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>> For me, this triggered careful introspection about whether I really derived pleasure from the things I claimed to like, or whether those claims were really j

>> For me, this triggered careful introspection about whether I really derived pleasure from the things I claimed to like, or whether those claims were really just signaling about the person I would like to be, rather than who I actually am. This resonates with me. But I think sometimes these aspirational affectations, once identified, are better preserved. If there’s any chance that they may one day ring true, they can serve as a worthwhile reminder of what one is striving toward.

riverlong 6y ago
Absolutely, I totally agree in general. For coffee culture in particular it's strange, because what's the aspiration? To drink lots of coffee? Great, but I struggle to find a higher purpose in that. In coffee culture, there's some common sense of belonging and easy identification with others -- drinking lots of coffee is like being a fan of a popular sports team. It makes for an easy catchphrase and set of jokes that can go on T-Shirts or Tinder bios. It's an easy way to create a persona, and stereotype yourself a little for others to feel like they get you more easily -- "that's Jay, he's 6 feet tall, loves coffee and flying kites, rides a motorcycle". But, at least to me, it felt like a bland or uninteresting thing to advertise about myself.
- Ghjklov 6y ago
  There's an image that comes along with coffee culture. I don't know if it was intentionally done by Big Coffee (TM) but coffee for many people has become a symbol of the working man. People want that "get a coffee and then head to the office" kind of feel. It's also a symbol of inspiration/aspiration. Think of starving artists caffeinating themselves while splashing paint at a canvas.
  - riverlong 6y ago
    Part of it might be that coffee is very aesthetically trendy. A cup looks good, and lends itself well to photography. Lots of cafes are really beautifully designed. It's a cool vibe, just by association.

riverlong 6y ago

Absolutely, I totally agree in general. For coffee culture in particular it's strange, because what's the aspiration? To drink lots of coffee? Great, but I struggle to find a higher purpose in that. In coffee culture, there's some common sense of belonging and easy identification with others -- drinking lots of coffee is like being a fan of a popular sports team. It makes for an easy catchphrase and set of jokes that can go on T-Shirts or Tinder bios. It's an easy way to create a persona, and stereotype yourself a little for others to feel like they get you more easily -- "that's Jay, he's 6 feet tall, loves coffee and flying kites, rides a motorcycle". But, at least to me, it felt like a bland or uninteresting thing to advertise about myself.

Ghjklov 6y ago
There's an image that comes along with coffee culture. I don't know if it was intentionally done by Big Coffee (TM) but coffee for many people has become a symbol of the working man. People want that "get a coffee and then head to the office" kind of feel. It's also a symbol of inspiration/aspiration. Think of starving artists caffeinating themselves while splashing paint at a canvas.
- riverlong 6y ago
  Part of it might be that coffee is very aesthetically trendy. A cup looks good, and lends itself well to photography. Lots of cafes are really beautifully designed. It's a cool vibe, just by association.