We’d heard there was a New Yorker writer in town a few months ago working on a piece about Vancouver. It’s out now. It’s main job seems to be to continue circulating the catchy narrative about Vancouver.
As always, in my role as chief grump and nitpicker, I thought it could have had a tiny bit more context — i.e. more than a quarter of Vancouver’s 600,000 residents are Chinese and many people are not like this — and, oh, some actual numbers besides the same old partial ones as always.
But that’s just me. Your thoughts on what you learned, or didn’t, from this piece?
45 responses so far ↓
1 sthrendyle // Feb 15, 2016 at 4:56 pm
In fact, most of the stories about Asian buyers that I’ve read in the MSM have been dry, analytical talking head pieces that are really just inside baseball for planners, demographers, and real estate agents. This story puts names to faces, owners to sports cars, and filled in a lot of blanks that we kind of ‘imagine’ life to be like, but which instead boggle our racist minds with just how out of touch our lives are with those of the Asian super-rich. Like, doesn’t the Vancouver media have a Mandarin-speaking journalist/writer who can ‘hang out’ with these gals and report on ‘the goods’ (well, I guess there’s NUVO)…Then again, I live in North Vancouver; where all the lululemon moms are wheeling their strollers to Delany’s and the singles all meet at the Grouse Nest after bounding up The Grind in 50 minutes. That is, if we’re talking popular Vancouver memes.
2 JP // Feb 15, 2016 at 8:38 pm
The voices of actual people themselves is a nice change
3 Look Deeper // Feb 16, 2016 at 12:01 am
“Thom was alarmed that consumption has effectively replaced production as Vancouver’s growth industry. “The city has become a hotel,” he said.”
A disturbing observation from a very smart man. As a resident, this is one of the most troubling long term issues for our City. We can only hope that the international movement of large amounts of capital will wane or at least reach some workable equilibrium. The worlds’ super rich (from where ever) are sloshing in amounts of cash that defy understanding at a the level of personal consumption. Full credit to those like Buffet, Gates, Musk, etc that are putting most of their huge financial resources to productive use.
4 Kirk // Feb 16, 2016 at 1:02 am
One of the men in this New Yorker article says he owns a Vancouver compost company. Soon I’ll be paying a 10 cent deposit on my coffee cups so he can buy another Aston Martin.
5 Keith // Feb 16, 2016 at 4:37 am
I learned you can work a lifetime as an architect, win this many awards:
http://bingthomarchitects.com/studio/awards/
+ an order of Canada, and the money you make owning a house in Vancouver will trump the financial success of your business.
6 Kirk // Feb 16, 2016 at 10:52 am
“My son bought a house ten years ago.”
“Wow, you must be proud! He made good choices about his future when he was young. My daughter became a doctor. She lives in our basement. Is he single?”
7 maya // Feb 16, 2016 at 1:23 pm
Interesting to hear the kids of the “astronaut” families feel more connected to Vancouver than Asia and that they plan to start businesses here. That is good news.
8 logan5 // Feb 16, 2016 at 3:43 pm
This part made me laugh –
Kevin asked the women about the potential difficulties of dating outside their class. There was a slight pause before Diana ventured, “It can be hard. I’ve done it before and it’s just”—she took a second to smooth out her bangs—“just awkward and uncomfortable for everyone.”
9 Kirk // Feb 16, 2016 at 5:23 pm
Govt should allow RESP to be used for downpayment. It helps children prepare for their future better than an education.
10 sthrendyle // Feb 17, 2016 at 10:10 am
Exactly. Now, what is the name of that magazine so that freelance writers can get a piece of the action?
11 cyclewrite // Feb 19, 2016 at 5:35 pm
I personally don’t have a problem with people who work hard for their (high) income or at least live a wealthy lifestyle that doesn’t need to be flaunted or even talked about much at all. After all, these women granted interviews. They didn’t need to. To me, it’s just fuelling the narcissistic fueurdai mentality who find it difficult to socialize meaningfully outside of their social class (re: dating question). Pam is impressive. She will do well because of her work ethic and not taking things for granted at all –her entitled wealth could vanish/dwindle rapidly if she doesn’t “earn” herself and if her benefactors are no longer alive.
