People
People You Meet: Dan Cooper
Dan Cooper is an energetic entrepreneur on Queen West, with a goal to change the world.
Who are you?
I'm just a guy trying to make my way...living. I sell jewelry on the side of the street. It's a part time thing - making money to get out of this cold, cold country.
Where will you go?
I've had a life long kind of desire to see Machu Picchu down in Peru. So I'm, right now, just trying to make my money so I can actually live off of more than a few hundred dollars down there.
What's the interest in Machu Picchu?
I saw a couple slides as a young child and I've had reoccurring dreams. So, that's one part of it. But also, me and a couple friends are going to go work at an orphanage down in Cusco, which is right by Machu Picchu. So it's half humanitarian half extremely selfish, but all in all it should even out.
What motivates you to be compelled to help others?
Well actually working on the street helps quite a bit 'cause I see the apathy that is so rampant with people in not just North America but in the world. People are apathetic and I think it's because they're not exposed to enough. Well maybe they're exposed to enough but not in the right way, not in the way that captures their imagination and really forces them to act. I'm gonna be trying to bring some of what I learn and the way I feel about these things through people I meet and with things that I do.
What are some ways you, or we, can help combat this apathy?
Well I think we're on our way. I'm from Guelph, which is a little gated community of hippies, so everybody there talks a big talk. They know what's going on and they have a good idea of how to help, it's just that people don't want to put in enough action. I know that I'm putting out an opinion that's not very popular, but I'm really happy about the recession. I'm looking for depression myself, because it's those really catastrophic things that force people to act. And I think that in this day-in-age, with all the things that are going on, once you scrape away that level of profit and money that everybody sees, then they'll actually see the problems. It will bring the people closer to the issues and hopefully force them to act.
What do you think needs to happen with the recession for this change to take place?
To be completely honest, I have no idea. It's purely speculation. I don't even know if it could help. But I have already seen the fact that there is this thing that everybody is involved in - seeing that they have to change society to change this event. I think that it's already doing that, it's already pushing people to think creatively about how they live.
If there was one thing that you could ask every person to do to make a difference, what would that be?
You've stumped me. There isn't one thing that everybody could do to help the world because if everybody did that one thing it would just become common place and everything else would go to shit. It has to be a cohesive effort on different levels. It just can't be one thing. Because it's not just the environment, it's not just the economy, it's our whole society that's kind of ill designed. It's really a total rework of that that we need.
Does this whole cohesiveness start with understanding?
Of course. Everything starts with education. You have to know the faults before you can change them. I hope.
If you had 24 hours to spend with someone new to Toronto, what would you do?
In the winter or the summer? because that depends. I'd bring them to Allen Gardens, no matter what season, because it's just a great place to hang out - do your thing. Depending on who it is, bring them up to The Gem; just sit down, have a pint, relax. Go to Trinity Bellwoods. Just show them the city. If they're only here for a day, show them Toronto, the beauty of Toronto, not the concrete.
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hipsters make me sick
dress like a man and maybe you ll get a real job
Gated community of hippies in Guelph? Where exactly?
And nice to see this guy is happy about folks being out work. Sounds like he'd be ectastic with a soup kitchen line.
Welcome to leave this city, this country any time you want. Good riddance.
Dude may be right about the economic slump being a good chance to rethink the way we do things, but he sure does come up short on suggestions.
I hope that the recession, of which he is a fan, doesn't cut TOO far into HIS profits. Instead of Machu Picchu, he might have to settle for Mississ Auga.
"Instead of Machu Picchu, he might have to settle for Mississ Auga."
LOLL. Or maybe even the Scar Boroughs.
I wish these stupid hipsters would go home. They're ruining the city. Hopefully Cooper leaves asap. Hopefully he takes some of his ignorant hipster friends with him and they can all go and save South America with their " art " interventions and what you. I want my city back.
ps: I love BlogTO for exposing these frauds.
"I'm looking for depression myself, because it's those really catastrophic things that force people to act."
I'm sure Cooper makes this educated statement based on his experience living through the 1930s, starving nearly to death and living off of food stamps while begging and stealing from anywhere you can to stay alive in his exclusive community in Guelph. I wonder what his (great) grandparents would do if they knew that he said that. Shame on him.
