Why do white people smell funny?

During the four years I lived in Asia, 'local' people would frequently ask me this question. My answer was "cheese". What do you think?

[edit on 15-10-2006 by deessell]

[edit on 15-10-2006 by deessell]

lol heard we smell of milk and cheese, i guess we are what we eat, or at least smell that way,

not sure i like the idea of smelling like Edam but hey!

this is a racist thread i want ats to give this guy a warning im just joking around , its hard to piss white people off when it comes to racism towards them. white people are the ones who invented racism anyways arent they?

if this thread said why do black people, mexicans , or asians ...smell funny, it would have some terrible responses.

please lets not start a race war .

peace

Just to make this clear -- I am white and I am a woman. When I lived in Asia, they would ask me about the funny 'white person smell'.

Well I was'nt aware we smelled funny first off.


I've never heard anyone say this before, and I've known alot of people
from other countries who've emigrated here.


But perhaps it's our hygiene practices, I mean generally yes we are
clean, but how many people shower atleast once a day, wear deoderant
all the time, and brush their teeth 3 times a day.
Oh, and I shower 1-2 times a day, brush my teeth once usually,
and wear deoderant whenever I'm going to be in public.

Maybe it's that we tend to wear cologne or perfume to.


Or, just maybe it's the weight thing.

Most white people are western European or American, and in America
especially alot of people are overweight or obese, and maybe it's the
smells and nastiness in between the layers of fat that does'nt get as
clean.

It's a gross thing to think about, but it's true, alot of my family was
obese, and alot of kids at my school are to, and they tend to not
smell so good.

[edit on 10/16/2006 by iori_komei]

Well,the "white person smell" is supposedly the smell of wet dogs when they are wet in the rain. Native american's tell of stories that when it would rain,they could smell the white men coming before they got there. So relax,its not a hygiene thing or whatever

Now that i think about it,its actually quite a common thing known throughout black/hispanic communities.

www.amazon.com...

Is a good read if you get the chance.

[edit on 16-10-2006 by spanishcaravan]

Ha! I can't believe that someone has written a book on this. This is unbelievable -- I wonder if it is available in other languages?

*steps out of Gucci Envy bath*

Hrm??

I didn't know we smell. We smell like cheese? This does nothing for my self-image.

*steps back into Gucci Envy bath*

I'm so going to ask every person of another race if I smell like cheese. The horror! I eat brie!

Originally posted by niteboy82

I'm so going to ask every person of another race if I smell like cheese. The horror! I eat brie!

Well I guess that would smell better than Limburger!

That being said, I guess It would stand to reason that we may have a peculiar smell. I think Asian people have their own odd smell....I think it relates to all the ginger that they eat. No offense intended

Originally posted by spanishcaravan
Well,the "white person smell" is supposedly the smell of wet dogs when they are wet in the rain. Native american's tell of stories that when it would rain,they could smell the white men coming before they got there.

This is true, and is the "smell" talked about.

Much like people from the middle east and the asian subcontinent (india/bangladesh/pakistan) have a more distinct 'persperation smell', nice way of saying an odor from sweat of the armpit and other areas of the body.

I was told they don't believe in keeping such ANAL hygiene practices as mainstream USA whilst living here, and because of it they may not wear deoderant, or as much, or wash quite as often, or rather wash their pits quite as often. I'm really not sure which it is, but theres no insult here, its just a distinct musty smell and you all know what im talking about. Typically you wil catch a whiff when buying something at a store or in the mall where there is a Cashier of this nationality and he extends his arm to hand you your change or merchandise; this is when I usually smell it. The local headshops where they sell pipes and incense and rolling papers/blunts, this is where I smell it most commonly. They also sell big ole middle eastern hookah water pipes.. but they're a bit expensive.

Now white people have this smell, im white, im a mixed descendant of Anglo-Saxon(English), Germanic, Swedish/Gothi, and Celtic(Irish) with 'Nordic' features (long face/noze, green eyes) and my hair is very fine and straight, much like certain species of Dogs. Hehe. And when it gets wet, naturally it gives off a smell like when those Dogs with similar hair structure get wet. This is what I think is from excessive grease in the hair, when combined with the water, producing some odd smell like that. Because dirty white people who dont wash much, their hair stinks alot more like Dog when it is wet, as compared to say, my hair. My hair, clean, only smells like a wet Dog somewhat, its not something ppl a few feet away can smell. I think this is from regular shampooing of the hair. The example given about the Indians smelling the Wet, White men coming, sounds credible. Back then, washing the hair was pretty rare, at least in comparison to today's washing 'standards', and I could imagine they REAKED of wet Dog when it rained on them, oh geez I bet it was quite bad too. Stick 500 of them together, then I bet you could smell that same scent DOWNWIND up to a mile away..

God Bless the Native Americans.. without them we would not have Corn and Tobacco! I mean, two awesome things.. no doubt about it. How'd you like to live life with no cigarettes/cigars, no chew, nada, as well as no cornbread, no cornmeal, no sweet corn in a bowl, no sweet corn on the cob, no kellog's CORNFLAKES.. i mean come on..

This right here, USA, must be the land of tha good and the plenty, the milk and the honey. It' s just that .. the Bible doesn't describe it that way at all. Hmm.. its a sham! the Devil has the rug over our eyes! Quick get plastered!

:w:

[edit on 10/16/2006 by runetang]

Wow, that was impressive. I worked with a guy once (a whitie) who was very aware of people's smells, infact he used his 'gift' as he called it to suss people out. I was deemed trustworthy so I can assume I give off a 'safe' smell.

this thread is hilarious!

I don't know why, but it does seem to be a true phenomenon. I know I think blacks have a certain smell and I hear blacks think whites smell funny, especially when wet



[edit on 10/16/2006 by djohnsto77]