4 ms·

Yeah, no kidding. What's the point of having money if someone can't make us a nice submissive cup of coffee.

kodfodrasz 10y ago
Actually kind of. But I think it is not about being submissive, but creating something for another person, with the will to create joy for the other. Slaves cannot put this premium into things, nor can machines. Paying for mass produced stuff is worth only so much, but hand made stuff is worth more because of this in my eyes. But sure, you can always bash others for being dominant/submissive and enjoy the company of robots instead, and clap for another step in the direction of a uniformized dull mass produced world, where there is no submission, just freedom within will-less machines. I prefer a different freedom, based on free will. *edit: phone autocompletion corrected.
ehnto 10y ago
Forgive me if I have read you wrong, but only from a place of ignorance could a statement like that be said without humor. You are suggesting that being a Barista is such a low peg on society and such a suffering to endure that it is akin to subservience. Many baristas are incredibly talented and proud of what they do and make coffee an artisan pursuit. Not only that, but it is perfectly alright to enjoy serving coffee and enjoying customers company even if it isn't an artisan task for you and is just a job. Regardless of all that, just because you replace a barista with a robot does not mean they will suddenly be interested in STEM fields or art or music or furthering a corporate career. I know you didn't suggest that, but the implication from others seems to be that if someone isn't doing an engineering job then they just aren't living correctly and they sure would if only they didn't have to do their blue collar job. That's clearly not the case nor will it ever be, no matter the will of progress and innovation.
- jpgvm 10y ago
  It's clearly sarcasm.
  - ehnto 10y ago
    Right. Clearly sarcasm, but what isn't clear is how they actually feel about the issue.
- kwhitefoot 10y ago
  > replace a barista with a robot does not mean they will suddenly be interested in STEM fields Any coffee shop that does it will do it just for the money. They won't shed a tear for the barista who is now out of work. If it doesn't save money, if people remain cheaper than machines, then the barista will keep the job. Anyway most people who serve coffee are just _serving_ coffee, giving the trade a name doesn't automatically mean that the product is better. In my limited experience of coffee shops (I like coffee but it disagrees with me) the killer features of the good ones are good quality ingredients and repeatability. Whether it's made by machine, barista, or druid incantations it's all the same to me as long as the product is good.
  - ehnto 10y ago
    I hear you and that's likely the attitude most people have toward coffee and coffee places. Coffee can be a product like a bottle of water, and you can buy it from most places like you would a chocolate bar. For those circumstances which I imagine is the majority, automated coffee would be perfect. But there is definitely a coffee culture beneath that, and it's a lot more like a cocktail bar than a drive through bottle shop for example. The coffee shops I prefer are usually because the coffee is good, but the people serving and the venue itself were also a great experience. An example is the coffee store next door which has a fireplace, great music, sofas and the people behind the counter are all about getting to know the regulars and making everyone welcome. They take huge pride in what they do, which I guess is what my little rant was about. To call them servants undermines a job that is their passion and that's a bummer.
    - lmm 10y ago
      > all about getting to know the regulars and making everyone welcome. They take huge pride in what they do, which I guess is what my little rant was about. To call them servants undermines a job that is their passion and that's a bummer. Couldn't one say exactly the same about a good butler?
      - ehnto 10y ago
        You could and again many buttlers are well paid and passionate about their work. You could argue that even a high paid engineer is a servant to someone. It was more about the idea that someone would only do it if they were forced to by their economic situation, rather than because they want to.

Actually kind of. But I think it is not about being submissive, but creating something for another person, with the will to create joy for the other. Slaves cannot put this premium into things, nor can machines. Paying for mass produced stuff is worth only so much, but hand made stuff is worth more because of this in my eyes. But sure, you can always bash others for being dominant/submissive and enjoy the company of robots instead, and clap for another step in the direction of a uniformized dull mass produced world, where there is no submission, just freedom within will-less machines. I prefer a different freedom, based on free will. *edit: phone autocompletion corrected.

ehnto 10y ago

Forgive me if I have read you wrong, but only from a place of ignorance could a statement like that be said without humor. You are suggesting that being a Barista is such a low peg on society and such a suffering to endure that it is akin to subservience. Many baristas are incredibly talented and proud of what they do and make coffee an artisan pursuit. Not only that, but it is perfectly alright to enjoy serving coffee and enjoying customers company even if it isn't an artisan task for you and is just a job. Regardless of all that, just because you replace a barista with a robot does not mean they will suddenly be interested in STEM fields or art or music or furthering a corporate career. I know you didn't suggest that, but the implication from others seems to be that if someone isn't doing an engineering job then they just aren't living correctly and they sure would if only they didn't have to do their blue collar job. That's clearly not the case nor will it ever be, no matter the will of progress and innovation.

jpgvm 10y ago
It's clearly sarcasm.
- ehnto 10y ago
  Right. Clearly sarcasm, but what isn't clear is how they actually feel about the issue.
kwhitefoot 10y ago
> replace a barista with a robot does not mean they will suddenly be interested in STEM fields Any coffee shop that does it will do it just for the money. They won't shed a tear for the barista who is now out of work. If it doesn't save money, if people remain cheaper than machines, then the barista will keep the job. Anyway most people who serve coffee are just _serving_ coffee, giving the trade a name doesn't automatically mean that the product is better. In my limited experience of coffee shops (I like coffee but it disagrees with me) the killer features of the good ones are good quality ingredients and repeatability. Whether it's made by machine, barista, or druid incantations it's all the same to me as long as the product is good.
- ehnto 10y ago
  I hear you and that's likely the attitude most people have toward coffee and coffee places. Coffee can be a product like a bottle of water, and you can buy it from most places like you would a chocolate bar. For those circumstances which I imagine is the majority, automated coffee would be perfect. But there is definitely a coffee culture beneath that, and it's a lot more like a cocktail bar than a drive through bottle shop for example. The coffee shops I prefer are usually because the coffee is good, but the people serving and the venue itself were also a great experience. An example is the coffee store next door which has a fireplace, great music, sofas and the people behind the counter are all about getting to know the regulars and making everyone welcome. They take huge pride in what they do, which I guess is what my little rant was about. To call them servants undermines a job that is their passion and that's a bummer.
  - lmm 10y ago
    > all about getting to know the regulars and making everyone welcome. They take huge pride in what they do, which I guess is what my little rant was about. To call them servants undermines a job that is their passion and that's a bummer. Couldn't one say exactly the same about a good butler?
    - ehnto 10y ago
      You could and again many buttlers are well paid and passionate about their work. You could argue that even a high paid engineer is a servant to someone. It was more about the idea that someone would only do it if they were forced to by their economic situation, rather than because they want to.