B.C. Premier Christy Clark has responded to a blog post that called Vancouver "mind-numbingly boring," insisting that "boring" just means everything is working well in the scenic city.
In a tweet, Clark responded to a blog post from The Economist magazine that suggested as cities become increasingly livable, they also become less interesting.
According to the blog, Vancouver is “pleasant,” but also “mind-numbingly boring.”
In response to the post, Clark tweeted: "Relax Vancouver. I get called boring too. It means things work. Besides, can't argue with The Economist. They're experts on boring."
Relax Vancouver. I get called boring too. It means things work. Besides, can't argue with The Economist. They're experts on boring.
— Christy Clark (@christyclarkbc) May 27, 2015
In the blog post, an Economist writer going by the name "B.R." writes about how megacities like London and New York have undergone transformations, becoming safer, cleaner and more pleasant -- but also less interesting.
"I think of London, my own home town," the author writes. "Here too, the Tube is now far safer and more reliable than it ever was. Walking through the streets of Soho at midnight one isn't constantly looking over one’s shoulder, worrying about who is following; or being propositioned by a prostitute on every corner. Going for a night out in Brixton or Shoreditch, once a daring pursuit, is no longer the edgy experience it once was.
"All of which means that day-to-day business in London, like New York, is now a much nicer experience. But, here's the thing: where is the fun in nice?"
The author said reports that consistently rank a city's "livability" – where Vancouver consistently ranks among the most livable cities on the planet -- tend to focus on factors like safety, transportation, and housing, which means that the most inoffensive and "anodyne" cities inevitably rise to the top.
"What right-minded person would rank Vienna a better city than Rio, or Vancouver preferable to Paris?" the author asks.
The author concludes by saying that while they love the "idea" of grimier past versions of New York and London, they wouldn't actually choose to live there if given the chance to live in the cleaner versions of today.
