The Coffee Shop Culture

Coffee serves more a social function than anything else, I would say.  I found myself pondering the meaning of “let’s grab coffee,” and that recognizable paper cup or frothy brimmed mug.  To be frank, I’m not a sordid fan of coffee–I can go indefinitely without it.  I don’t find the taste or aroma particularly tempting or delicious, and that roasted bean smell does not make my stomach quiver.  In my world, coffee just is… 

An excuse for a quick date, a time to catch up with old friends, a brief moment to unwind and relax.  That’s the culture that is reflected out of your cup of joe, and I believe that culture is what makes people so favorable to it.  As a child growing up, coffee was immortalized as the nectar of adulthood.  Coffee meant sophistication, coffee was unattainable.  And it was almost a right of passage into adulthood when you were able to hold your first cup. 

I think this is true for many people.  We drink coffee not because it tastes profound, but merely because we achieve some sort of psychological satisfaction from it–we buy that latte because of the culture that is served along with espresso and steamed milk.  Starbucks Coffee Company especially takes to procreating that coffee indentity; from the soft, cool, tension easing music playing secretively in the background, to the plush velvety chairs to even the green cheery aprons.  That culture is all around when you step into Starbucks, and we go along with it, taking comfort that we too can become “regulars” in the coffee consuming world–that we too can fit into that hip, posh circle.  Afterall, everybody goes to Starbucks.

I suppose this is all an analysis of historical proportions, afterall that coffee shop culture has been long existant well before the days of mochas and all-ice americanos.  It is almost safe to say that America was partially founded on it.  During the early years of America, people often met in cafes to discuss and debate the issues of their day–probably similar to the bath houses of Greece and Rome.  It became a center for dialogue and a place to exchange and collect news.

So I suppose Starbucks and all the other coffee shops are nothing revolutionary.  Rather, it is all an immitation of what once was. 

Dramatization

Years and years ago when I was still a child, the teen sitcom Saved By the Bell was consciously banned at my house.  My parents were quite adamant in the prohibition of useless, influential American shows.  We were at best, a very traditional Asian household, and my parents were quite opposed to the ideals and values manifested daily on our television set.  Despite their imposed rules against these brainless shows, I remember always secretively watching them when my parents weren’t around. 

Looking back, I now understand why they had been so anti-Saved By the Bell.  As I watch them on syndication a decade or so later, I realize the content can be harmful.  However, that partially being because I am now a young adult looking back on a show designed for teens and younger.  In honesty, the values (or lack thereof) posed on these afterschool shows are quite appalling.  The severely corny Saved By the Bell, in particular, created this ideal of separation between the geeks and cool kids.  It posed a false image of high school that I believe was proliferated in reality as a result of.  In my personal experience, it created a normalcy and expectation of high school eventually leading to questions of self-esteem, and made a toxic environment of schools.  Although internally, I think everyone understands its fictitious embellishment, the mentality still prevails to a certain extent–probably contributing to what makes high school such an unbearably complex era in many teen’s lives.

Designer Jeans

 

Suddenly, as if by unconscious gravitation, I found myself sitting in a pair of pricey, tight, crisp dark-denim, straight-legged designer jeans.  How I got there?  Even I am a little unsure.  It was as if I had blacked out from a night of bad binge drinking, and suddenly woke up with a horrible headache, though unable to recollect how I got home.  Blacking out is certainly a fitting metaphor for the dull procession of events in my life for the past week.  Times have indeed been trying, and for the most part, have tested my will, strength, faith and hope.

Although I’m sure I have the least problems when it comes to facing adversity, this experience has brought upon a reevaluation of consumerism and the comfort we find in material goods.  Suddenly, it doesn’t seem all too bad–especially when we have a situation where nothing could really fix the problem.  I want so bad to believe that instead of moping around in a darkened room covered in blankets and stuffed animals, it is OKAY to go shopping and find comfort in that hot pair of jeans.  But instead, I have just succumbed to the exact superficiality I’ve hated.  To a point, it made me feel better; to a point, I felt at peace.

Was it socially irresponsible?  I suppose I could have put that money towards something else, something productive and beneficial.  But the real question is, is consumerism good or bad in that, for people who are in a serious emotional/mental stalemate, a temporary high is better than none at all?

No Logo

It was a couple of weeks ago when I was rushing to get to the local University Bookstore before closing time.  I admit, it was for a class take-home final and I had been putting off purchasing the book since the beginning of the quarter.  Anyway, as I pulled out the plastic, the only thought in my head was to use it to finish the final and return it in time for textbook buy-backs.  I wanted to atleast salvage something from, what I assumed would be, the repetative drawls about society’s declining moral value.

However, as I began to pick at the bits and pieces to incorporate into my essay, I began to actually become interested in what, author, Naomi Klein was saying.  She has a way of writing that moves beyond the generic, media analysis books of such theorists like Joseph Turow–whose book, Breaking-Up America, I never quite got past the first couple of pages both times I had to read it for class. 

No Logo addresses many of our current issues and problems with branding in America, with special attention on such moguls such as Nike, McDonalds and Royal Dutch/Shell gasoline.  Klein also gives great insight to activist work against these conglomerates and overall consumerism.  Although I personally believe that my take-home final culminated into a beautiful tangle of BS, I don’t think I will be selling the book back.  It is prolific writing without the bore, story telling without putting you to sleep and definitely a recommended read.

