I actually DISLIKE more than half the stuff on the "stuff white people like" blog
You, me, everyone, and their brother has seen the humorous blog "stuff white people like." One of the more common refrains heard when it comes up is something along the lines of "it's so true, I do like that stuff". Of course, the blog isn't really about all white people, but about a fairly narrow subset of white people who are highly educated, liberal, and identify with hipster, environmental, hippie, and yuppie lifestyles. And those lifestyles really go behind racial lines to include plenty of yuppies and hipsters who are African American, Latino, and Asian American.
But that's all besides the point. I generally fit within the categories that are supposed to match "stuff white people like". And yet, when I went through the list item by item, I realized that while I like some of those things very much, I actually like less than half of it. The other half I wouldn't put on any list of things I like. Some of them I strongly dislike, some I'm just apathetic.
Here's the "stuff white people like" that I don't care about or don't like...
Religions their parents don’t belong to
my parents aren't religious so I had nothing to rebel against.
Assists
i think this is a basketball term. i don't really care about basketball.
Making you feel bad about not going outside
i like the outside, but i don't make other people feel about about staying inside.
Wes Anderson Movies
i find most of them weird and pretentious. i did kind of like The Life Aquatic, though.
Having Black Friends
let me just be clear, it should go without saying that having black friends is not an issue. what i dislike is the social phenomenon the blog is mocking, i.e. the need of white people to call attention to their black friends as some sort of vindication.
Yoga
just never been into it. had an unpleasant experience in rishikesh, india, the yoga capital of the world. some german girls chastised me for going to rishikesh and not having tried yoga yet. they actually said i was "close minded". i'm not against it in principle. and i imagine there might be some good to be gained from it. i just don't want to be forced into it.
Gifted Children
to be fair, my parents and teachers thought i was a gifted child, and i probably was, but i still don't like the idea, or the term. was that hypocritical? perhaps.
Hating their Parents
my parents are cool. never had any reason to.
Writers Workshops
i love to write. but i've always followed my own instincts. i don't like being told how to write. David Sedaris
never heard of him.
Marathons
running is cool, but 26 miles is beyond my ability.
80s Night
i may be a child of the 80s, but it's definitely my least favorite decade. bad music, reagan, hideous clothes, big hair, no thank you.
Wrigley Field
no attachment.
Snowboarding
prefer skiing.
The Colbert Report
i laughed because The Colbert Report was listed in conjuction with The Daily Show. i like The Daily Show, but I don't like The Colbert Report. i find Steven Colbert annoying, and not in a funny or entertaining way.
Renovations
nah, i prefer old buildings. i don't mind things being run-down.
Arrested Development
never watched it
Netflix
nope. the idea never appealed to me. having worked in an independent neighborhood video store, that's where my allegiance will always be. i like to browse the shelves and choose my movie when i want it, not wait for it to arrive in the mail a couple days later. sounds like a waste of postage to me.
Divorce
hate it, hope it never happens to me.
Standing Still at Concerts
i like to dance
Difficult Breakups
no need to dwell on them
Gentrification
i dislike how gentrification tends to displace working class people from inner city neighborhoods and replace them with yuppies.
Oscar Parties
i've really lost interest in the Oscars over the years.
Bottled Water
no no no! bottled water is the bane of human existence! such an environmental travesty. (although it is pretty helpful when traveling in developing countries where the water could make you sick)
Plays
i prefer musical theater
Modern Furniture
eh...
Irony
if you have to draw attention to it as such, it's not worth it
Dogs
i do like some dogs. but i like cats more. and there are a lot of dogs i don't like. i don't like big mean dogs who bark at me. and i dont like paris hilton rat dogs that women carry around in their purses. i also don't like how humans spoil their dogs. cats are far more independent, and don't need spoiling.
Kitchen Gadgets
kitchen tools are useful. what disqualified this one is the word "gadgets". it makes me think of those ridiculous things you see advertised in the skymall magazines. totally useless, overpriced junk.
