Something I noticed at Starbucks...

I was with a friend at Starbucks a while ago. It was my first time there.

I noticed a few people:

1. Guy with laptop, typing interspersed by pensive sighs and listless pondering, looking sophisticated.
2. Two emo-ish girls in the corner lounge chairs, writing poetry, looking sophisticated. One had a Razr cell-phone.
3. Douchebag-looking guy with ponytail and mini ear bud cell-phone thing.

And I thought to myself:

Why do people fall into behavioral patterns and stereotypes so easily? I see so many ponytailed chai-drinking jackasses with ear bud cell-phones. And they all look identical. I see tons of girls that appear and act exactly like the two girls I saw at Starbucks that day.

Is this a result of pop-culture? Cultural diffusion? Extraordinary coincidence?

My friend and I laughed a bit at everyone there. Another friend came to meet up with us and she brought an Ayn Rand book. I pretended to read it, stroking my chin, and they took pictures. Good times.

 

I love chai lattes.

 

what's wrong with people being people? So they fall into things you call stereotypes, maybe they're just doing what makes them happy. Why do you have to judge their actions like that?

 

I have found out through personal experiance that all of those "phases" aren't unimportant, they are vital for personal growth. Everyone is trying to find out who they really are, and through every phase, they find out something new. Its all a part of realising who you are and where you stand. I have dawned myself with many differant "scenes over the years: punk, skater, emo, metalhead, rocker, goth, prep. Now through each of those phases, I learned something new about myself, and I don't regret a single one of my phases because of that. If I grow out of this hippie-like phase I am in right now, which I hope doesn't happen but it is likely, I won't regret it, because I have learned so much about the world, about myself, about others, and about everything. Let those people do their thing, they are finding who they are, just like you are.

 

So you're saying that one can learn the most about himself by "testing the waters" of each of society's class/type of people? Like testing each and every battery combination of a giant ziplock bag to try and find two that arn't dead? The process of elimination can be painful... especially when subjecting yourself to the circumstances that the initial poster was (at least i think) referring to: it's not what you wear or what kind of cell phone you own, it's the square box of personal attitudes and perceptions in which one traps themselves when they live these lifestyles........ he (and myself) are suggesting that you can learn most about yourself while being open to everything; the world.....rather than putting up barriers and naming enemies for yourselves.. (for example emos vs jocks.... vice versa.... hippies vs squares... vice versa....metal heads vs enya-lovers... etc.etc.etc.etc.etc)

 

Let them be who they want to be.

Who are you to judge them?

How do you know they aren't happy?

 

It's obvious that they arn't happy... they are leading hypocritical lives. Every day they wake up and draw pictures on their faces and go to work or school and wear chains or frills. They think they are being rebellious and exercising their freedom. But they arn't free... they are self-burdened with the knowledge that people think of them as a certain way... and they have to live up to that stereotype or face prosecution.

 

Ok, let's examine this further. I took the time to look up the definition of stereotyping on www.dictionary.com. And it says this; "To characterize by a stereotype: “Elderly Americans are the neglected sector of the fashion industry, stereotyped by blue hair and polyester pantsuits” (American Demographics)." I truely believe you have no right to spit out words such as "Douchebag", "jackasses" to someone you know only know by appearance at a coffee shop. Do you really know who they are? Are you not stereotyping people judging by their looks? It seems to me as if they are more sophisticated then you in the first place. It must be me but this doesnt sound like a "hip" or "hippie" statement at all. Remember to truely be hip you most keep your mind open at all times. You never know one of those persons could become president some day.

 

You know what, I think you missed the 4th kind of people that are always in coffee shops.. that annoying punk kids who laugh, snicker, and take pictures of other people who are just trying to have a emo cup of coffee, while it's still hot so that it burns their mouth, or in hopes of drinking it so quickly that his earbud pops out, or even type so fast that he gets promoted... everyone has different reasons just don't sure yourself out of the stereotypical viewpoint

 

i rarely see any of those kind in coffee shops...but i only go in them maybe 3 times a year.

 

^^^LOL^^^

I get the point of the original poster. On one level it is quite laughable when you think about it. But in the end we are ALL trying to find our place in the human race somehow.

 

um, wow. Ive never looked at it like that.

We should definately all hate people who go to a coffee shop to do work, dress differently than us and have razor cell phones and especially people with ponytails (by the way, have you looked at pics of half the guys on this forum? lots of guys with long hair and ponytails.)

seriously, you need to be more openminded, embrace diversity a bit and you need to be much less judgemental.

im sure all three of those people hated the kid watching them so judgementally thinking hes too good for starbucks while their just trying to enjoy a cup of coffee/tea.

i feel bad for sounding mean, but seriously, its that kind of closed mindedness that breeds un-necessary hate.

 

They were probably laughing at you too. As ridiculous as you think they are other people probably think you're just as ridiculous. The guy you thought was a douchebag probably thinks you're the one who's a douchebag. What makes you think you're the only one that stands out as cool? So who's right? Who fucken cares. Let people be for what they are.

 

The individual has no identity. They attach themselvs to the masses which also has no identity.

 

Drinking Starbucks coffee makes all of your opinions invalid.

 

ha

exactly.

 

there just normal people what the fuck were you expecting in a coffee shop?

 

I think everybody looks the same when you don't know them. The more you know someone, the more you realise details about him. I think it's these details that make everybody so unique. Sure, alot of people try to be what they arn't, but you can't claim to know these people just like that. They're much more than what they look like.
What the hell, nothing really matters... be happy and let the others be happy...

 

way to demonstrate some wisdom there
You couldnt be more correct.

 

Dude you so have a point. I have been through a phase or too in my life time, cause im just trying to figure out who i am and what im most conmfortable with, (its normal for people who start hgih school) i am not just beign the stereoptype though, it's hard to word. i am not the stereotype hippie, i dont even think im a hippie, but people call my a try hard hippie just because i discovered how awesome tie dye was just last year.. Its annoying because you cant be yourself without being labelled try hard..
anyway, i couldnt care less if people start wearing tight black jeans, bands shirts and dye their hair black just cause everyone else is at the moment. As long as they dont do anything evil to someone or something a care about.