Coffee Powered the Industrious Revolution and Modern Consumerism
“Cortado, full milk, please.” I used to be an Americano guy, but for the past 6 months, I’ve been addicted to the not-quite-a-macchiato-but-not-a-Latte-either drink 1 . But like any committed consumer, I’ll soon get tired of cortados and switch to another type.
Every day, 2 billion people partake in their daily coffee ritual, mainly to stay awake. Unwittingly, we are all participants in a long consumer history that connects us to groups as diverse as 9th-century Ethiopian shepherds, revolutionary Parisian philosophers, or even Ariana Grande fans. Whether we prefer coffees dark and bitter or sweet and barely caffeinated, our evolving coffee preferences are key to modern work culture and consumerism.
“...the goats were running about, butting one another, dancing on their hind legs, and bleating excitedly. In winded wonder, the boy stood gaping at them. They must be bewitched, he thought….
First, he chewed on a few leaves. They tasted bitter. As he masticated them, however, he experienced a slow tingle, moving from his tongue down into his gut, and expanding to his entire body…Soon, according to legend, Kaldi was frisking with his goats. Poetry and song spilled out of him. He felt that he would never be tired again.”