Lawyers
ok, some lawyers do good work. and more probably wish they could but instead are forced to take soulless jobs in corporate law to pay off their law school loans. lawyers who do good, you have my respect. the rest, you dont.
Juno
too contrived, too self-aware. and the whole middle aged dude storyline...creepy.
Toyota Prius
yes, in theory hybrids are good. and yes, in reality, hybrids are better than what i drive now (a non-hybrid Volvo). but in my ideal universe, i won't have to drive a car at all, because i'll be able to rely on public transportation, a bicycle, and my own two feet. and i honestly believe that the real answer is to cut driving period, regardless of the type of energy powering the vehicle. i worry that if everyone starts driving hybrids and feeling like they're saving the world by doing so, we're still destroying the planet.
Knowing What’s Best for Poor People
without going into post-colonial theory, let's just say i belong to the school that thinks white people have been trying to teach poor people "what's best for them" for far too long, and that there's more we white people could learn from them than they can learn from us.
Bad Memories of High School
no need to dwell on them
T-Shirts
i prefer shirts with buttons.
Shorts
unless it's really hot out, i don't like them.
Outdoor Performance Clothes
nah
Having Gay Friends
refer to "Having Black Friends"
St. Patrick’s Day
no attachment to Irish culture or drinking.
Book Deals
i prefer written material that's open access, not written for profit.
Rugby
zero interest.
New Balance Shoes
zero interest.
Scarves
while useful in cold-weather climates, i don't use them as a fashion statement.
Girls with Bangs
nothing against them, but they're no more special than any other girls
Unpaid Internships
in theory, there's good stuff out there, but i kind of want to earn a salary
Self Aware Hip Hop References
i don't really care about any hip hop references, self aware or not
Appearing to Enjoy Classical Music
screw "appearing"...i DO like classical music
The Onion
while i've chuckled and guffawed the odd Onion headline, in general i find the publication to be repetitive and predictable.
Frisbee Sports
never had much interest
Pea Coats
i don't even know what these are
And now, "stuff white people like" that I actually DO like....
Coffee
i started with lattes, and now i've become a full-blown coffee drinker
Film Festivals
don't go to a lot, but i think they're cool. good way for small movies to get noticed.
Farmers Markets
oh yeah, i love these. i wish everyone could enjoy farmers markets all year round (and here in California, they can!)
Organic Food
definitely. down with big agribusiness.
Diversity
in general, it's a good thing. i wouldn't go around boosting diversity just for diversity's sake, though. it's more of a means to an end of a more just and democratic society
Barack Obama
i'm voting for the guy, and i feel good about it. most exciting election of my lifetime, fo sho.
Asian Girls
they say that all stereotypes are harmful, even "positive stereotypes". so i'm hesitant to make blanket statements like "all Asian girls are good-looking", for a number of reasons. but first, I will admit: yes, I'm easily attracted to Asian girls (and by that I include Asian, East Asian, South Asian, West Asian, Southeast Asian, Asian American, and mixed Asian-white, Asian-black, Asian-Latina, Asian-anything). of course, it's about more than looks. i like women who are smart, strong, and opinionated. I don't think Asian girls have any particular advantage in these qualities. some are, some aren't. but I would really like to challenge the stereotype I've seen that white men like asian women because they're "more domestic-oriented, meek, submissive, know how to please their man, traditionally minded, etc". this is racist, patriarchal bullshit and it has no place in my conscience.
Non-Profit Organizations
in general, i think non-profits are important and good. of course, there are all sorts of non-profits, and some of them advance causes that I completely disagree with. some of them waste most of the money they make through fundraising on adminsitrative costs and have very little impact on the people they purport to help. and some of them go about their agendas in a top-down way (see: knowing what's best for poor people"). but i'm still putting non-profits, in general, in the list of things I DO like because in principle I like that there are organizations for whom the number one goal is social change and not profit.
Tea
i love tea. i drink it every day. i love browsing the tea at tea stores. black tea, green tea, white tea, red tea, herbal tea. it's all good.
