#20 Being an expert on YOUR culture
January 23, 2008 by clander
White people are pretty conflicted about their culture. On one hand, they are proud of the art, literature, and film produced by white culture. But at the same time, they are very ashamed of all the bad things in white culture: the KKK, colonialism, slavery, Jim Crow laws, feudalism, and the treatment of native americans.
One way they can make up for it is becoming marginally acquainted with foreign cultures. It is generally acceptable for a white person to learn a few terms in a language spoken primary by non-whites (such as Chinese, Tagalog or Portuguese). They can then use these phrases to order certain ‘more authentic’ dishes in restaurants.
White people can also take passing interest in film, politics, music or art from these countries. When they actually meet someone from that country, or at least who has parents from that country they cannot wait to engage you in all the details that they have learned.
“Have you heard the new Andy Lau CD? It’s awesome!”
It is imperative that you recognize how special and unique this white person is for knowing about your culture. Acceptable responses include “Wow, I’ve never seen a white person order chicken feet,” or “How did you find about that film? I didn’t think they had dubbed it yet.”
These responses will fill white people with that self satisfaction they need. Also, they consider a reminder that they are not racist, which also makes them feel terrific.
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I’m white-Malaysian, so I feel like I can fence-sit this issue. Sometimes I meet Pakistanis and go “Hey! Kya hal hei? Acha?” and get scorned looks, and sometimes people come up to me and go “You’re Malaysian? Apa khabar?” and I shoot them some scorned looks myself.
*sigh* What’s a half-white to do? I half-like your list btw, good job.
Kazakh opinion here…
I went to university in United States. At first I couldn’t believe how many people had actually heard of Kazakhstan (I had been imagining Americans are not very knowledgeable about foreign countries.)
….. and then I realised it was all from the movie Borat, and that their idea of it is completely wrong. Very often they were surprised that I am not white…. (apparently, Borat was white, although most of our population is central Asian genetic ancestry and look similar to Mongolian). They were surprised also that we speak Russian more than we speak Kazakh. They were also surprised we do not hate Jewish people, do not all live in little villages, that Almaty and Astana are as modernised as their big cities and – have high-rise buildings and nightclubs and fancy advertising too. Almost no one knew where it actually is and had to ask if it is part of Russia…
But the worst part was when they thought my country is, told me how my country should be, and criticised the customs and politics based on one or two sentences I told them, when they didn’t even know a thing about it five minutes before. Amazing amount of ignorance…
you’re surprised by white people not know anything about your country?!!
Well try this: White people don’t know anything about the non-whites that live among them HERE in these United States!
Up until November 5th, 2008, the definition of white america had been self centeredness. Period.
if it ain’t white, it is not needed to be known. Borat was before our presidential election. It seems that after the election that whites are more receptive and curious about people who are not like themselves. And it helped that our president looks like only 12% of all of the american population.
This may be a little off topic but… why isn’t Barnes & Nobles on the list of thing white people like? lol. yeah this is all too true, but then again i must be white too, cause i do the same thing… tbh like most black folks born and raise in the US, idk wth is my genealogical ethnicity. I just know I’m mostly black… i just may have some white in me. thank you cultural discontent and the forced diffusion of many races due to the birth of America!!!
so far, so true. I’m loving your site
still i must say, being european and white, portuguese is a white language. i know americans use latino’s to speak about portuguese and spanish speaking countries including portugal and spain. In europe, we consider ourselves white.
but still… great site, great writing i haven’t stop laughing yet.
just a small adjustment from a portuguese (white) girl.
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