Of Stereotypes and Other Things

In our basic education, we are taught to understand that the word “stereotype” has an implicitly negative connotation.  Therefore, we seem to have developed a sense of shame or guilt when we make general assumptions about a certain people or race.  Perhaps because stereotypes only generalize in terms of a certain group’s imperfections–how often do we hear stereotypes that promote a positive image?  And even still, such “good” stereotypes such as “all Asians are smart” inevitably get twisted around into being politically incorrect.  Someone is bound to counter with, “I hate it when people assume I’m good at math just because I’m Asian.”

Nonetheless, I have always believed that stereotypes aren’t completely fluff.  

The office building from which I work is situated next to an old, ancient condominium that is being remodeled.  With this particular operation came the appearance of many Latino construction workers.  This is where I start to feel conflicted as a person and global citizen.  From past experience (mine and many other female friends and associates) I have developed a defensive and weary eye against Mexican and Latino men.  I admit it sounds even more horrible now that I have written it out, but to be candid, I’m sure many females can vouch for this.  Eight times out of ten, there will be remarks, whistles, glares and general harassment made when walking past them.  So how can we supress our stereotypes and judgments? 

Doll Face

A disturbing, yet shockingly beautiful and impressionable piece of social commentary.

Retail Therapy

So we’ve had a stressful, bad, no-good day.  Our hair just isn’t up to par, we feel bloated, are on a short fuse, and just want to vent.  So who do we turn to?  Our roommate?  Our friends?  Our siblings or parents? 

Nope, our new confidant is in the nearest mall with the most appealing variety of stores and boutiques because somehow; purchasing a brand new top or pair of heels will make our bad day magically disappear.  This is the mindset of the modern American woman (or even man in some cases).  Shopping has become the new age “icecream and potatoe chips”–a replacement for age-old comfort food or girl talk.  I am of no exception to this.  There have been plenty of instances where I have exasperatingly said, “I’m so stressed…Let’s go shopping!” 

And this is how the cycle of consumption gets its wind.  Retail therapy perfectly exemplifies the dangers and ignorance of consumerism.  While we get our kicks and highs from spending money on things to lift our mood, and feel better about ourselves–someone is making heavy profit off our emotions.  These days, every product seems to come with an emotional packaging.  The Chinet disposable plates are not just paper plates–but rather a manifestation of family bbqs and tradition.    And so we venture onwards from the north to south end of the mall on a quest to salvage our self-esteem.  But what do we end up with instead?  A piece of paper in the mail that says how much we owe.  Debt. 

So we work, and slave and stress away to cover those bills, bills, bills, only to need the relief of materialistic things again when the going gets tough.  It’s an endless cycle.  The only way to stop it is to understand it.

photo credit: Bri…D

Calendar Girl

As an assignment, five students from the University of Washington’s esteemed business school decided to cash (and grade?) in on the predominantly shared marketing belief that “sex sells.”  In their fixation for a 4.0, the students put their shallow heads together and pulled out possibly the most potent affirmation of America’s obsession with sex, appearance and female objectification.  The project was simply outlined in terms of forming a company, developing a product and accumulating profit.  Despite the fact that such open endedness gives room for much creativity and innovation, these students seemed to believe in the age old, nothing beats a girl posing in a bikini on 12-month calendar spread! 

Taken from Heatwave Media’s facebook.com group used to generate attention and popularity for the dormroom pin-ups, the 12-month calendars feature “UW Women in a sexy and fun yet tasteful and classy way.”  I’m not quite sure if sexy and tasteful belong in the same sentence, but it did not show up in the calendars.  If classy means posing in bras, bikinis, short-shorts, and tank-tops with the backdrop of respected UW architecture and landscape, then maybe they need to reconsult the definition.  I definitely have yet to see any of my classmates half naked in front of Drumheller Fountain.

So what does this say about our society?  If five college students believe strongly enough that physical apperance guarantees profit, it’s probably a mere reflection of the values and perceptions America already harbors.  Another question to ask is how an institution such as the UW could permit such blatant displays of sex and the objectification of women.  The UW is a reputable school, not the playboy mansion.

Speaking as a real woman of UW, I can truthfully question the representation of the twelve calendar girls.  Does their placement on the calendar mean that everyone else is chopped liver?  Isn’t this perpetuating the same commercialized ideal of “beauty” that is being sold to girls everywhere in popular media?  Does this not reinforce the repetative message that we are not pretty enough, skinny enough, sexually appealing enough?

Introduction to Culture Jam

Culture Jam.  Many people have probably heard a combination of these words together, yet have never known its meaning.  Yes, culture jam is a thing, and culture jamming is in fact, an action.  So what is it?  Culture jamming is a method anti-consumerism activists have adopted as a means of ”breaking through” the media clutter.  On average, the ordinary person sees up to 3,000 advertisements per day–this includes (but is not limited to) commercials, banners, posters, billboards, logos and can be found on the streets, in the bus, in elevators, in malls and every other nook and crany you look in.  In American society, marketing is so densely prevalent in our everday lives that it tells us constantly what to do, how to look, where to eat, how to act and most importantly, how to think. 

So, in such a consumer-driven society saturated in advertisement, how does the opposition make its voice heard?   The plight of the anti-consumptionist rests in this predicament, and so does the solution.  This is, essentially, where culture jamming comes in play.   In order to dissent against America’s obsession with buying and spending, culture jamming enlists the aid of prominent symbols with pre-existing meanings/emotions attached, called memes (ie: a red octagon means stop, Nike swoosh).  Through the utilization of these commonly understood symbols, culture jammers turn their meanings against itself  to address the larger concern of consumption and its indications.

This blog, similarly, hopes to approach the disconcerting trends in our daily media with a concentration upon the objectification and the idealization of materialism.  Welcome to Culture Jam!

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