Traveling
you better believe it. i've loved traveling since i was a little kid. i've been to almost every state in the US, almost every country in europe, to China, Thailand, India, and Guyana. i wrote my master's thesis on tourism in India. so yeah, I like traveling. of course, I can make all sorts of critiques of tourism, and particular types of tourism and tourists, but overall i think travel does more good than harm.
Being an expert on YOUR culture
i wanted to put this one in the list of things I don't like, because I think the social phenomenon mocked in this particularly incisive "stuff white people like" entry is indeed problematic. in the course of my education, i've been taught that there is no such thing as being an "expert" on any culture, and that white people claiming to be "experts" on non-white cultures is dangerous because it's tied up with a history of colonialism. with all that said, here i am, a white guy, having spend the last several years studying the history and geography of, and traveling in, Asia. and I think it's safe to say that i'm more of an expert on India and China than most Americans. and i'm proud of that. so i'd be pretty hypocritical if I were to list this in things I don't like. i'd just add that I don't really claim to be an "expert" and that do everything I can to limit the paternalism inherent in my "anthropoligical gaze"
Having Two Last Names
sure, why not? down with patriarchy!
Microbreweries
i've learned to appreciate these more thanks to my beer snob friends in grad school.
Wine
i'm no connoisseur, but having grown up near the california wine country and been served wine at countless events at Harvard, i've gained a healthy appreciation for wine. especially a nice Pinot Noir or Pinot Grigio.
Awareness
awareness of what? awareness of things I don't agree with probably isn't so good. but in general I believe society is not informed enough, so if awareness means people will be more informed, i'd say it's a good thing
Mos Def
I didn't really know anything about him until I saw Be Kind Rewind. He's really likable.
Manhattan (now Brooklyn too!)
along with San Francisco, New York is probably my favorite city in the U.S. i've been there dozens of times and I never get tired of the city. the neighborhoods, the restaurants, the businesses, the skyline.
Not having a TV
the internet has supplanted television as my preferred medium of information and entertainment. in grad school, i didn't have a tv. i've got one now, but i mostly use it for election coverage. i'm very much against those giant flatscreen tvs. huge waste of energy and money, imho.
Marijuana
it's one of the most useful and oldest plants in human history. the fact that the DEA classifies marijuana in the same category as hard drugs like cocaine is a farce. alcohol and tobacco, both 100% legal, are responsible for millions of deaths and social destruction. marijuana has never caused a single death, ever. sure, like anything, it can be abused. but most marijuana users are responsible members of society. a lot of the best music, artwork, film, and books have been created with marijuana's help.
Architecture
while most of what is built is banal and homogeneous, i do appreciate a cool building. a cool building is public art at its best.
The Daily Show
while I don't like the Colbert Report, I do like the Daily Show. i don't "get most of my news from it" like some people reportedly do, but I think Jon Stewart is brilliant and intellectual and is excellent at using politicians' own words to expose their hypocrisies.
Apple Products
i've used apple products my entire life. i've never owned a PC.
Sushi
i do like it, yum yum yum.
Public Radio
goes with non-profits
Asian Fusion Food
i like asian food and i like food in general, so of course i like asian fusion food.
The Sunday New York Times
well, not just the sunday times specifically. i read the times everyday. online.
Arts Degress
sometimes i do wonder if they're really worthwhile, but i got two of them so i guess i'd better put this in my "like" column.
Whole Foods and Grocery Co-ops
sometimes i get annoyed that whole foods is so damn expensive, and feel bad that most people are priced out, but i do like the stuff they sell. grocery co-ops seem like a great idea, but unfortuantely i don't know of any near my house.
Expensive Sandwiches
well, i'm not crazy about things that are expensive for the sake of being expensive. but i'm presuming that if a sandwich is expensive, it's probably for a good reason: like that it's made from high quality ingredients. and chances are, even an expensive sandwich is cheaper than a lot of other foods.
Recycling
of course. it infuriates me when i'm out and can't find a recyling bin.
