Burning Question of the Day

Sometimes the online polls on The Globe and Mail can be interesting, but they really reach sometimes. Today's is: "Compared to five years ago, do you feel the state of Canadian literature has... improved/declined/stayed the same." I don't even know if someone with really strong literary opinions (especially, in all likelihood, about "the state of Canadian literature") could answer that in any justifiable manner. Or maybe I just don't care. What's the point of a poll that just measures people's taste in art? Maybe tomorrow's will be "Your favourite colour is... red/blue/green/yellow/orange/purple." Sorry, but I have to admit that I'd be just as interested in the results of that poll as the one currently residing on the front page of Canada's National Newspaper.

UPDATE: Well, I must sort of apologize. At least this poll was somewhat related to a news story today - a report on the 100 most important Canadian books. (I hereby predict that someone I know will feel very stongly about certain books' inclusion/omission from this list. You know who you are.) The article, of course, further confirms the stereotypes that are exposed in the list: Canadians are obsessed with national identity. It's a disease up there, and it's more contagious than bird flu. However, I disagree with the claim that Canadians are also obsessed with politics (the weather, yes, but politics not so much). They may want to think that's part of the Canadian character, but I think Americans are much more mesmerized by politics than their neigbours to the north. Don't change, Canada; ignore your politicians as much as possible.