From a Chinese-Canadian born in Canada, daughter of restaurant immigrant cook, and one of 6 children. Now living a middle-class life and earning money all her life, giving money to her parents.
12 Morven // Feb 19, 2016 at 10:26 pm
If we wanted evidence that Vancouver had become an economic and cultural enclave distinct from the rest of Canada, then this article seems to provide that.
13 Chris Keam // Feb 20, 2016 at 10:48 am
“I personally don’t have a problem with people who work hard for their (high) income or at least live a wealthy lifestyle that doesn’t need to be flaunted or even talked about much at all.”
People like that are destroying our environment. We should call them out for that instead of giving them a pass. Public disgust and condemnation of conspicuous consumption would do wonders for the planet.
“After all, these women granted interviews. They didn’t need to.”
They did need to. Without media attention their claim to fame disappears.
14 cyclewrite // Feb 20, 2016 at 12:54 pm
We all know that… conspicuous consumers are centuries old problem. You know if it came from me, it would just look like internal envy harping. I just feel sorry for the gals desperate for flashy attention….one day the young, beautiful and rich…..become aging tigresses that no one cares, wants to take advantage of them financially unless they start giving back to the local community productively.
15 Everyman // Feb 20, 2016 at 5:45 pm
I fear we let typical Canadian politeness and fear of being labelled a racist stop us from properly addressing this problem and now it’s too late. Now our politicians just mindlessly mouth platitudes, too fearful of upsetting the real estate apple cart to act. As Bing Thom alluded to, Vancouver has become a city without an economy built on anything meaningful.
16 Norman12 // Feb 20, 2016 at 8:31 pm
Chairman Mao must be turning in his grave. Millions labour so these caricatures can trot about?
17 jenables // Feb 21, 2016 at 8:06 am
Omg. Total agreement with you, ck., in regards to the whole consumer culture we are awash in. I feel like this materialism is eating away at the soul of the city (not to mention what it is doing on a larger scale to the planet) and it hurts to witness, really. I agree with the idea to call out this behaviour instead of accepting it as normal, although I think what cyclewrite was saying was that a high income that is earned is not inherently problematic, but the behaviour exhibited by this program is. I’m halfway through watching “the century of the self” right now, have you checked out this documentary series?
18 jenables // Feb 21, 2016 at 8:07 am
Cyclewrite, I disagree that conspicuous consumers are a centuries old problem, although I share your pity for these women, but for different reasons. I don’t feel sorry for them because they’ll be old one day, and by your evaluation, worthless without beauty. I actively resist that idea whenever I encounter it. You certainly wouldn’t say that about a man, would you? I feel sorry for them because it appears so much of their lives and self worth are wrapped up in stupid, shallow luxury goods that I just don’t give a shit about. There’s a chance that I’m wrong, that this really is “Just who they are” and not a conscious attempt to showcase to society that these expensive things set them apart and give them esteem, but that runs counter to the message of the program, doesn’t it?
19 cyclewrite // Feb 21, 2016 at 8:20 am
Their behaviour at this time in their lives, show otherwise: flamboyant –just as they are. I would say the same thing of a wealthy chap who isn’t working yet healthy, able-bodied, reasonably intelligent but frittering money away.
It’s a world I (and probably many of us) can’t relate to. Or maybe part of it is a partial façade for journalism and reality TV.
Of course, it’s a centuries old problem: how ridiculous…very wealthy not giving much/anything to their community runs through all societies and cultures. I’m not here to philosophically defend these women or men. Waste of time.
Let me bike off (even though I choose not have a car nor drive) to my coffee which I should save money for other things.
20 jenables // Feb 21, 2016 at 8:43 am
I didn’t have a car for the last two months, and busing was a colossal pain in the ass. Thank god that’s over, I have wheels again, my freedom is back! The part I disagreed with was that over consumption or conspicuous consumption was centuries-old. Very few people could afford or had the mindset to buy excessive crap before the twentieth century. If we are talking about wealthy people not contributing to community I could agree with that statement but given the means of production before the industrial age (and the general mindset in the beginning stages of it) I disagree that rampant consumerism has always been an issue.