Michel Gondry
i'm not infatuated with him like some people are, but of the stuff i've seen by him, it's pretty cool
Study Abroad
i never got to do this myself, but i wish i had. and i've been making up for it by traveling.
Threatening to Move to Canada
this one makes me chuckly. i've definitely threatened to do this. in 2000, and again in 2004. i never actually, and now that obama is going to be president, i guess i don't have to threaten it anymore.
Musical Comedy
i did musical theater for years.
Multilingual Children
good plan.
Living by the Water
i've lived most of my life in the San Francisco Bay Area, and four years in Boston, so I guess I like living by the water.
Sarah Silverman
i saw her when she came to Penn State and thought she was pretty funny. sometimes her little kid voice gets old, though.
Natural Medicine
i'm for an all-of-the-above philsophy when it comes to health and healing
Bicycles
i love bicycles. they're fun. they're healthy. and they are an excellent form of transportation.
Vintage
i don't really wear a lot of vintage, but i do like shopping at second-hand stores and thrift stores.
Graduate School
well I decided last year that a master's was enough and that I didn't want a PhD, so maybe I'm not as crazy about grad school as some people. but i had a pretty good time while i was there.
Hating Corporations
ha ha, a common refrain in my parlance, definitely. i've been schooled by some pretty leftist scholars and based on what i've learned, i'm pretty skeptical of corporate power in general. that said, i've learned to temper my resentment of corporations with by acknowledging that corporations are not always inherently evil, and that there is a growing trend towards greater social and environmental responsibility in corporations. a lot of this is just superficial or marketing, however, so we have to be vigilant and hold them to the fire. but given the amount of power corporations have in today's world, my pragmatic take is that as a social activist, i can't just fight against them my whole life. we're going to have to work with corporations. sometimes that may be a lot to swallow, and i'll probably go back and forth on this my whole life. it's definitely something i spend a lot of time thinking about.
The Wire
it's true, i do love this show. so much has already been written about the show and how brilliant, complex, realistic, and empathetic it is, so i won't repeat it all here. i just want to say that the show has given me a lot of new perspectives and forced me to question a lot of stereotypes i may have once held about police and drug dealers.
Dinner Parties
dinner is good, parties are good, socializing is good.
San Francisco
i grew up here, so of course i love it. i'm very proud of the fact that San Francisco is one of the most liberal places in America.
Free Healthcare
we need universal health care in this country. the system as it stands now is a travesty.
Being the only white person around
this one makes me chuckle too. i wrote about this phenomenon in my master's thesis which examined white tourists in India. i think this attitude is problematic. for some people, being the only white person around gives them a sense of added "authenticity" or adventure, a sense of being truly unique. but the funny thing is that in order to get recognition for their feats, they need to return to places with other white people in order to tell their stories about being off in some remote, exotic village with no other white people around. i will admit that sometimes it's fun to travel to places where there aren't other white people around. but i try not to glorify it like some travelers do. and i don't seek it out or think it makes me special. and i would never ever claim to have been "the first white person" to "discover" some place. i came across this claim often in my master's research, and i think i can safely say that there are very few places on earth where no white person has ever been. remember, this world experienced several centuries of colonialism.
The Ivy League
well, i went to Harvard so i guess i need to put this in my "like" column (although sometimes i think Harvard's ego is over-inflated)
Grammar
yes, i do think grammar is important. i don't necessarily go around correcting peoples' poor grammar, but it can grate on me.
Bumper Stickers
i got multiple ones on my car
Being Offended
i'm highly opinionated. therefore it should come as no surprise that a lot of what i read in the news offends me.
Sweaters
i do like sweaters.
Facebook
i was one of the first people on facebook when it started out as just a dorm phenomenon at harvard in the winter of 2004. today it's clogged with all sorts of annoying myspace-esque features, which i've mostly avoided.
