Stuff White People Dislike: When Free Things Aren't Free
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Like (YOU MIGHT HAVE NOTICED, Dear Reader, that the Internet is a vast and wonderful place. Every newspaper is duplicated in full on the Internet, as are many books. Recipes, essays, comedy routines, existential crises ... there's so much to read on the Internet. So whose idea was it to take something that is already ON the Internet and put it into an actual paper book? That person clearly hates forests and wants to use as much of them as possible. That person is the living embodiment of the poison monster from "Fern Gully: The Last Rainforest" who tried to kill all the fairies. That person is singlehandedly destroying the world.
That person is responsible for "Stuff White People Like." Not the Web site (yes, the one that was popular for 20 minutes or so a month ago), but the book. This is what happens when struggling industries that shall remain nameless but we're talking about publishing here try to harness the awesome power of the Internet. They pick stupid flash-in-the-pan Web sites and give their creators book deals that provide fodder for another round of lame graduation gifts from people who clearly don't know you.
Is the book different from the Web site, you ask? More jokes? More...something? No. Your $14 buys you something that has been on the Internet for a month, something you could go to RIGHT NOW and look at for free. This monumentally clever tome lists 150 thing white people like, including film festivals (#3), '80s night (#29), and the Sunday New York Times (#46). And yes, I am white. And yes, I like all those things. OH GOD, THEY KNOW ME SO WELL. OH GOD, MY IDENTITY, IT IS LAID BARE. #50 on the list? Irony. I guess I'm white.
Addison Road
Ah, come on, don't be such a spoilsport. This is a good, fun idea that has tipped off some interesting conversation and I would say it is to this day quite popular on the web, more so than other websites that shall go unmentioned, by this I mean readexpress.com, and I say more power to them with the book launch.
In the end, publishing can't help but reflect what's hot on the Net. This book will no doubt sell well for the reason that people like to have books. They're handy. You can take them to the park, give em out as gifts.
By Jimmy , Posted June 24, 2008 9:23 AM- Not everyone reads blogs
By Catsandbeer.com , Posted July 1, 2008 1:56 PM- Some people like reading books