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Are we what we drink?
by Deborah Schull | Staff Writer
Are we what we drink?
Andrei has said that the greater choices many Americans have today in shaping their lives have given them the opportunity to custom-tailor their individual dreams. He has hypothesized that the new American coffee habit correlates with this new American dream for those with sufficient resources. Now a team of researchers has taken the inquiry one step further. Do affluent American coffee aficionados regularly imbibe drinks that reflect their personality? If not, how does the type of drink they choose relate to their dominant traits? A survey of Starbucks drinkers provides the long-awaited answers to these penetrating questions.
The results: half of those surveyed regularly drink drinks that mirror their personality. Jim, a law student, always gets a Grande Dark Roast with Milk because, like him, it’s no frills and gets the job done (excellent traits for a law student). Janice, a licensed school counselor, usually drinks an Iced Frappuccino, and she’s icy and smooth (though icy doesn’t sound very smooth in a school counselor). Theresa is a warm and sweet college graduate with a predilection for White Mochas. And John, an attorney who opts for a Regular coffee, is a straight-up, low-maintenance kind of guy (rare for a lawyer?). Conclusion: These subjects are clearly living integrated lives but are they less adventurous for sticking with what they know?
What about the other half of those surveyed, the ones who aren’t what they drink? Are they bolder people for drinking beyond their comfort zone? Lisa, an administrator at a nonprofit, thinks she’s a Passion Tea Lemonade because its fruity, tart flavor is like her: real nice with a sarcastic edge. But her drink of choice is just a Decaf Iced Americano. Peni, a junior high school teacher, describes herself as a Latte since she’s high energy yet wholesome. Yet she buys Decaf Americano with Sugar-Free Vanilla (wimping out?) Ayesha, a writer, is a Double Espresso: strong and simple, yet she gets a plain Americano. (A lot of Americanos.) Ying, a cool and sweet engineer, is an Iced Frappuccino, yet she buys the milder Latte. Mandy, an accountant, is a sweet Mocha; but she just buys a Regular. Conclusion: Clearly the drinking habits of these subjects fail to live up to the promise of their more vibrant personalities.
Interestingly, neither group tended to drink a drink bolder than their natures. So, does the elaborate new American coffee habit match the new American dream of adventure and unabashed self-expression? Or is it a mere sop, something designed to pamper, placate, or soothe? You decide.
Please email us your response.