Vegan/Vegetarianism
i'm not a vegan or vegetarian myself, but i admire those who are (like my sister). i agree with all the reasons for being vegetarian: environmental, social, health, moral. i just like the taste of meat too much. i try to buy free-range, grass-fed, organic meat as opposed to factory farmed. humans have been eating meat for eons, so i think its okay to do it, as long as we do it responsibly.
But that's all besides the point. I generally fit within the categories that are supposed to match "stuff white people like". And yet, when I went through the list item by item, I realized that while I like some of those things very much, I actually like less than half of it. The other half I wouldn't put on any list of things I like. Some of them I strongly dislike, some I'm just apathetic.
Here's the "stuff white people like" that I don't care about or don't like...
Religions their parents don’t belong to
my parents aren't religious so I had nothing to rebel against.
Assists
i think this is a basketball term. i don't really care about basketball.
Making you feel bad about not going outside
i like the outside, but i don't make other people feel about about staying inside.
Wes Anderson Movies
i find most of them weird and pretentious. i did kind of like The Life Aquatic, though.
Having Black Friends
let me just be clear, it should go without saying that having black friends is not an issue. what i dislike is the social phenomenon the blog is mocking, i.e. the need of white people to call attention to their black friends as some sort of vindication.
Yoga
just never been into it. had an unpleasant experience in rishikesh, india, the yoga capital of the world. some german girls chastised me for going to rishikesh and not having tried yoga yet. they actually said i was "close minded". i'm not against it in principle. and i imagine there might be some good to be gained from it. i just don't want to be forced into it.
Gifted Children
to be fair, my parents and teachers thought i was a gifted child, and i probably was, but i still don't like the idea, or the term. was that hypocritical? perhaps.
Hating their Parents
my parents are cool. never had any reason to.
Writers Workshops
i love to write. but i've always followed my own instincts. i don't like being told how to write. David Sedaris
never heard of him.
Marathons
running is cool, but 26 miles is beyond my ability.
80s Night
i may be a child of the 80s, but it's definitely my least favorite decade. bad music, reagan, hideous clothes, big hair, no thank you.
Wrigley Field
no attachment.
Snowboarding
prefer skiing.
The Colbert Report
i laughed because The Colbert Report was listed in conjuction with The Daily Show. i like The Daily Show, but I don't like The Colbert Report. i find Steven Colbert annoying, and not in a funny or entertaining way.
Renovations
nah, i prefer old buildings. i don't mind things being run-down.
Arrested Development
never watched it
Netflix
nope. the idea never appealed to me. having worked in an independent neighborhood video store, that's where my allegiance will always be. i like to browse the shelves and choose my movie when i want it, not wait for it to arrive in the mail a couple days later. sounds like a waste of postage to me.
Divorce
hate it, hope it never happens to me.
Standing Still at Concerts
i like to dance
Difficult Breakups
no need to dwell on them
Gentrification
i dislike how gentrification tends to displace working class people from inner city neighborhoods and replace them with yuppies.
Oscar Parties
i've really lost interest in the Oscars over the years.
Bottled Water
no no no! bottled water is the bane of human existence! such an environmental travesty. (although it is pretty helpful when traveling in developing countries where the water could make you sick)
Plays
i prefer musical theater
Modern Furniture
eh...
Irony
if you have to draw attention to it as such, it's not worth it
Dogs
i do like some dogs. but i like cats more. and there are a lot of dogs i don't like. i don't like big mean dogs who bark at me. and i dont like paris hilton rat dogs that women carry around in their purses. i also don't like how humans spoil their dogs. cats are far more independent, and don't need spoiling.
Kitchen Gadgets
kitchen tools are useful. what disqualified this one is the word "gadgets". it makes me think of those ridiculous things you see advertised in the skymall magazines. totally useless, overpriced junk.
Lawyers
ok, some lawyers do good work. and more probably wish they could but instead are forced to take soulless jobs in corporate law to pay off their law school loans. lawyers who do good, you have my respect. the rest, you dont.
Juno
too contrived, too self-aware. and the whole middle aged dude storyline...creepy.
