometimes I don't think they even speak english.
Don't read this book. It will shatter what little self esteem you have. I can't even do white right.
I got points for liking cheese but I thought that was because I was born in Wisconsin...not because I was white. French people don't like cheese? Didn't they invent Brie?
I lost points because my kids aren't multilingual. Hell, sometimes I don't think they even speak english.
Don't read this book. It will shatter what little self esteem you have. I can't even do white right.
January 22, 2015
This book starts off kind of funny, then it gets worse and worse and worse until finally you're so embarrassed for the author, the publisher, and anyone else who had anything to do it, but most of all for yourself, because you chose to read it, even if you got it from the library and didn't actually pay money for it.
January 1, 2019
LOL!!!
August 24, 2013
I know the title is not politically correct, therefore, what I'm about to say is probably not politically correct either, but, here goes - I'm soooo white!
So white, in fact, that I needed a book to tell me I am. Isn't that just the white way?
This book is a list of, as the title claims, Stuff White People Like. It is set up as a sort of guide to white culture, befriending whites, and a 'how-to' blend in at all white social functions. To me, it was non stop fun and laughter - which is hard to come by in book format. My experience was this: me reading one of the 'likes', laughing, then having to stop and reread the passages out loud to my wife, where we would then laugh together and discuss how true (and sad) all the 'likes' were.
For eg. Camping.
If you find yourself trapped in the middle of the woods without electricity, running water, or a car you would likely describe that situation as a “nightmare” or “a worse case scenario like after plane crash or something.” White people refer to it as “camping.”
When white people begin talking to you about camping they will do their best to tell you that it’s very easy and it allows them to escape the pressures and troubles of the urban lifestyle for a more natural, simplified, relaxing time. Nothing could be further from the truth.
In theory camping should be a very inexpensive activity since you are literally sleeping on the ground. But as with everything in white culture, the more simple it appears the more expensive it actually is.
Camping is a multi-day, multi-step, potentially lethal activity that will cost you a large amount of both time and money. Unless you are in some sort of position where you absolutely need the friendship of a white person, you should avoid camping at all costs...Once in the camp area, white people will walk around for a while, set up a tent, have a horrible night of sleep, walk around some more. Then get in the car and go home. This, of course, is a best case scenario. Worst case scenarios include: getting lost, poisoned, killed by an animal, and encountering an RV. Of these outcomes, the latter is seen by white people as the worst since it involves an encounter with the wrong kind of white people.
Conversely, any camping trip that ends in death at the hands of nature or requires the use of valuable government resources for a rescue is seen as relatively positive in white culture. This is because both situations might eventually lead to a book deal or documentary film about the experience.
Ultimately the best way to escape a camping trip with white people is to say that you have allergies. Since white people and their children are allergic to almost everything, they will understand and ask no further questions. You should not say something like “looking at history, the instances of my people encountering white people in the woods have not worked out very well for us.”
SO TRUE!!!
Now imagine reading 150 of those type of entries. Laugh-fest is what I would call it.
It actually does get a bit repetitive after you've read a good mittful (organic food comes up over and over), but, persevere because you'll run across another jewel that will strike you as laugh-till-you-cramp funny.
Then to top it off there is a test at the end to determine how 'white' you are. I'm just over 50% white...mostly b/c I'm not that big into indie rock and film...but, I feel whiter than white deep down in my heart.
In reality, the title could have been Stuff North American's like, or Stuff Over Educated Middle Class People Like, either way, the entire book took a really hard look at some of the things we do or like that could be simple, but, have turned into expensive complicated things. Yoga in theory is just stretching, but, nowadays it involves mats and classes and expensive pants. It's funny to laugh at the ridiculous amounts people spend on Lululemon pants...especially if you are wearing a pair yourself.
I'm certain this book would be funny for all ages, races, and genders...inclusion and diversity, another white like...so go out to your local book store, buy an overpriced coffee while you are there, and grab this book. Maybe next Sunday after brunch?
Or, the simple and inexpensive way to read the list is to go to the website - http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/
So white, in fact, that I needed a book to tell me I am. Isn't that just the white way?
This book is a list of, as the title claims, Stuff White People Like. It is set up as a sort of guide to white culture, befriending whites, and a 'how-to' blend in at all white social functions. To me, it was non stop fun and laughter - which is hard to come by in book format. My experience was this: me reading one of the 'likes', laughing, then having to stop and reread the passages out loud to my wife, where we would then laugh together and discuss how true (and sad) all the 'likes' were.
For eg. Camping.
If you find yourself trapped in the middle of the woods without electricity, running water, or a car you would likely describe that situation as a “nightmare” or “a worse case scenario like after plane crash or something.” White people refer to it as “camping.”
When white people begin talking to you about camping they will do their best to tell you that it’s very easy and it allows them to escape the pressures and troubles of the urban lifestyle for a more natural, simplified, relaxing time. Nothing could be further from the truth.
In theory camping should be a very inexpensive activity since you are literally sleeping on the ground. But as with everything in white culture, the more simple it appears the more expensive it actually is.
Camping is a multi-day, multi-step, potentially lethal activity that will cost you a large amount of both time and money. Unless you are in some sort of position where you absolutely need the friendship of a white person, you should avoid camping at all costs...Once in the camp area, white people will walk around for a while, set up a tent, have a horrible night of sleep, walk around some more. Then get in the car and go home. This, of course, is a best case scenario. Worst case scenarios include: getting lost, poisoned, killed by an animal, and encountering an RV. Of these outcomes, the latter is seen by white people as the worst since it involves an encounter with the wrong kind of white people.
Conversely, any camping trip that ends in death at the hands of nature or requires the use of valuable government resources for a rescue is seen as relatively positive in white culture. This is because both situations might eventually lead to a book deal or documentary film about the experience.
