YOU MIGHT CONSIDER...THE INSTITUTION OF COFFEE AS A BREEDING GROUND FOR NEW IDEAS

Years after the instillation of the coffee house, their uproar has continued to extend over multiple generations. The allure of their dimly lit, cramped rooms that smell bitterly of ground beans draws us into their jazz infused allure. The tap of computer keys and hollow clunk of cup bases landing on their respectful napkins and the casual request for a type of beverage in an obscure language are all the music needed to complete the warm atmosphere. Casually people stroll in and begin to unfurl their woolen cocoon of winter coats and knit gloves; people talk feverously while shaking news papers and twiddling company pens between their fingers.
Is this the hubbub of the twenty first century culture? Do the inter-workings of coffee houses ultimately reflect the state of society? This was a widely excepted belief during the ages of enlightenment and modernism; in times of an abstract turmoil between the ideas of the old and the ideas of the new. What conflicts do we have today that rage between the great minds that conspire within our local Starbucks? Is it about war-or literature-or is it simply light hearted gossip?
Call me a romantic, but I enjoy the idea of reverting back to the ideas of the old institutions; let it be so again that the comforting aromas and welcoming atmosphere of the coffee house can be “the most important...institution” (T.B. Macaulay). I daydream of parisian salons where primly dressed philosophers eat scones and balance porcelain saucers upon their knees.
In an attempt to recreate the dream within my head, I’ve proposed with a couple friends the beginning of a book club. It’s a way to take a group of people and make them talk about things that are interesting and not concerned with the politically correct boundaries within the walls of a school. I’m particularly excited to choose the literature and the discussion that will undoubtedly ensue. I suppose I like a good conversation the way that I like my blog; it lets me express myself clearly and accurately and obtain feedback from my dear friends.
So I leave you with this question- what is the most wonderful, thought provoking, and inspiring book that you have ever read? Think about it, then comment.
Oh, and is the coffee house a beneficial place for transaction because everyone is holding a warm beverage that is effecting their perception of the personalities around them, which leads to a better and more engaging discussion? You can just ponder that I suppose.