I have been researching Christian Lander's blog Stuffwhitepeoplelike.com and his book similarly titled "Stuff White People Like," for a research project for my Comparative Ethnic Studies class for the past few weeks. Lander's blog has been the center of a lot of controversy since its creation in January of 2008. According to the website, "This blog is devoted to stuff white people like." (Check out the site if you haven't seen it yet, "http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com") The blog is basically a list of 129 things white people like and peoples comments about each. Some of the things "White people like" include:
#1 Coffee
#7 Diversity
#14 Having black friends
#60 Toyota Prius
#84 Tee Shirts
#125 Bob Marley
Although some people are finding the website to be a humorous joke, there are many people who have replied to the blog posts commenting about how racist Christian Lander and his blog are. I agree that some of the posts are humorous, but the general concept of the blog is rather racist. Lander recently made his blog into a book, which became a New York Times Bestseller. On his blog, Lander described his book in a few short paragraphs which state,
"Stuff White People Like: A Guide to the Unique Taste of Millions
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 pretend to be unique, yet somehow they’re all exactly the same, talking abut how they “get” Sarah Silverman’s “subversive” comedy and Wes Anderson’s “droll” films. They are 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 lose yourself in the ultimate guide (featuring brand-new entries and extras!) to the unbearable whiteness of being."
After purchasing and reading Landers book and reading over this blog, I was offended. It was funny, but it completely stereotyped an entire race of people. Lander subtitled the book, "The Unique Taste of Millions." This statement in itself proves how stereotypical the book is. There is a definite problem with racism in society today, and despite Landers intentions to be funny, books and blogs like this promote racism and stereotypes of people of all races. The website and the book make it seem like any individual who is not white needs to learn how to fit in with white people, as if white people are a completely different species. Sure, there are some differences between all races such as the history of our ancestors and the color of our skin. But differences like these do not make all people unable to coexist as equals. History is in the past, and as important as it is to acknowledge the past, it is just as important to work to make race relations better today. All people are supposed to be equal in the United States, and it is obvious that all people are not always treated as equals. "Stuff White People Like" is taking the people of the United States, and possibly people of all over the world, a step in the wrong direction in terms of race relations.
One of the things Lander put in the blog's list of stuff white people like was "Hating People Who Wear Ed Hardy (#124)." For anyone who does not know much about Ed Hardy, it is a brand of clothing that has recently become popular and is rather expensive. Shirts generally start at about fifty dollars each, and can get a lot more expensive. A lot of his shirts feature art that kind of resemble tattoo themes, and feature tigers, dragons, geishas, and other intricate designs. His brand is seen as being a little flashy and sometimes over the top. According to this post, I (being a "white girl") should not like Ed Hardy, and should hate those people who wear it. However, I am a fan of the Ed Hardy brand. I found a few of his shirts on sale at a department store a few months back and purchased them for a lot cheaper than they would usually be sold for. My skin color does not say anything about my feelings towards people who wear Ed Hardy. I have friends of many races and liking Ed Hardy has been topic of conversation before, and I have never judged anyone for wearing or not wearing this brand, and I would hope none of my friends judged me for owning pieces made by this designer. I do not see any direct lineage between race and opinions about "stuff." People are unique and have unique tastes, and if more than one person of a race likes the same thing, those opinions should not speak for the entire race.
Some people have replied to this post on Lander's blog commenting things that like:
"soul brotha #1 on November 6, 2009 at 9:57 am
OH NO!!!!! WHAT THE F@#K, I MUST BE A WHITE MAN IN A BLACK MANS BODY. HELLLLLP."
"dontrelle on November 18, 2009 at 9:57 am
I understand this whole thing is to be funny, but this makes no sense because most people wearing Ed Hardy shit are white. uhhhhhhhhhh hmmmmmmmmmm"
To which "Nick" replied:
"Nick on November 18, 2009 at 3:14 pm
Yes but these are the WRONG kind of white people so frequently mentioned in this blog."
(The direct link to this section of Landers Blog can be found at http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2009/04/13/124-hating-people-who-wear-ed-hardy/?cp=all#comments).
This post shows the stereotypes that are portrayed through this website. There is apparently a "right" and "wrong" kind of white person, and in this case the "right" kind of white person would hate people who wear Ed Hardy. This by default makes me the "wrong" kind of white person.
Has anyone else seen this website or have any opinions/observations about Lander’s blog?
Visit www.stuffwhitepeoplelike.com for more information.
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