Toyota Prius
yes, in theory hybrids are good. and yes, in reality, hybrids are better than what i drive now (a non-hybrid Volvo). but in my ideal universe, i won't have to drive a car at all, because i'll be able to rely on public transportation, a bicycle, and my own two feet. and i honestly believe that the real answer is to cut driving period, regardless of the type of energy powering the vehicle. i worry that if everyone starts driving hybrids and feeling like they're saving the world by doing so, we're still destroying the planet.
Knowing What’s Best for Poor People
without going into post-colonial theory, let's just say i belong to the school that thinks white people have been trying to teach poor people "what's best for them" for far too long, and that there's more we white people could learn from them than they can learn from us.
Bad Memories of High School
no need to dwell on them
T-Shirts
i prefer shirts with buttons.
Shorts
unless it's really hot out, i don't like them.
Outdoor Performance Clothes
nah
Having Gay Friends
refer to "Having Black Friends"
St. Patrick’s Day
no attachment to Irish culture or drinking.
Book Deals
i prefer written material that's open access, not written for profit.
Rugby
zero interest.
New Balance Shoes
zero interest.
Scarves
while useful in cold-weather climates, i don't use them as a fashion statement.
Girls with Bangs
nothing against them, but they're no more special than any other girls
Unpaid Internships
in theory, there's good stuff out there, but i kind of want to earn a salary
Self Aware Hip Hop References
i don't really care about any hip hop references, self aware or not
Appearing to Enjoy Classical Music
screw "appearing"...i DO like classical music
The Onion
while i've chuckled and guffawed the odd Onion headline, in general i find the publication to be repetitive and predictable.
Frisbee Sports
never had much interest
Pea Coats
i don't even know what these are
And now, "stuff white people like" that I actually DO like....
Coffee
i started with lattes, and now i've become a full-blown coffee drinker
Film Festivals
don't go to a lot, but i think they're cool. good way for small movies to get noticed.
Farmers Markets
oh yeah, i love these. i wish everyone could enjoy farmers markets all year round (and here in California, they can!)
Organic Food
definitely. down with big agribusiness.
Diversity
in general, it's a good thing. i wouldn't go around boosting diversity just for diversity's sake, though. it's more of a means to an end of a more just and democratic society
Barack Obama
i'm voting for the guy, and i feel good about it. most exciting election of my lifetime, fo sho.
Asian Girls
they say that all stereotypes are harmful, even "positive stereotypes". so i'm hesitant to make blanket statements like "all Asian girls are good-looking", for a number of reasons. but first, I will admit: yes, I'm easily attracted to Asian girls (and by that I include Asian, East Asian, South Asian, West Asian, Southeast Asian, Asian American, and mixed Asian-white, Asian-black, Asian-Latina, Asian-anything). of course, it's about more than looks. i like women who are smart, strong, and opinionated. I don't think Asian girls have any particular advantage in these qualities. some are, some aren't. but I would really like to challenge the stereotype I've seen that white men like asian women because they're "more domestic-oriented, meek, submissive, know how to please their man, traditionally minded, etc". this is racist, patriarchal bullshit and it has no place in my conscience.
Non-Profit Organizations
in general, i think non-profits are important and good. of course, there are all sorts of non-profits, and some of them advance causes that I completely disagree with. some of them waste most of the money they make through fundraising on adminsitrative costs and have very little impact on the people they purport to help. and some of them go about their agendas in a top-down way (see: knowing what's best for poor people"). but i'm still putting non-profits, in general, in the list of things I DO like because in principle I like that there are organizations for whom the number one goal is social change and not profit.
Tea
i love tea. i drink it every day. i love browsing the tea at tea stores. black tea, green tea, white tea, red tea, herbal tea. it's all good.
Traveling
you better believe it. i've loved traveling since i was a little kid. i've been to almost every state in the US, almost every country in europe, to China, Thailand, India, and Guyana. i wrote my master's thesis on tourism in India. so yeah, I like traveling. of course, I can make all sorts of critiques of tourism, and particular types of tourism and tourists, but overall i think travel does more good than harm.
