t o n x . o r g has a really fabulous post on the link between coffee and culture.

Coffee is a cultural conundrum. The coffee bean ranks second in global trade, right behind oil. It is consumed daily by more than half of the adult population of the U.S. and is even more popular in Europe. Millions of lives are bound up in the coffee economy. Yet few people have much idea of what coffee is or what goes into an enjoyable cup. Most strangely, it is rare to encounter someone with both a love for and knowledge of coffee who is not already working in the coffee industry, unlike for instance fine wine which has a hundredfold more connoisseurs than producers.

Great ideas! I think Vancouver is probably on par with Seattle in terms of understanding what the coffee culture is. And how profound it is wound up into our lives, whether we are just coffee consumers or are a more intimate part of the coffee industry. It definitely warrants more attention - I think you find more people flaunting their love of bad coffee than you do with wine!