Starbucks

After almost two years of boycotting Starbucks, I had my usual drink today- Java Chip Frappucino with 2% milk.

It started in my Global Poverty & Practice class when I learned how companies like Starbucks and Nestle are driving coffee prices down in Africa where as the value of coffee has increased rapidly over the last few years. So basically, farmers are getting paid less and we, consumers are paying more, resulting in the middle men- companies like Starbucks making a huge profit. The conspiracy- where in the big companies come together and force down the market value- has had such a big influence that it is causing famines in parts of Africa. Some farmers were forced to switch to other, more cash producing crops like tobacco, knowing very well how bad it is for health and society. What choice did they have?

So, I decided to boycott Starbucks. Why should I support such a corporation? Their drinks are expensive and unhealthy anyways so I was actually gaining. For those who knew me then, I loved Starbucks. I was an avid fan and had my signature drink- Java Chip Frappucino. So it took some motivation and discipline to give it up, but I was proud that once I had decided, I never succumbed...until now I guess.

But I began losing conviction though. For one, almost all companies, I'm pretty sure, are involved in the conspiracy. So if I really wanted to stop supporting corporations, I should just stop drinking coffee altogether. And let's face, I love coffee and I'm not going to give it up. And especially now that McDonalds has entered the coffee business, I'm sure their standards are even lower than that of Starbucks. So at one point, it came to the point where I was just boycotting because I had lasted this long and wanted to see how long I could go.

The other day, my uncle started laughing again when I said I wouldn't go and it really got me thinking as to why I'm still doing it. On the one hand, I guess I just wanted to continue, as it wasn't healthy and it was expensive. But on the other, I'd rather be supporting Starbucks than McDonalds (not that I know details about much of McDonalds history, but just going from their reputation thus far), and if I really wanted to boycott every coffee company that was involved, that would have to be pretty much every company.

So today, after almost 2 years, I drank Starbucks, each sip filling me up with guilty. I felt guilty that I finally succumbed, that I was losing my Berkeleyan spirit, that I was giving in to another part of the mass, commercial, convenient first world way of life....only to realize that I actually don't like my drink as much as I used to before! Surprisingly, I found it too sweet, watery, and not nearly as good as when I used to drink it. So I guess I won't be frequenting Starbucks as much as before anymore, but now the question begs, should I just continue with my boycott? Why am I feeling this guilty?

This post is just a way of me trying to find reasons I guess?