Being an expert on YOUR culture
i wanted to put this one in the list of things I don't like, because I think the social phenomenon mocked in this particularly incisive "stuff white people like" entry is indeed problematic. in the course of my education, i've been taught that there is no such thing as being an "expert" on any culture, and that white people claiming to be "experts" on non-white cultures is dangerous because it's tied up with a history of colonialism. with all that said, here i am, a white guy, having spend the last several years studying the history and geography of, and traveling in, Asia. and I think it's safe to say that i'm more of an expert on India and China than most Americans. and i'm proud of that. so i'd be pretty hypocritical if I were to list this in things I don't like. i'd just add that I don't really claim to be an "expert" and that do everything I can to limit the paternalism inherent in my "anthropoligical gaze"
Having Two Last Names
sure, why not? down with patriarchy!
Microbreweries
i've learned to appreciate these more thanks to my beer snob friends in grad school.
Wine
i'm no connoisseur, but having grown up near the california wine country and been served wine at countless events at Harvard, i've gained a healthy appreciation for wine. especially a nice Pinot Noir or Pinot Grigio.
Awareness
awareness of what? awareness of things I don't agree with probably isn't so good. but in general I believe society is not informed enough, so if awareness means people will be more informed, i'd say it's a good thing
Mos Def
I didn't really know anything about him until I saw Be Kind Rewind. He's really likable.
Manhattan (now Brooklyn too!)
along with San Francisco, New York is probably my favorite city in the U.S. i've been there dozens of times and I never get tired of the city. the neighborhoods, the restaurants, the businesses, the skyline.
Not having a TV
the internet has supplanted television as my preferred medium of information and entertainment. in grad school, i didn't have a tv. i've got one now, but i mostly use it for election coverage. i'm very much against those giant flatscreen tvs. huge waste of energy and money, imho.
Marijuana
it's one of the most useful and oldest plants in human history. the fact that the DEA classifies marijuana in the same category as hard drugs like cocaine is a farce. alcohol and tobacco, both 100% legal, are responsible for millions of deaths and social destruction. marijuana has never caused a single death, ever. sure, like anything, it can be abused. but most marijuana users are responsible members of society. a lot of the best music, artwork, film, and books have been created with marijuana's help.
Architecture
while most of what is built is banal and homogeneous, i do appreciate a cool building. a cool building is public art at its best.
The Daily Show
while I don't like the Colbert Report, I do like the Daily Show. i don't "get most of my news from it" like some people reportedly do, but I think Jon Stewart is brilliant and intellectual and is excellent at using politicians' own words to expose their hypocrisies.
Apple Products
i've used apple products my entire life. i've never owned a PC.
Sushi
i do like it, yum yum yum.
Public Radio
goes with non-profits
Asian Fusion Food
i like asian food and i like food in general, so of course i like asian fusion food.
The Sunday New York Times
well, not just the sunday times specifically. i read the times everyday. online.
Arts Degress
sometimes i do wonder if they're really worthwhile, but i got two of them so i guess i'd better put this in my "like" column.
Whole Foods and Grocery Co-ops
sometimes i get annoyed that whole foods is so damn expensive, and feel bad that most people are priced out, but i do like the stuff they sell. grocery co-ops seem like a great idea, but unfortuantely i don't know of any near my house.
Expensive Sandwiches
well, i'm not crazy about things that are expensive for the sake of being expensive. but i'm presuming that if a sandwich is expensive, it's probably for a good reason: like that it's made from high quality ingredients. and chances are, even an expensive sandwich is cheaper than a lot of other foods.
Recycling
of course. it infuriates me when i'm out and can't find a recyling bin.
Michel Gondry
i'm not infatuated with him like some people are, but of the stuff i've seen by him, it's pretty cool
Study Abroad
i never got to do this myself, but i wish i had. and i've been making up for it by traveling.
