Stuff White People Like

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Just about all of the newspapers in the USA went into a "racism tizzy" recently because of a Vogue magazine cover with a black basketball player posing with Giselle Bundchen. For example:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainme ... 0740.story

Here is the cover:



I don't see anything wrong with the picture. But, it seems almost like the newsmedia just wants us to be provoked and outraged, over nothing.

Last edited by pandabear on 27 Mar 2008, 9:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.

To a certain extent, yes, this blog is likely to be misinterpreted by people who aren't familiar with the finer points of 'white american' society. But as I'm not ignorant, I find it very funny (bad experiences with Manhattaners...)

Now, I think it's really a satire about the way that the upper classes perceive themselves and other white people in general. For example, if you associate 'whiteness' with the upper classes exclusively, then it becomes humorous that they tend to perceive working class white people as being inferior - somehow the fact that they're white makes them held to the standard of the upper classes; they are failing to live up to being 'really white'. That is, the very double standard is part of the humor here. Hence all the jokes about affected diversity and tolerance. And this double standard does really exist IMO; I've debated with people who in trying to look tolerant tie their values in knots when discussing other 'races'.
Consider this quote:

That is, I only think the layers of humor in this blog become evident if you're familiar with the attitudes of the upper classes and their views on race and class. Calling it "Stuff White People Like" is a joke in itself, because you're not going to see Nascar here. Or otherwise, the use of the term white is often confused with being like them by these very people. Example: I was in a class once, and the professor (from the Upper West Side) as far as I could see was very clumsy in his perception of being 'white'; when he said white, he meant suburban affluent (which I found irksome as it completely ignored my experience as coming from a rural area - but white-trash are hyphenated white people )

Admittedly, yes, it's stereotyping. But all good satire is to some extent, and the only people who are in a position to really appreciate the humor are people who know better than to assume it's just white jokes. (And pray excuse my use of the term "upper classes" - I'm still enough of hick that I'm not sure of the finer cultural stratifications of those in higher income brackets. But I think my points are overall valid)

On the other hand, when many people make minority jokes, they are frequently ignorant enough to be conflating certain behaviors with being that race - hence the risk of racism (although I'm pure evil, apparently, because without reservation if I see an absurd behavior, I'll make a joke. I'm an equal opportunity jerk...)

Of course this is just the use of the term 'white'. The rest of the blog still stands as a wonderful behavioral parody.

Now, let's assume I'm full of crap and all of this stuff is written by someone with an ax to grind against white people - I still think it's funny that here, as elsewhere, all white people are portrayed as upper class. I get a joke at the expense of them. And I get a joke at the absurdity of racial perceptions in America. I still win.

That's quite right.

If it had been "Stuff Yuppies Like", then the majority of people who would fill the definition of "yuppy" would say "Ha Ha! That doesn't apply to me. I'm not a yuppy."

Then, you change the label to "white people", then it becomes hard to say "that doesn't apply to me" (assuming that you are white).

Personally as a white person I thought the site was pretty funny and somewhat accurate.

Let's test that. Since everyone else has been too much of a wuss to post it, I will. Wimpy whiteys. I think some would find it funny in this context. Things black people like...

Fried chicken
Rap music
Watermelon
Colt 45
Big butts
Messing with white people
Dogfighting
Bling-bling
Hydraulics on their pimped out Caddies
Hot sauce
Basketball
Barber shops

If a black person can laugh off that list like a white person laughs off this thread I think that would be a big sign of progress.

Also add

White people like black comedians, although feel nervous about laughing at certain jokes if watching one with black friends

Why hasn't this thread been closed yet?

Because we are having such an insightful conversation.

i like that website. it makes me feel not so white, cause i only seriously love like five things on that list. everything else? eh i can take it or leave it.