Book Review: Stuff White People Like
Here are the emotions I went through reading Stuff White People Like by Christian Lander and in the order I went through them:
Mirth: Ha! That’s true about white people liking coffee but calling it anything but coffee.
Intrigue and Recognition: They are into antique furniture and like to take sometimes a single antique item and set it amongst otherwise modern furniture. I could think of two direct examples where that happened (and only now could appreciate the reason of authenticity behind it).
Mortified: Somewhere towards the end of intrigue, I began to recollect conversations I had with white people about NPR or wider definition of Gifted kids and I didn’t quite relate to at the time. Things that had significance to whites just didn’t have the same for me. It wasn’t part of my “culture” at home, growing up. I think there may have been some lost opportunities at bonding. Also other aspects were brought up preference for European city bikes that I was kicking myself for not noticing these things that were in plain view for so many years. Also as more was revealed - and just as importantly - explanations given for the significance of Renovations to Kitchen Gadgets, I was actually worried I was immersed in a country in which its primary culture I had been unfamiliar with for so many years. I realize that the book’s generalizations are not always predictive and that its humor, but there is also some truth in it.
As kids, minorities and whites play together routinely. Me and most of my Indian friends- most of our friends from school were white. Later on, in college, and as an adult- aside from work colleagues- there is more self-segregation. Many of the Indian-Americans I know who grew up with me now primarily spend time with other Indians whereas growing up they were primarily around white friends. Some have mentioned to me that they honestly don’t feel as close to other white people and they think that the feeling is mutual. I wonder how much of this might have to do with the fact that certain assumptions, preferences, and basic world views of racial cultures have differences; differences that are not explained or fully understood by the other side. As a result, we move through life and unintentionally disrespect one another, unfairly judge another, and drift apart as a result. I wonder if a book like Stuff White People Like might have an impact on that.
Optimistic: The last feeling I had with this book was that for all its irony and sarcasm, might create new opportunities for people to understand one another. For minorities, it means there’s sort of another world out there. For whites, it means perhaps considering that their views and preferences may not be immediately shared or comprehended by others. Perhaps it gives a chance to understand and be understood.
