Stuff White People Like?

I saw this opinion post at CNN "How we became white people" and was amazed at  what a perfect example of the liberal democratic (white)guilt that Herbert Schlossberg wrote about in his book Idols For Destruction. Schlossberg wrote about the intense guilt that white liberals feel about the excesses and successes of their lives. His research showed that at the time Democratic Senators were, and still are to this day overwhelming more super-rich than their Republican counterparts, despite the public perception of the Republican party as that of the rich. Schlossberg also showed the result of this guilt was great sweeping government programs to help the poor that ultimately kept them in their predicament, instead of helping them out of their poverty. It was not until the welfare reforms of the 1990's, under President Clinton and a Republican legislature, that reforms that actually moved people from the welfare rolls came about. It's hard to remember that kind of reform and cooperation between the various parties. Compromise was possible then, as it is now. 

I must laugh at the absurdity of a popular website called "Stuff White People Like." Of course, if you look at the site, you quickly realize that Christian Lander, writer and creator of the site is really not representing any white people most of us really know. A more accurate title to the site could be, "Stuff Liberal Elitist Left Coast White People Like." Just check out this sample:

"Naturally, white people do not get offended by statements directed at white people.  In fact, they don’t even have a problem making offensive statements about other white people (ask a white person about “flyover states”).  As a rule, white people strongly prefer to get offended on behalf of other people.

It is also valuable to know that white people spend a significant portion of their time preparing for the moment when they will be offended.  They read magazines, books, and watch documentaries all in hopes that one day they will encounter a person who will say something offensive.  When this happens, they can leap into action with quotes, statistics, and historical examples.  Once they have finished lecturing another white person about how it’s wrong to use the term “black” instead of “African-American,” they can sit back and relax in the knowledge that they have made a difference."


While I did enjoy the opinion post on CNN about his experience as an immigrant, I'm going to have to go ahead and disagree with his idea of what white people like or don't like. Living in one of those "fly over states," I don't appreciate his smugness or his blanket statements about white people being rich, and never being poor or persecuted. The last time I checked America still has a lot of white kids living in poverty level, broken homes. The last time I checked, white people loose their homes and jobs just as well as others, and probably in equal proportions. The last time I checked, children who are abused by their parents are more likely to be white. Same thing for alcoholic and drug addicted families. I'll say this as well, that not every white family lives in total luxury or unbridled greed. I will cease my rant right here, because there is something important to say. People are people and they suffer in poverty and unemployment and sickness and depression in surprisingly familiar and similar ways. I wish Christian a lot of luck with his books and writing, but I don't think he has a clue of what being white, or any color for that matter, in America is about. Perhaps he should visit us here in the Fly Over Zone. Maybe he'd learn something. 
One more thing. Is it possible in his desire to explain "stuff white people like," that  Mr. Lander is actually creating, or rather reinforcing, a stereotypical view of all white people as one thing or another? If grey areas and differences are what make people unique and different, I wonder if we should pay attention to such generalizing, no matter how clever the presentation.