When I said “you wouldn’t say this about a man” I was referring to your comment where you specifically said the young and beautiful would become aging tigresses that no one cares about. Even in mentioning the wealthy chap you don’t mention his physical appearance, focusing more on his physical, able bodied state. .Do you see the difference?
21 jenables // Feb 21, 2016 at 9:09 am
UGH… I used to work at Delany’s in Edgemont, many years ago. Robin Delany, still wearing spandex from his run, laid a hand on my shoulder and told me I could earn an extra quarter an hour if I became a crew chief. (Just like at McDonald’s!) I nearly told him to fuck off then and there, but I quit a few weeks later instead. The idea that one should take on extra responsibility for literally two dollars extra a day has never sat well with me, not to mention I worked mornings and they were already extremely gruelling.
22 Chris Keam // Feb 21, 2016 at 10:39 am
Thanks for the doc recommendation. I will try to check it out.
“high income that is earned is not inherently problematic”
I’m ambivalent on this point, but do believe it’s a very useful thought experiment to imagine the outcome of a society where it IS inherently problematic. Traditionally we solved this issue on the coast in a fashion, with potlatches.
Do we suddenly lose innovation and inventiveness when the profit motive is removed from the equation? It’s quite likely that the answer is ‘no’. And cultural distaste for avarice and ostentation might be a useful tool in slowing down the consumption of finite natural resources. Food for thought.
23 jenables // Feb 21, 2016 at 3:35 pm
Tbh, I have my reservations about saying it’s not problematic, but the truth is I have never been close to experiencing it personally, not by a long shot. When you are not particularly money driven, you wonder why you don’t care to be. For me personally, I have worked for people who were very wealthy and aside from their beautiful homes, it appears you encounter a whole host of problems especially in the type of people you might attract. I always say the one advantage to having no money is that you never wonder why your friends are your friends. I would love to see more of the world, for sure, but fancy cars and designer bags and clothing hold little appeal. I make half of my clothes as it is and I have an appreciation for things that are well made, but the truth about luxury items today is that most are produced in the same factories overseas where everything else comes from, sometimes being shipped to Italy merely to have a made in Italy tag sewn inside. There’s a book called deluxe: how luxury lost its lustre detailing how all of the unique old brands have been bought out by mega conglomerates and lost the traits that gave them true value along the way. This is not a blanket statement, however.
Watch the documentary, at least the first part – it is a four part series and each is an hour long. It blew me away. I’m excited to check out Adam Curtis’s body of work.
24 Kenji // Feb 22, 2016 at 11:57 am
I thought it was a cute story about young people who are caught between cultures and have a tremendous amount of cash to help deal with it. It’s nothing surprising, alarming, or racist.
25 Kenji // Feb 22, 2016 at 11:57 am
What is the problem?
26 Kenji // Feb 22, 2016 at 12:00 pm
That would be a good thought experiment, sounds like an interesting start of a sci-fi novel and/or university thesis.
27 Kenji // Feb 22, 2016 at 12:03 pm
Rampant consumerism is always an issue, I think it is baked into the DNA. Wherever you go, people accumulate things they can get. The trick now is to have the smarts to NOT acquire, to NOT gorge and hoard.
28 Lysenko's Nemesis // Feb 22, 2016 at 1:29 pm
When were you last in Toronto, there are many people with tons of money from all over the world there.
29 Lysenko's Nemesis // Feb 22, 2016 at 1:36 pm
There’s tons of money in garbage. Metro Vancouver and Gregor himself as head of Metro have decreed that we must separate all the garbage, at our cost. Then all those new shiny venture capitalist garbage trucks will groan around picking up their special bits so green capitalists can process it and then sell it back to us as topsoil. It’s Good for the Planet (TM).
30 Kirk // Feb 22, 2016 at 5:18 pm
I guess the mayor’s target of green industry job growth was slowing down, so he’s mandating a whole new segment of coffee cup recyclers to add another few thousand jobs to the tally.
Don’t call it a tax though! A tax is something the govt imposes, collects, and uses for the public good. The difference here is that the govt will impose, collect, and then give it to a private company.