Aww poor guy. Blogto can be so mean. I hope he is getting lots of support on twitter.
" I'm really happy about the recession. I'm looking for depression myself, because it's those really catastrophic things that force people to act."
Probably one of the most ridiculous comments I have read ever,
I hope he has fun "pretending to be poor" in Peru, where mothers send their kids begging on the streets and crime is rampant.
Oh wait those things happen when people decide to "act" during economic strife. I guess he fails to realize that when the fridge is full of food and the bills are paid, it's very easy to be idealistic.
" I'm really happy about the recession. I'm looking for depression myself, because it's those really catastrophic things that force people to act."
Yeah, in contrast to the good times, when people had jobs and spare cash to donate to the United Way and the Food Bank - which they're now dependent on!
What a fucking douche.
I think you're confusing the term hipster with hippie.
There's "I'm hoping for a catastrophe because I think it will end up helping."
Then there's "I'm hoping for a catastrophe because I think it *might* end up helping."
And then there's "I'm hoping for a catastrophe but to be completely honest, I don't even know if it could help."
Seriously. What an asshole. Don't pretend to care about poor people with one breath and hope for a catastrophic depression with the next. Pick one or just shut the hell up.
Brian did you tell him he could make a difference in his community? You don't have to go to another country to make a difference.
I am actually surprised at the amount of negative response to this article, it really shows the true face of young Torontonians. You're so quick to judge, and the reaction has been very negative. Is that really helpful?
Sure this guy clearly doesn't understand economics, but educating people is more important than judging them.
Someone go down and talk to this guy, tell him about volunteering opportunities and ways he can help out. STOP making people with good hearts want to leave the city.
Hating on people that aren't hurting anyone is never going to help anyone.
Really? You don't have to go to another country to make a difference?? Wow, we've got to get this news out there! Quick, someone alert the CBC! The people have got to know!
Maybe someday, pwneet, you'll learn that there's a difference between _saying_ "I've got a good heart" and actually having one. The guy is hoping for a "catastrophic" (his word) depression. And you seriously believe that he doesn't understand that that would cause massive suffering on a global scale? (Isn't that what would make it, you know, catastrophic?) And that he someone has managed to avoid learning that one can volunteer and make a difference in Toronto? How naive are you? This guy is not some kind-hearted alien recently arrived from another planet. He's just a self-centred asshole. One of many.
No I'm not confusing HIPSTER with HIPPIE.
This douche bag is a run of the mill Hipster. The beard, the keffiyeh, the unbearable self importance. And of course, like all Hipsters, he comes to the big city from some shitty town on the outskirts of nowhere, looking to make his " artistic socially responsible " statement. Oi Vay. I'm sure Mom and Dad are paying for the loft and the Liberal Arts Degree.
I'm so sick of Hipsters vomiting all over Kensington Market and Ossington every weekend. I can't be the only person tired of these douche bags and their pillow fights, subway dances, yard sales and cans of PBR.
Please Hipsters, pack up your American Apparel, vintage bullshit and buy a one way ticket home. Or move to " Billy-burg " and get it over with.
You don't bring anything to the city.
amen
but tell us how you really feel.
what a self indulgent tool
Yeah I wish these hipsters would go home with their hipster hangouts (pretty much every place reviewed by this site).
Americans have a wannabe ghetto problem. Toronto has a wannabe hipster problem. I am not sure which is worse.
I am creating a charity called "Move Hipsters Out" that helps hipster adjust to normal life and into the tax system along with their hangouts and heavens. So far I have got McDonald's, Walmart, Tim Horton's as donors. Starbucks denied the donation request.
I want to license the following as a mission statement:
"This douche bag is a run of the mill Hipster. The beard, the keffiyeh, the unbearable self importance. And of course, like all Hipsters, he comes to the big city from some shitty town on the outskirts of nowhere, looking to make his " artistic socially responsible " statement. Oi Vay. I'm sure Mom and Dad are paying for the loft and the Liberal Arts Degree.
I'm so sick of Hipsters vomiting all over Kensington Market and Ossington every weekend. I can't be the only person tired of these douche bags and their pillow fights, subway dances, yard sales and cans of PBR.
