Twitter trend #onlywhitepeople pokes fun at white stereotypes
(CBS / What's Trending) Twitter users took to their keypads today and entered a territory once inhabited only by the fearless stand up comedian. The hashtag #onlywhitepeople -- through which users describe what they think only white people would do -- is the top trending topic on Twitter.
The hashtag was first used 10 months ago by user @B__Ashley, according to WhatTheTrend.com.The inaugural tweet was vague and harmless, and it was likely unknown to the user that the trend would go viral.
It's also safe to assume that the idea was born from the Twitter account @OnlyWhitePeople or the popular website Stuff White People Like, which lists Farmer's Markets, Microbreweries and writer David Sedaris among the many things white people enjoy. The site and founder Christian Lander -- like #onlywhitepeople -- have been labeled offensive and perpetuators of racism.
But Lander (who is white, by the way) thinks otherwise. In a 2009 interview with CNN, Lander claimed his list doesn't consist of stereotypes but "valid observations ... on this idea of yuppie." He makes clear that he isn't talking about all white people but rather the subcultures of the affluent and hipster.
Some comments were seemingly harmless, noting cultural differences ("#onlywhitepeople watch Jersey Shore and try to GTL").Others ... not so much. For now at least, it seems that comedians and people of all races are the driving force behind this trend.