Our Lives Should Not Be Determined by What is “Practical”
Our Instant-Coffee Culture is Leaving Us Empty
Today’s culture has made “practical” a supreme value. We celebrate the fact that objects like Smartphones and Nespresso make things just so practical. It’s funny, because “practical” isn’t genuinely a word used for things we actually like. Toilet paper is practical. So are melt-in-the-mouth medications. Wellington boots are practical. My favourite high heeled party shoes are not. We want our commute to be practical, not so much our marriage. Romeo and Juliet did not fall in love because it was so practical.
Yet today, we are increasingly living in a society where we would sacrifice our planet as well as our mental wellbeing in the name of being practical.
Take coffee. For me, Coffee isn’t just something I drink. It is something that I smell and taste and do. It is a morning ritual, something that comforts me and grounds me. I use one of those Italian coffee pots, with different layers. You fill the bottom with water and then put coffee in the filter over the water and screw the jug on the top, and then you put it on the cooker, and you hear the water boil and smell the coffee before it is ready, and then you pour it into a mug and feel the warmth on your hands, and taste proper, good quality coffee. Shared with others…
