State of the Plateau

Mr. Jason MacLean, in search of the quiet life of reflective contemplation befitting an aspiring "pointy head," quite obviously failed to do research before moving to the Plateau ["Plateau intellectual," [e] Mail, July 19]. Moreover, he contradicts his own argument. If Mr. McLean dislikes binaries, why is his argument premised on the high versus low culture binary, not to mention aesthetic ideology's incredible fault line--judgements of taste? Perhaps too much Hilton Kramer et al?

The Plateau--notably between St-Laurent and St-Denis--has long been a site of hullabaloo. Scenesters, hipsters etc. have for decades found the area to their liking. From the '20s to the '50s, Montreal was considered by American police to be a haven of vice and decadence. Noise, booze and nightlife are integral to its history. Additionally, as highlighted in David Fennario's play Balconville, the boundary between private and public has always been slippery in Montreal's history. From Verdun and St-Henri to Parc-Ex, Montreal is not Toronto or Calgary.

If new or longtime residents wish for a life of saccharine-like homogeneity, perhaps an American gated community or the enlightened thinking of Mayor Giuliani would be more to their liking. What is occurring in the Plateau is obviously for some an extreme form of democracy--all manner of races, classes and types living beside one another.

Arrogance from the hipsterati criticizing the "yuppie" or the aspiring intellectual illuminati's derision of the lowbrow masses does not provide a solution. Yes, drug addicts, noisy neighbours and drivers on cell phones in 6,000-pound behemoths are worrisome, especially to those with kids.

However, the task of creating dynamic, livable communities demands dialogue with those who both please and irk you.

The complexities of society (changing demographics, homeless, rich and poor etc.) require compromise, compassion and community involvement instead of armchair complaining. As a Montrealer who has lived in Ottawa and Vancouver, I appreciate Montreal's unique and eclectic neighbourhood energy. If I want staid and sober I'll move back to one of those cities.

P.S. Pointy heads from Benjamin and Sartre to Foucault produced great work while living in adverse and noisy conditions. Mr. MacLean, there is still hope for you here!

--Darcey Nichols