Ultimately the best way to escape a camping trip with white people is to say that you have allergies. Since white people and their children are allergic to almost everything, they will understand and ask no further questions. You should not say something like “looking at history, the instances of my people encountering white people in the woods have not worked out very well for us.”
SO TRUE!!!
Now imagine reading 150 of those type of entries. Laugh-fest is what I would call it.
It actually does get a bit repetitive after you've read a good mittful (organic food comes up over and over), but, persevere because you'll run across another jewel that will strike you as laugh-till-you-cramp funny.
Then to top it off there is a test at the end to determine how 'white' you are. I'm just over 50% white...mostly b/c I'm not that big into indie rock and film...but, I feel whiter than white deep down in my heart.
In reality, the title could have been Stuff North American's like, or Stuff Over Educated Middle Class People Like, either way, the entire book took a really hard look at some of the things we do or like that could be simple, but, have turned into expensive complicated things. Yoga in theory is just stretching, but, nowadays it involves mats and classes and expensive pants. It's funny to laugh at the ridiculous amounts people spend on Lululemon pants...especially if you are wearing a pair yourself.
I'm certain this book would be funny for all ages, races, and genders...inclusion and diversity, another white like...so go out to your local book store, buy an overpriced coffee while you are there, and grab this book. Maybe next Sunday after brunch?
Or, the simple and inexpensive way to read the list is to go to the website - http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/
August 18, 2010
Amusing.
150 things that "white people" are in too.. trendy moderns he means.
Heres some of them:
#77 Musical Comedy
#76 Bottles of Water
#75 Threatening to Move to Canada
#74 Oscar Parties
#73 Gentrification
#72 Study Abroad
#71 Being the only white person around
#70 Difficult Breakups
#69 Mos Def
#68 Michel Gondry
#67 Standing Still at Concerts
#66 Divorce
#65 Co-Ed Sports
#64 Recycling
#63 Expensive Sandwiches
#62 Knowing What’s Best for Poor People
#61 Bicycles
#60 Toyota Prius
#59 Natural Medicine
#58 Japan
#57 Juno
#56 Lawyers
#55 Apologies
#54 Kitchen Gadgets
#53 Dogs
#52 Sarah Silverman
#51 Living by the Water
#50 Irony
#49 Vintage
#48 Whole Foods and Grocery Co-ops
#47 Arts Degrees
#46 The Sunday New York Times
#45 Asian Fusion Food
#44 Public Radio
#43 Plays
#42 Sushi
#41 Indie Music
#40 Apple Products
#39 Netflix
#38 Arrested Development
#37 Renovations
#36 Breakfast Places
#35 The Daily Show/Colbert Report
#34 Architecture
#33 Marijuana
#32 Vegan/Vegetarianism
#31 Snowboarding
#30 Wrigley Field
#29 80s Night
#28 Not having a TV
#27 Marathons
#26 Manhattan (now Brooklyn too!)
#25 David Sedaris
#24 Wine
#23 Microbreweries
#22 Having Two Last Names
#21 Writers Workshops
#20 Being an expert on YOUR culture
#19 Traveling
#18 Awareness
#17 Hating their Parents
#16 Gifted Children
#15 Yoga
#14 Having Black Friends
#13 Tea
#12 Non-Profit Organizations
#11 Asian Girls
#10 Wes Anderson Movies
#9 Making you feel bad about not going outside
#8 Barack Obama
#7 Diversity
#6 Organic Food
#5 Farmer’s Markets
#4 Assists
#3 Film Festivals
#2 Religions their parents don’t belong to
#1 Coffee
150 things that "white people" are in too.. trendy moderns he means.
Heres some of them:
#77 Musical Comedy
#76 Bottles of Water
#75 Threatening to Move to Canada
#74 Oscar Parties
#73 Gentrification
#72 Study Abroad
#71 Being the only white person around
#70 Difficult Breakups
#69 Mos Def
#68 Michel Gondry
#67 Standing Still at Concerts
#66 Divorce
#65 Co-Ed Sports
#64 Recycling
#63 Expensive Sandwiches
#62 Knowing What’s Best for Poor People
#61 Bicycles
#60 Toyota Prius
#59 Natural Medicine
#58 Japan
#57 Juno
#56 Lawyers
#55 Apologies
#54 Kitchen Gadgets
#53 Dogs
#52 Sarah Silverman
#51 Living by the Water
#50 Irony
#49 Vintage
#48 Whole Foods and Grocery Co-ops
#47 Arts Degrees
#46 The Sunday New York Times
#45 Asian Fusion Food
#44 Public Radio
#43 Plays
#42 Sushi
#41 Indie Music
#40 Apple Products
#39 Netflix
#38 Arrested Development
#37 Renovations
#36 Breakfast Places
#35 The Daily Show/Colbert Report
#34 Architecture
#33 Marijuana
#32 Vegan/Vegetarianism
#31 Snowboarding
#30 Wrigley Field
#29 80s Night
#28 Not having a TV
#27 Marathons
#26 Manhattan (now Brooklyn too!)
#25 David Sedaris
#24 Wine
#23 Microbreweries
#22 Having Two Last Names
#21 Writers Workshops
#20 Being an expert on YOUR culture
#19 Traveling
#18 Awareness
#17 Hating their Parents
#16 Gifted Children
#15 Yoga
#14 Having Black Friends
#13 Tea
#12 Non-Profit Organizations
#11 Asian Girls
#10 Wes Anderson Movies
#9 Making you feel bad about not going outside
#8 Barack Obama
#7 Diversity
#6 Organic Food
#5 Farmer’s Markets
#4 Assists
#3 Film Festivals
#2 Religions their parents don’t belong to
#1 Coffee
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