Hey, no new taxes! And, thousands of new green industry jobs! It’s win-win! Can’t wait for the next great, Greenest City initiative after this one!
We don’t tear down heritage houses and replace them with empty condos. No, we “recycle” heritage houses! And, we build futuristic LEED habitats! This green industry is by far our biggest success!
31 jenables // Feb 23, 2016 at 1:43 am
Baked into the psyche, maybe.
32 jenables // Feb 23, 2016 at 1:47 am
We turn heritage houses into clean burnin’ hog fuel! Which is a bio fuel. Which sounds totally green and organic if you don’t think about what it actually means!
33 Everyman // Feb 24, 2016 at 8:38 pm
Oh you know, just that wee little problem of allowing people who have made millions collaborating with a corrupt oppressive regime buy up our real estate and price locals out of the market.
34 Kirk // Feb 25, 2016 at 11:40 am
It’s evolution. Animals need to stand out from the crowd to secure a mate. We’ve domesticated it out of our brains and behaviour. But, it’s instinctive. Brave New World’s Orgy Porgy.
35 Kenji // Feb 25, 2016 at 4:18 pm
Oh that problem. Well, if that’s true. FINTRAC etc should be onto that. I assume that’s what the cops are for. I was referring to the notion of rich brats running around the city enjoying their lives. That is not a problem in itself.
36 jenables // Feb 26, 2016 at 1:19 am
So, harken back to, let’s say, a feudal serfdom. How was marriage decided then? I’ll offer my able bodied son as a husband for your fertile daughter? Or worse, having to give your daughter over to pay a debt or because your land didn’t produce the required amount. I tend to think practicality and a lack of agency overruled choice for much of history, and certainly continues to in other places in the world today.
Your argument works for our society right now, of course. I’m just not sure consumerism is an innate primal urge.
37 jenables // Feb 26, 2016 at 1:22 am
If you do watch it, please let me know what you think. I’ve watched the whole thing now and I remain blown away.
38 jenables // Feb 26, 2016 at 1:35 am
By the way Kirk, the civil conversation on this topic had got me feeling all warm and fuzzy and boozy. In other words, I think it might be high time for another meet! What do you think? Also, since Frances has changed to disqus I’ve been meaning to post pics from the bitter tasting room meet. These pics feature myself, you, Jeff Leigh, silly season, Keith, voony and kenji, iirc. Should I do it, guys?
39 Kirk // Feb 26, 2016 at 10:19 am
It’s not that consumerism is a primal urge. It’s the need to distinguish ourselves from the pack. It just comes out in consumerism nowadays because thats what we have. Before, we just fought a lot instead. Other ways is the indie music snob, a modified car, a filtered Instagram account, a foodie list of sampled craft beer.
Ants and bees don’t mate. They have queens. So, no instinct to distinguish themselves from the herd. Live, do your job, die unremarkably. Humans need to keep pushing. They have to add to the bucket list. The same drive that got us to the moon is the same drive that makes us line up overnight for limited edition sneakers.
I’m fine with posting the pic. I think someone posted one on twitter from the Olympic Village beer night. Bitter was our first one, right? I’m in for another, but the last event was poorly attended.
40 Kenji // Feb 26, 2016 at 11:56 am
Post them where? Also, yes. Boozyfuzzwarmpolitics.
41 jenables // Feb 26, 2016 at 4:09 pm
In the reply to this comment? 😉
42 Keith // Feb 27, 2016 at 3:49 pm
Count me in, if I get lucky on the work schedule I will be there.
43 Kenji // Mar 1, 2016 at 4:14 pm
I’m a derp. Otherwise, what a fine group!
44 jenables // Mar 1, 2016 at 4:22 pm
Well there is this one too.. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/63d195a8233c3c96c07b35d5f9f91c93ccfb2332940d7b0c537fb75ea065eb56.jpg
45 jenables // Mar 1, 2016 at 4:27 pm
I look like I could use some sun, like I don’t leave the bunker much. Kenji you were so deep in conversation with the fascinating silly season I’m not sure you realised what was going on at the moment!