Stuff White People Like: A Definitive Guide to the Unique Taste of Millions

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 show more 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.

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**Except this one. show less

I'm one of those weirdos who usually waits until a popular blog or webcomic is in print before reading it, so these entries were all new to me. And they were pretty hilarious. I'd definitely say it's better to just browse half a dozen at a time. They get really repetitive in larger doses.

It helps that, until recently, I lived in Portland OR, which is such a part of his theme that it's entry #111. Everything will also be familiar to readers in Austin, San Francisco, and Brooklyn.

I think he struck a good balance with the jabs. He includes in enough examples of actually annoying or hypocritical behavior that you get a much higher proportion of "Oh I know someone like that! I hate him!" than "Oh crap, I do that." But it's often a sucker show more punch when the latter occurs, like a reference buried within an entry on a different topic. Wipes the smug right off your face.

The basic message that I got is that left-wing yuppies (what is the modern term?) are not as interested in diversity as they claim. And there's certainly no harm in making people stop and think about how well they're really living up to what they claim.

An alphabetical index in the back would have been nice.

Sample humor: "The city of San Francisco has a very multicultural population that ranges from white to gay to Asian. Within white culture this is known as 'ideal diversity' because it both provides exotic restaurants and preserves property values." show less

For what it it is, this is one of the most fun books I have brought into my life in months. I took it to work and we had a wonderful, rueful time scoring ourselves and realizing how very white, by the measures of the book, most of us are. There are some really stinging moments, especially around food. The love of sandwiches, brunch, ethnic food. Travel. IPods with lots and lots and lots of music. Liberalism. Sunday Papers. Being outdoors. We laughed and talked more than we had in a long while. Of course I live in Portland, and the Portland lifestyle is all about Stuff White People Like.
I wouldn't categorize it as lit, but I don't think that was what the author was after. I think he was poking fun at me, my friends, my neighbors, my show more coworkers and that was kind of fun. I heartily recommend this to anyone who is big enough to take it. show less

Basically a bunch of the web site put on paper, or is it the other way around? In any case, it is pretty funny and if it becomes predictable sometimes, the author does frequently surprise you and make you laugh. Turns out by the book's standards, I'm only about 40% white. But I guess it's the important 40%.

A mildly amusing book if you can overcome the realization that by “White People” Lander means urban, college educated young people and that the narrator’s perspective is explaining their preferences to someone who is not part of that demographic, say for example a Martian. A Martian who wants to be “in” and ingratiate him or herself to white people. While this perspective allows Lander to cast a jaundiced eye on 150 different “likes” it also casts white people as interchangeable dweebs and the reader as an anthropology student.

Of course, the true target audience of the book is the very same demographic that Lander is making fun of, allowing white people to show their ability to laugh at themselves. That could be #151.

Unfunny and predictable, and it's really uncool how "white people" means "the white urban liberal middle class, because other white people don't count". Or even "are no longer white"? what a weird signifying shiv that is. And we're supposed to just be a pile of shitty morons who elide over all this and go "ha ha, I like lattes he's got my number" Well, to plant my standard with Bartleby's (how is Melville not on Stuff White People Like?), "I would prefer not to." Although I do find it interesting how everyone who seems to get how offensive this is is British. Rent a flat above a shop, Christian Lander!

I read a little of this, then started skimming over the chapters when it got boring (at about chapter 3, and they are very short), then gave up after deciding it was nothing but a bunch of cheap shots at a made-up class of people. I'll admit, there are a few people that have many of these characteristics, and more that have a few of them, but most people who do these things don't do it for the reasons he lists. I think he comes off as jealous of people who have higher principles than he does, or who seem to understand more of the big picture that he misses.

I may have some of the habits he mentions, but almost never for the reasons he thinks. I don't read books so I can tell people I read them, I read books I like. I drink craft beers show more because I like them better; in fact, I never liked beer when I was younger and didn't have any good ones to try.

He puts down people who don't have a TV because he doesn't know what else to talk about with them. Seems pretty shallow to me. But then, he talks about what shows they like, what DVDs they have, even though they don't have TVs?

It's easy to put down made-up traits with made-up reasons, but unfortunately, I found it very hard to find any actual humor. Perhaps if he had been just a little bit creative in his points rather than just listing them, it may have been more entertaining. As it is, it was simply boring, without that element of truth to make it entertaining or enlightening. show less