Threatening to Move to Canada
this one makes me chuckly. i've definitely threatened to do this. in 2000, and again in 2004. i never actually, and now that obama is going to be president, i guess i don't have to threaten it anymore.
Musical Comedy
i did musical theater for years.
Multilingual Children
good plan.
Living by the Water
i've lived most of my life in the San Francisco Bay Area, and four years in Boston, so I guess I like living by the water.
Sarah Silverman
i saw her when she came to Penn State and thought she was pretty funny. sometimes her little kid voice gets old, though.
Natural Medicine
i'm for an all-of-the-above philsophy when it comes to health and healing
Bicycles
i love bicycles. they're fun. they're healthy. and they are an excellent form of transportation.
Vintage
i don't really wear a lot of vintage, but i do like shopping at second-hand stores and thrift stores.
Graduate School
well I decided last year that a master's was enough and that I didn't want a PhD, so maybe I'm not as crazy about grad school as some people. but i had a pretty good time while i was there.
Hating Corporations
ha ha, a common refrain in my parlance, definitely. i've been schooled by some pretty leftist scholars and based on what i've learned, i'm pretty skeptical of corporate power in general. that said, i've learned to temper my resentment of corporations with by acknowledging that corporations are not always inherently evil, and that there is a growing trend towards greater social and environmental responsibility in corporations. a lot of this is just superficial or marketing, however, so we have to be vigilant and hold them to the fire. but given the amount of power corporations have in today's world, my pragmatic take is that as a social activist, i can't just fight against them my whole life. we're going to have to work with corporations. sometimes that may be a lot to swallow, and i'll probably go back and forth on this my whole life. it's definitely something i spend a lot of time thinking about.
The Wire
it's true, i do love this show. so much has already been written about the show and how brilliant, complex, realistic, and empathetic it is, so i won't repeat it all here. i just want to say that the show has given me a lot of new perspectives and forced me to question a lot of stereotypes i may have once held about police and drug dealers.
Dinner Parties
dinner is good, parties are good, socializing is good.
San Francisco
i grew up here, so of course i love it. i'm very proud of the fact that San Francisco is one of the most liberal places in America.
Free Healthcare
we need universal health care in this country. the system as it stands now is a travesty.
Being the only white person around
this one makes me chuckle too. i wrote about this phenomenon in my master's thesis which examined white tourists in India. i think this attitude is problematic. for some people, being the only white person around gives them a sense of added "authenticity" or adventure, a sense of being truly unique. but the funny thing is that in order to get recognition for their feats, they need to return to places with other white people in order to tell their stories about being off in some remote, exotic village with no other white people around. i will admit that sometimes it's fun to travel to places where there aren't other white people around. but i try not to glorify it like some travelers do. and i don't seek it out or think it makes me special. and i would never ever claim to have been "the first white person" to "discover" some place. i came across this claim often in my master's research, and i think i can safely say that there are very few places on earth where no white person has ever been. remember, this world experienced several centuries of colonialism.
The Ivy League
well, i went to Harvard so i guess i need to put this in my "like" column (although sometimes i think Harvard's ego is over-inflated)
Grammar
yes, i do think grammar is important. i don't necessarily go around correcting peoples' poor grammar, but it can grate on me.
Bumper Stickers
i got multiple ones on my car
Being Offended
i'm highly opinionated. therefore it should come as no surprise that a lot of what i read in the news offends me.
Sweaters
i do like sweaters.
i was one of the first people on facebook when it started out as just a dorm phenomenon at harvard in the winter of 2004. today it's clogged with all sorts of annoying myspace-esque features, which i've mostly avoided.
Vegan/Vegetarianism
i'm not a vegan or vegetarian myself, but i admire those who are (like my sister). i agree with all the reasons for being vegetarian: environmental, social, health, moral. i just like the taste of meat too much. i try to buy free-range, grass-fed, organic meat as opposed to factory farmed. humans have been eating meat for eons, so i think its okay to do it, as long as we do it responsibly.
posted by Matthew Hartzell at 10:58 PM
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