Five-a-Day: Day 10: 28th of January 2023

Humans are social animals, obviously. This isn’t to say that everyone wants to be overtly social all of the time, but we all crave human connection, no matter how subtle. I think this is part of the reason why people drink so much coffee and spend so much on it in the process. Of course there’s probably an addiction element to it, but I think there’s more to it. Coffee’s more than just fuel. Buying a coffee in your local cafe, on the weekend or on your way to work, is more than just getting your fix in. It’s a human interaction. You’re not only engaging with the cashier or the barista, you’re engaging in the economy. You feel part of something. That’s definitely part of the appeal at least for me. I feel a part of something bigger — however odd and capitalistically indoctrinated that may sound. Of course I enjoy the taste of my coffee, but I also like waiting in line, interacting with the person at the till, grabbing my coffee, and being around other people who are also about to start their day, on their own little journey in life. I don’t nearly get the same satisfaction from making my own coffee. There’s few things that I enjoy more than spending my weekends in a cafe. Not with anyone necessarily. Just around people. Around the hum of conversation and around other people just enjoying themselves. And although I don’t necessarily love spending time with people all of the time, just being around them is enough for me.