The Starbucks Phenomon
What is the Starbucks phenomon? According to an editorial in the paper, it is the tendency to pay exorbitant prices for something ordinary–like a cup of Starbucks coffee, which you could brew at home for pennies. The author of the article was sharing about how he had been to Whole Foods and paid a ridiculous price for what he could have gotten at Albertson’s for about half. (The difference, which he did not acknowledge, being that the stuff he got at WF would likely have been organic.)
The point of this guy’s editorial was that everyone treats themselves to a few things, and that is good. We all work hard, we ordinarily make wise purchases, and so we deserve this little treat now and then, whether it is a fancy coffee in a cup with a logo, organic foods from a beautifully laid-out store, or whatever.
It was interesting for me to run across this article because I’ve been wrestling in my head with this whole “treating myself” mentality. We (and I mean “I”) are so caught up in the idea that we have worked hard, we have earned a break, and we owe it to ourselves to do things for ourselves. We get our nails done. We go to tanning beds. We drink expensive lattes. We buy new sweaters and shoes, or even cars. We take a relaxing vacation; we hire a housekeeper. We go to movies, or buy a wide-screen t.v. and get a satellite dish. We replace all of our appliances with stainless ones, and our stove is top-of-the-line, industrial quality, even though we never cook. And those aren’t all just things we buy or do on impulse, or even that we justify by saying we need them. We often say it’s our “little” (or not so little) treat to ourselves, because we’ve earned it, and we deserve it.
Sure, this author was pointing out the occasional treat that we are entitled to, because after all, we work hard and deal with lots of stress, and this helps us cope. I don’t think these treats are quite so occasional. They add up. In fact, they add up to a -4% savings rate among Americans. That’s right–negative four. In other words, we are borrowing from our retirement to pay for these things.
Now consider another group of people who were not racking up large retirement accounts: the Christians in Acts 4. “There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.” Can we Americans–us of the “I deserve to treat myself” mentality–even comprehend that? They sold everything so that nobody would be needy. Is there someone in your church who has lost his job? A family who struggles to pay the bills each month? Are you willing to sell your vehicle in order to help him? What about having unpainted fingernails? Or going without that spring tan? Or mop your own floors? Or stop ordering take-out? Or quit paying private school tuition? We are so far removed from the mentality of giving up everything for the sake of others that it is incomprehensible.
Where do Christians draw the line? I don’t have an answer. I am an over-stressed, really tired, busy American just like everyone else. But I am wrestling with what is okay and what is not okay to own and to spend my money and time on. And I am trying to reconcile what I see in the New Testament church with what I see in my own church (and the church in general in America). And I am wondering why we are at a point in our society where we feel such a strong need to “treat” ourselves. I think I’ll run out and get a latte while I ponder that….
March 17th, 2006 at 8:52 am
Enjoy the latte—you deserve it. I took a bereavement recovery course at the church almost 2 years ago. One of the themes was, treat your self to something special. So I got a massage, then bought a dog!! If a person decides they need to “sell everything and give to the poor,” I think that’s wonderful. I do think this decision should affect them alone—not their spouse and children!!
March 17th, 2006 at 10:00 am
I love this post.
Scott
March 17th, 2006 at 11:07 am
Rutatita,
I’ll respond to your other comment here, since it applies to this post, too. You KNOW I still treat myself to shopping trips (like the outlet-trip you and I enjoyed not that long ago!)
I just wonder where we need to draw the line. It is probably closer to the Acts 4 disciples than most Americans would like to think it is. And it certainly isn’t at a “borrowing from my retirement funds” point! I certainly can’t say where that line is for each person (heck, I don’t even know where the line ought to be for me!), and like my mom pointed out above, it is a decision for each person to make.
So enjoy your rare Starbucks/Target treats, and maybe we can enjoy another roomie-shopping-trip treat soon!
March 17th, 2006 at 12:04 pm
i am in total agreement with your ponderings. i KNOW i treat myself way too often (i may have cut back on Starbucks and Target, but rest assured, i can always find somewhere to spend my $). and, i, too, wonder where the line is between being blessed by God and blessing yourself–if that makes sense. i believe that God blesses us so we can bless others with what He has given us. but, too often (and i speak for myself), we “bless ourselves” excessively (i.e., “self-fulfill” our many, many wants at the expense of meeting our needs and the needs of others). then, we get into a position where we cannot give to others like we should or like we want to.
i also believe/agree that each person has to seek God’s guidance in discerning how he/she is to give/use the resources He has given. as you know, i have gone on several mission trips to mexico (and places in the u.s.) and have seen people living in abject poverty. when i returned from these trips, i always vowed to be better/wiser at using my resources (i.e., spending my money). but, it is so easy to fall back into the same old pattern of “treating myself.” (i know many others who have experienced this same “phenomenon,” too). it can be very disheartening–the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. i always hated when my mom would say “your wants are bigger than your needs” (or something to that effect), but it’s true. if we lived by putting/fulfilling our needs above our wants, our lives would probably be much simpler and much closer to Acts 4 Christ-like living.
all that said, i thoroughly enjoyed our outlet shopping trip and am ready to go again anytime! i’ll just treat myself more wisely.
are harry & david coffee truffles wise?
March 20th, 2006 at 2:12 pm
I think about this, too. I think part of it has to do with how we view ourselves and others. Some of us have no sense of entitlement at all because we think we are worthless, don’t deserve to have our own selves, etc. These no-self folks need to learn what it means that God loves them, and treats can be a valuable part of that if we don’t go overboard and fall into the all-self camp. Others of us have too much sense of entitlement, thinking we’re better than others or we should look out for #1. These all-self folks need to learn how to make sacrifices to serve others without falling into the no-self camp. Perhaps the closer we get to a sanctified self-and-others view, the more treats and sacrifices will be properly balanced?
March 22nd, 2006 at 11:33 pm
Just fouind you!
What a thought provoking post!
I acknowledged it a little in my own blog tonight.
October 3rd, 2007 at 2:18 pm
[...] hail almighty Starbucks! Jump to Comments While out for my evening blog jog last night, I came across a rather interesting and thoughtfulblog. I can identify with Chewymom….perhaps it is the five kids thing….but I have also been labeled or accused as a crunch, chewy granola type mom…trust me, I am only semi crunchy and by the time Daniel came into the picture my cloth diaperin’ breastfeedin forever and co-sleepin’ days were gone….well, we still do co-sleep…or at least, mom Jodie and Daniel do after Daddy leaves for work at o’dark thirty. You did NOT just read that honey The kids DO sleep in their own beds!…LOL!But I do like what I see over at ChewyMom’s place.I especially enjoyed her post about The Starbucks Phenomon. The basic point of her post was that everyone treats themselves to a few things, and that is good. We all work hard, we ordinarily make wise purchases, and so we deserve this little treat now and then, whether it is a fancy coffee in a cup with a logo, organic foods from a beautifully laid-out store, or whatever. She goes on to write that she is guilty herself of the occasional treats but lately she has been struggling with how much she/we treat ourselves and how much it really costs us. Interesting food for thought.I thought about it and I admit that, yes, I did feel convicted a little about being guilty of this too. Sometimes I do justify little extras like stopping at Starbucks before work as a treat for me because, gosh darn it, I deserve it with all that I have to juggle. I thought about it long and hard while I was boxed in for 25 minutes this morning at the Starbucks’ drive-through. Is it right that I blame Starbucks for my being late for work this morning? Maybe I just need to curb my personal treats.I think I will be reading Acts 4 again tonight. [...]