Yesterday was Easter, which in San Francisco means it's time for the Hunky Jesus Contest in Dolores Park and the chance to watch Monty Python's deliberately-offensive -to-all-Christians The Life of Brian at the Red Vic.
Part of me thinks both events are pretty hilarious. But just as much of me finds the in your face-ness of it all to be thoroughly lame.
On the political scale I'm pretty far left, and in religious matters I take a "to each their own" stance. The evangelical Christian fervor of my childhood is many years old by now, and seems surreal more than an actual part of my history.
And so SF's rebelliousness should resonate with me. But it does not. For after a while, forced rebellion loses its power and degenerates into a tedious and tepid set of rituals.
Hence we get hunky Jesus and Mr. Brian on Easter Sunday. Hardy har har.
What I most value, I realize with ever more force, is incisive and original thought. Just make me think, not roll my eyes. SF, is that really so hard?
I've lived in the Bay Area 12 years now and have rarely been impressed with San Francisco's slant on Quirk and Originality. It usually involves nudity, drugs, and subverting the dominant paradigm, a tired cliche that went out in the 60s.
I'm not saying you won't find original thinking here. It's just better hidden than you might imagine.
Posted by: Allison Landa | April 14, 2009 at 08:29 AM
Amen. San Francisco is basically an echo chamber when it comes to these things. Without any thoughtful challenges to everyone's lefty politics and modern spirituality, things drift towards the lazy, uninteresting, and half-baked. As a guy with lefty politics and (on the right day) modern spirituality, it can all be kind of embarrassing. It's the only reason that I wish there was a functional Republican party in the city.
Posted by: Trott | April 14, 2009 at 09:10 AM