Tuesday, 17 April 2007
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Currently Listening
Jocelyn
By Jocelyn Enriquez
see relatedPAY IT BACK
There is a phenomenon that is sweeping the nation. This phenomenon involves unprovoked acts of random kindness. I don’t know if this is good or bad for the country. All I know was that I experienced this phenomenon personally, and I’m still not sure on how it made me feel. I also know that Starbucks Coffee, in its quest to control the universe, is at the epicenter of this movement. This phenomenon is called “pay-it-backwards”.
I never thought that “pay-it-backwards” really existed. I heard about it on the news and on the radio, but I always thought “pay-it-backwards” was a myth. That is, until I finally experienced it myself. The other morning I was in the drive-thru at Starbucks. When I pulled up to the window the barista told me that my coffee was already paid for by the driver ahead of me. This news initially shocked me because just minutes ago I was leering at the gorgeous young female in the car ahead of me (20-something Persian woman in a silver Honda Civic coupe), and it made me feel worthwhile that she might have noticed me, too. But then the barista asked me if I wanted to pay for the driver behind me. It was then that I realized that the woman ahead of me did not notice me at all, but that she was simply paying-it-backwards. I immediately felt worthless again. It’s amazing how a span of 3 seconds could be so emotive.
I was now faced with a decision (or a dilemma). Should I refuse to pay for the driver behind me and drive away with my (essentially) free coffee? Or, was I obligated to pay for the driver behind me, regardless of how much their tab was? Or, should I simply pay for my cup of coffee? I ended up paying for the next customer’s iced lemon cake and latte.
I felt good about it for about 4 minutes, and I suppose that’s what this movement is supposed to do. I guess having your drink paid for is nice, and I guess it’s nice to pay for someone else because it makes them feel nice. This has happened to me only once. I suppose it may happen again. And if it does, I’ll be faced with the dilemma on what to do. But regardless of what happens next time, I will always be reminded of this sad truth: In addition to our culture, our money, and our politics, Starbucks now controls our morality.
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Comments (10)
argh! starbucks is the devil. i wonder if the person behind you paid for the person behind them. i wish i was in that line. i woulda been the one to break the domino effect. (first, i get a job, then i pay for other people.)
for some reason i'd want to throw my coffee back at the barista if they asked if i wanted to pay for the person behind me. because i don't want to feel obligated. and paying for the person behind you takes away the specialness of the person in front of you paying, because you end up spending money anyway, and the people behind you might do the same, so if it keeps happening then...well...im not totally sure where i'm going with this. it just wont be as nice.
Nice blog. Although, I've always heard this referred to as Pay It Forward, based on a book and then a movie that had Haley Joel Osment in it.
Sounds like Starbucks has started their own thing though.. very convenient for Starbucks :)
With Pay It Forward the idea would be to do a random act of kindness for someone else and then tell them that to 'repay' your kindness to do a kindness for someone else and tell them to pass it on.. etc.
If Starbucks or any other corporation starts controlling our morality.. whoa, paranoia is setting in.. I don't even want to think about that! Yikes!
Interesting.
It's not real generosity if you're obligated, after all. I don't think the barista should have asked you if you wanted to pay for the person behind you.
Congrats on free coffee, and on making the person behind you in line feel nice.