" Coffee came to be regarded as the very antithesis of alcohol drinks, sobering rather than intoxicating, stimulating mental activity and heightening perception rather than dulling the senses "
In the Islamic world, coffee was an alternative to alcohol which was forbidden! This to me is very interesting. Now a days alcohol is served at events and social gatherings just as much if not MORE than coffee is. It breaks down walls and brings people out of their shell. Today, coffee houses are a place to have conversations and discussions among you're peers, but a bar could also be a place for that.
"Many attempts were made to prohibit coffee and coffee-houses in the Muslim world. Some claimed it was intoxicating and therefore subject to the same religious prohibition as alcohol."
Should there be AA for coffee drinkers?! Just like alcoholics (who cant live without drinking alcohol everyday) there are also Coffee addicts who cant live without drinking coffee everyday! Ever think of what a businessman or woman would do if they couldn't consume their daily amount of coffee? Probably fall asleep at their desks without getting any work done at all!
"It is estimated that Americans consume about 45 million pounds of coffee each year. In the US, those who drink coffee have an average of 2.6 cups per day."
I liked the the subject matter of the "addict" and AA for coffee drinkers. It's funny, my line of work had brought me into the realm of recovering alcoholics and the number one safety net, comfort and control is coffee. Coffee is a large part of their culture, it replaces the mechanics of drinking, gives them something to occupy their subconscious need to consume.
ReplyDeleteI was listening to NPR earlier this year and heard an article with similar themes and an underlying common thread you find interesting.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=100254163
It's about students in the Ivy League whom are taking prescription drugs, i.e. Adderall or Ritilan to keep a mental edge on there student contemporaries.
"smart drugs" ey?
ReplyDeleteThat was really interesting, thanks for sharing.
I actually have a friend who was hooked on Adderall for a while, she said it made her focus just like the people on the website did. That's nuts!