Another day, another heartwarming Internet meme. This time, it’s the story of over 300 Starbucks customers “paying it forward” and picking up the tab of the next person in line. Nice thing to do? Sure. But it also feels like a distraction. Yes, we can get all mushy about regular people buying each other a coffee. What about some bigger ways of paying it forward?
In the past few years, corporations in this country have made stunning, record-breaking profits. They have made those profits thanks to our very hard work. And they are not paying any of that forward–if anything, they’re doing the opposite. Worker wages, during that same time, have gone down. Likewise, our government representatives are not paying us forward for the votes and loyalty they have received from us. But I suppose that when it comes to the politicians, they have much bigger financial favors to pay back, and those business transactions have nothing to do with us, their constituents.
Americans are truly some of the most generous people I’ve ever met. We also come off looking like chumps sometimes, getting fleeced on every side by powerful interests, and not standing up and speaking out about it like we should. We work harder than any other nation in the world, and are working ever harder all the time, yet getting less and less in return.
Perhaps this serves to reveal the true “Secret” of the Universe, which is that it has a dark sense of humor, and that it does not, in fact, reward kindness with kindness. Good deeds are more likely to be punished, and assholes will always thrive. I guess one answer is to do as most spiritual traditions of the world tell us to do–don’t expect to be compensated for the love you give to others–give it anyway. Unfortunately, I have a handicap–I’m not capable of being a heartless asshole–so I don’t have much choice in the matter.
09/01/2014 at 3:14 pm
Anybody going to Starbucks, the home of the 54 dollar coffee, http://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/starbucks-customer-hacks-loyalty-program-record-setting-free/story?id=23901637 doesn’t need anyone to pick up a cheque for them. They’re already living too “high on the hog” for their own good. What they need is a fucking lesson in fiscal responsibility! (Not to mention a boot to the head.)
What kind of moron would regularly blow that kind of money on ludicrously overpriced, highly fattening, unhealthy, addictive, drinks that fry your already questionable brain wiring? I’ll tell you what kind of moron; a moron who falls for the endless corporate brainwashing that proclaims it will make them “kewl” because the cottage cheese they “think” with doesn’t function well enough to tell them they can’t purchase their way out of being a complete fucking loser! An El Grande, quadruple-quadruple, half-baked, wanna-bean, fucktard.
For $7, you can order a “coffee” that contains about 3 beans worth of actual coffee. Meanwhile, coffee farmers are (last I checked) getting just a few cents a Kilogram. Not to mention that some of those beans coming from Africa are picked by slaves. You can probably buy a fucking carton of that shit from the farmer for about the price of one of those Starbuck’s “coffees”..
Or, you could just walk out into the street, empty the contents of your wallet, and throw it straight up in the air and enjoy the caffeine-like buzz of watching former denizens of the middle class fight to the death for it.
09/01/2014 at 4:11 pm
Yeah, I don’t get the whole Starbucks thing. It is overpriced, and you don’t really get anything unique or interesting in return for the higher price…except for the dubious “Starbucks experience” thing. That being said, I’m guilty of enjoying their little yogurt-with-fruit packages, although I’m sure I could get the same thing somewhere for less money.
09/06/2014 at 1:26 pm
Anything that relies on “the experience” over the actual product is almost never worth it. But today, products have never been shittier and “experiences” more dominant. It’s all about “branding”; making people buy into “the experience” rather than having to rely on your shitty products that they can literally get everywhere else.
The whole “branding” thing conjures up…well…my lunch for one. But second, it makes me think of slavery. Slaves were branded to be identified should they escape the clutches of their owners. Corporate branding is less physical and more psychological, but not really that different.
In both cases, the slave’s loyalty is gained largely because it’s given little choice. Say the word “coffee” and two names come to mind, Starbucks and (in Canada) Tim Hortons. Even the most resistant to corporate brainwashing are scarred for life.
09/06/2014 at 2:40 pm
We’re pretty fortunate to have a variety of coffee shops here in PDX. Starbucks is still pervasive, yes (as it is everywhere) but there are other choices. So with a little effort, it’s possible to escape the branding…a lot of people will not take that effort, though.
09/01/2014 at 3:37 pm
“Good deeds are more likely to be punished, and assholes will always thrive.
As true a sentence as there ever was. The modern capitalist system has been rigged to, not just reward assholes themselves for being assholes, but encourage as much assholian behaviour in everyone as in-humanly possible.
“Americans are truly some of the most generous people I’ve ever met.”
If by “generous”, you mean “violent” then I agree. 😉 America gives more away in military aid every year than the entire GNP of some nations.
” We also come off looking like chumps sometimes, getting fleeced on every side by powerful interests, and not standing up and speaking out about it like we should. We work harder than any other nation in the world, and are working ever harder all the time, yet getting less and less in return.”
Yeah, you know it’s gone “tits up” when Americans have fewer vacation days than the JAPANESE who honour people who literally work themselves to death. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/08/americans_vs_vacation.html Just check that graph out and burst into tears.
Not only that, many American’s don’t take what little vacation time they’re given. And when they do, they take along their digital leashes to keep them chained to the office.. http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2007-05-20/do-us-a-favor-take-a-vacation
09/01/2014 at 4:08 pm
Yeah, the vacation situation in the US is truly sad. And I can totally understand why people here choose not to take a vacation. If you do, you end up coming back to a hopeless pile of work–another lovely result of downsizing.