Please Hipsters, pack up your American Apparel, vintage bullshit and buy a one way ticket home. Or move to " Billy-burg " and get it over with.
You don't bring anything to the city. "
I fail to see how pillow fights are hipster.
Good stuff :D
Yeah fuck the hipsters, I rather see a monotonous city full of preppy corporate yuppie intolerant assholes anytime.
I'm not going to hate on someone for being a hipster, but I will say that Dan, man, you've got to see how this recession affects more than just rabid consumers and upper class yuppies. It's like saying "Hurricane Katrina was great because it taught Americans a lesson about the follies of their government" without looking at the suffering caused and lives lost.
The people inhabiting the lowest rungs of our society shouldn't have to suffer just so the upper rungs can learn, and celebrating that dynamic shows whose side you're on. That kind of attitude reduces a very hard situation for a lot of people - people who are losing jobs, welfare, healthcare, the ability to support their families and keep their children, the finances to eat healthy and not work themselves into an early grave - into nothing but a learning opportunity for middle-to-upper class white people to get introspective about their consumptive lifestyle. Can you see how that's deeply problematic?
I know there's a lot of people out there who aren't really feeling the effects of this economic climate yet - I count myself among them, and I'm guessing you might be one too - but don't let that fool you into thinking the effects of this recession on a huge population of people aren't staggering, severe, and huge blow to human rights and well-being - and they'll only get worse.
Maybe this recession will indeed be a wake up call to privileged apathetic people - I'm admittedly skeptical, research indicates people get more racist and sexist and traditional during economic strife, not less - but it's also going to cause life-long disadvantages in poorer communities. Sure, ponder the effects of this recession on those who will still manage some economic stability, but also consider what this recession will do to our most vulnerable.
I heart BlogTO and the judgmental pricks who post here. Thank you for the enjoyable, amusing entertainment. While you guys are busy whining about "hipsters", I'm enjoying the diversity of this city.
As an old university friend used to say, "it takes all kinds".
I shouldn't have said "the true face," that was incorrect.
You're clearly just a bunch of angry people who think the city belongs to you.
@ warmflash's comment
The pillow fight and subway dance party stuff stems from of the new crop of younger, kinda rave-y (it's back) kids. I think hipters would feel too cool for those things.
And nothing wrong with em--just silly fun.
I agree with you to an extent, but your bitterness seems to spill unnecessarily into criticising just fun social events.
If you can't stand hipsters that are flocking to your neighborhood and ruining it's charm. Then visit http://www.diehipster.com
There's a lot more worthy things out there to be angry and passionate about. Spouting anonymous vitriol from your computer at some misguided idealist who dreams of visiting Peru is a waste of time and space. The "hipster hate" here is absolutely ridiculous and laughable.
Tron, your no fun! :( Next time there is a pillow fight I'd like you to come, I think you'd have a lot of fun smashing people's faces and doing something out of the ordinary.
"And I think that in this day-in-age, with all the things that are going on, once you scrape away that level of profit and money that everybody sees, then they'll actually see the problems. It will bring the people closer to the issues and hopefully force them to act."
Good thing he's doing his part to bring on said depression by SELLING JEWELERY ON THE STREET. Cuz if we were all smug, gypsy-hipsters the world and the economic situation would be in a much better place. You could pay for a sandwich with a song and hugs would be the going global currency. What an asshole.
Wow...this young man who sells jewelry on the street is going to a South American country to see the real world and has revolutionary ideas that could change the world! He goes as far as wanting the global depression to really hit! GROUNDBREAKING
You'll see..He will change the world by giving chocolate bars to kids in Peru and showing them the art of pillow fight! Can't wait for his twitter updates with visions of the new world. And the catastrophe that will follow when dad cancels his credit card...not to worry...everybody will unite and make dinner parties on the street and no one will go hungry :)
idiot.
People like this always die surprised.
i haven't heard as many people use the words 'douche bag' since grade five.
but i'm sure you all know Dan very well and could accurately describe his personality using the small syringe with removable nozzles used for vaginal hygiene and enemas as your tragic attempt at an insult.
maybe we could all just fuck off and be nice sometime.
what load of rubbish, oscar would be proud.