2009-06-12 | American Culture | Hits:374 | AddFavorite(0)

Some think that Americans’ love of coffee has something to do with the fact that citizens of England, America’s former parent country, drank tea, and therefore, by drinking coffee, Americans show their independence. After all, the Boston Tea Party involved American colonists dumping British tea into Boston Harbor.

 

Others believe that relating American coffee drinking to the country’s independence from England may be too simplistic. These individuals point to the fact that the nation declared its independence from Great Britain in 1776, and therefore, it doesn’t make sense that Americans would continue to drink coffee for over 200 years just to demonstrate that America is independent.

 

But, no matter the origin of the U.S. love of coffee, what’s important is for you to understand the role it plays in American society.

 

For example, in virtually any restaurant or diner you go into, if you’re there in the morning, the waiter or waitress will always offer you coffee. If you want something else to drink, such as tea, you’ll need to request it.

 

Along the same lines, if you work in an American company, there will probably be a “coffee room” in which you can pour yourself a styrofoam cup of “brew,” which is another name for coffee, or, if your company is more environmentally-conscious, fill your own mug with “joe,” which is yet another name for this beverage. Many people believe that they couldn’t function—let alone get their work done—without one or more cups of coffee.

 

Although the recent recession has dampened sales of pricey, flavored coffees at Starbucks, you’ll still see Americans lining up or waiting in drive-throughs to buy their Dunkin’ Donuts or McDonald’s coffee. Obviously, for less money, they could brew their own coffee at home, put it in a coffee holder, and take it to work. But, to some, carrying their purchased coffee into work makes some sort of statement about them. Perhaps they’re saying, “I’m pumped and ready to go.”

 

Personally, I like to drink no more than two cups of instant—yes I’m one of those strange Americans who doesn’t need brewed coffee—in the morning and drink water or tea the rest of the day. Does that make me less energetic? Hopefully not.