Being a Canadian by birth and having grown-up in Vancouver most of my life, you would think that political correctness has been so steeply ingrained in me that I wouldn't bat an eyelash confronting it face to face.

From time to time, I get a kick out of PC-awareness websites and get a laugh or get angry at the sheer crassness of racism. But then at the same token I get stunned by the level of political correctness thrown at people by those I think need to get a sharper (and meaner) sense of humour. 

And so Western Coastal Canada, being the breeding ground/hotbed of environmentalism (which I support), vegetarianism (which I am on and off depending on the year and how bored I get), women's rights (which I also support) anti-racism (duh! I support), and gay rights (to which I am rather admittedly ambivalent but in no way disenfranchise), actually bothers me.

Vancouver in the 70's/80's was a different place. Back then, there was rampant racism, there were anti-forestry demonstrations, and a sense of "Us vs. Them", with "them" meaning east-coast corporate conservatives.

It's TOO clean here. There is no edginess here, no sense of conflict as everyone here is on the same side. Everyone is the same militant, PC-spouting trooper as the next person. In fact, I think there are some anti-PC people here but they are too cowed by the model majority that they don't make their virulence known and get thrown out.

Is there something wrong with that? You bet there is. Without conflict, without seeing (and understanding) the other side, a lot of stuff gets thrown to the wayside. Namely, a sense of humour about the nasty things in life, the point of view of people who don't have a choice, and grayness that defines what living is all about.

Plus, naked women in a shop window is not necessarily a bad thing, like those 7-story high nude models in the department stores of Ginza. =)

Okay, this is not going to be popular post but maybe I should congratulate Vancouver. Well done, you've so overcome the need for throwing a brick through the window that you need to see why you do things like that again.

Complacency leads to apathy.  And this place was never meant to be apathetic.