Gee, why not just complain, "hey, he didn't mention MC Hammer. Or Run DMC. Wack!"
I could honestly care less that he chose Puff -- although he seemed to do so in order to keep the Gatsby theme going.
And I agree with his general point -- that white culture is on the decline in terms of visibility. Where I disagree -- vehemently so -- is that white culture boils down to "non-culture," WASP culture, and working-class culture. Two words: Harry Potter.
Gee, why not just complain, "hey, he didn't mention MC Hammer. Or Run DMC. Wack!"
I could honestly care less that he chose Puff -- although he seemed to do so in order to keep the Gatsby theme going.
And I agree with his general point -- that white culture is on the decline in terms of visibility. Where I disagree -- vehemently so -- is that white culture boils down to "non-culture," WASP culture, and working-class culture. Two words: Harry Potter.
I thought we're talking about America.
If Harry Potter is your example of a thriving Caucasoid culture - more power to you.
Gee, why not just complain, "hey, he didn't mention MC Hammer. Or Run DMC. Wack!"
I could honestly care less that he chose Puff -- although he seemed to do so in order to keep the Gatsby theme going.
And I agree with his general point -- that white culture is on the decline in terms of visibility. Where I disagree -- vehemently so -- is that white culture boils down to "non-culture," WASP culture, and working-class culture. Two words: Harry Potter.
I thought we're talking about America.
If Harry Potter is your example of a thriving Caucasoid culture - more power to you.
I'm sorry -- are the release of Puff's albums -- any hip-hop album? -- a cultural moment in Europe or anywhere else in the world? Didn't think so.
But fine, I'll concede the point that Harry Potter had no cultural pull among American white children over the past decade. Same with "LOTR" or "Spiderman" or "Batman."
In terms of popular culture, which is what we're really talking about, I'll agree with the writer that white culture doesn't blanket the horizon like it used to, and I'm fine with that. But to suggest that white people are void of culture or that the culture we do produce is WASP culture and working-class culture is pretty insulting to me.
Since when does "White America" include a British wizard or Tolkien? That must be news to people over in the UK.
The article, if I'm not mistaken, is called "The Death of White America", i.e. the end of Whiteness as an American racial identity/culture. Not "The Death of Stuff That White People Around the World Seem to Like."
And hip-hop hasn't represented a cultural movement around the world? Where have you been the last 30 years?
Since when does "White America" include a British wizard or Tolkien? That must be news to people over in the UK.
since people were tagging 'Frodo Lives' on subways in the 70s and people lined up in burgundy and yellow striped scarves at midnight outside of Barnes and Noble for the last 5 years. Oh, and there's also that sweep of the Oscars in 2003.
Since when does "White America" include a British wizard or Tolkien? That must be news to people over in the UK.
since people were tagging 'Frodo Lives' on subways in the 70s and people lined up in burgundy and yellow striped scarves at midnight outside of Barnes and Noble for the last 5 years. Oh, and there's also that sweep of the Oscars in 2003.
That's not the same thing as claiming that it represents something fundamental about White identity. Correct me if I'm wrong, but was LOTR popular exclusively among white people and consciously so?
I'm thinking: no.
It just seems weird to think that Harry Potter or LOTR were uniquely White American phenoms since their popularity transcended race and nation.
Since when does "White America" include a British wizard or Tolkien? That must be news to people over in the UK.
since people were tagging 'Frodo Lives' on subways in the 70s and people lined up in burgundy and yellow striped scarves at midnight outside of Barnes and Noble for the last 5 years. Oh, and there's also that sweep of the Oscars in 2003.
That's not the same thing as claiming that it represents something fundamental about White identity. Correct me if I'm wrong, but was LOTR popular exclusively among white people and consciously so?
I'm thinking: no.
It just seems weird to think that Harry Potter or LOTR were uniquely White American phenoms since their popularity transcended race and nation.
I see what you're saying. I was only skimming the last page, so didn't glean that distinction in the discussion. Yeah, I agree with the 'fundamental about white identity' but all that says is that HP and LOTR were really poor examples in this argument. Not saying you chose them. I think there are very few 'exclusively white' experiences in America these days. Maybe golf, skiing or yachting, but even then those aren't totally exclusive.
Since when does "White America" include a British wizard or Tolkien? That must be news to people over in the UK.
The article, if I'm not mistaken, is called "The Death of White America", i.e. the end of Whiteness as an American racial identity/culture. Not "The Death of Stuff That White People Around the World Seem to Like."
And hip-hop hasn't represented a cultural movement around the world? Where have you been the last 30 years?
I don't think you're getting my point at all -- and I've repeated it a few times now.
Again, I've conceded at least twice that white American culture no longer defines American culture like it used to. Where I'm disagreeing with your friend is his claim that white people have no culture and are contributing nothing to American culture or, if they do, that it's WASP culture or working-class culture, both connected to white anxiety.
Comments
hahaha
oh man this guy
bwhwahhaahahhhaha
Eh, maybe I should have said people I went to high school with. Your local white experience might have been different.
I could honestly care less that he chose Puff -- although he seemed to do so in order to keep the Gatsby theme going.
And I agree with his general point -- that white culture is on the decline in terms of visibility. Where I disagree -- vehemently so -- is that white culture boils down to "non-culture," WASP culture, and working-class culture. Two words: Harry Potter.
If Harry Potter is your example of a thriving Caucasoid culture - more power to you.
I'm sorry -- are the release of Puff's albums -- any hip-hop album? -- a cultural moment in Europe or anywhere else in the world? Didn't think so.
But fine, I'll concede the point that Harry Potter had no cultural pull among American white children over the past decade. Same with "LOTR" or "Spiderman" or "Batman."
In terms of popular culture, which is what we're really talking about, I'll agree with the writer that white culture doesn't blanket the horizon like it used to, and I'm fine with that. But to suggest that white people are void of culture or that the culture we do produce is WASP culture and working-class culture is pretty insulting to me.
The article, if I'm not mistaken, is called "The Death of White America", i.e. the end of Whiteness as an American racial identity/culture. Not "The Death of Stuff That White People Around the World Seem to Like."
And hip-hop hasn't represented a cultural movement around the world? Where have you been the last 30 years?
since people were tagging 'Frodo Lives' on subways in the 70s and people lined up in burgundy and yellow striped scarves at midnight outside of Barnes and Noble for the last 5 years. Oh, and there's also that sweep of the Oscars in 2003.
That's not the same thing as claiming that it represents something fundamental about White identity. Correct me if I'm wrong, but was LOTR popular exclusively among white people and consciously so?
I'm thinking: no.
It just seems weird to think that Harry Potter or LOTR were uniquely White American phenoms since their popularity transcended race and nation.
I see what you're saying. I was only skimming the last page, so didn't glean that distinction in the discussion. Yeah, I agree with the 'fundamental about white identity' but all that says is that HP and LOTR were really poor examples in this argument. Not saying you chose them. I think there are very few 'exclusively white' experiences in America these days. Maybe golf, skiing or yachting, but even then those aren't totally exclusive.
I don't think you're getting my point at all -- and I've repeated it a few times now.
Again, I've conceded at least twice that white American culture no longer defines American culture like it used to. Where I'm disagreeing with your friend is his claim that white people have no culture and are contributing nothing to American culture or, if they do, that it's WASP culture or working-class culture, both connected to white anxiety.