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Are we too materialistic?
I am fortunate enough to have a Starbucks conveniently located in the building where I work. Whenever I have a need for caffeine I have an unlimited supply of coffee, cappuccinos, lattes, and espressos at my disposal, providing I am willing to sacrifice the pay I just earned the previous hour in exchange for the liquid fix. Day in and day out I see a steady stream of caffeine deprived zombies lined up in front of Starbucks, anxiously anticipating their turn to order a tall non-fat mocha with no whip. Lately I have noticed that in addition to their morning brew coinsures are leaving Starbucks with an espresso in one hand and a cup of water in the other. What a great concept since most of the time one is thirsty after consuming all that caffeine. Not wanting to be on the outs with the newest trend in society, I found myself at the Starbucks counter purchasing an overpriced cup of coffee and a cup of water. To my complete shock I was charged $.0.54 for that cup of water that I just saw the barista fill up from the sink. Yes my friends I was being charged $0.54 for a cup of tap water that I could have obtained for free just a few feet away in the break room. Then it hit me. I was not paying for the water I was paying for the cup that was very stylishly covered in the Starbucks logo. As I began to ponder this further on the journey back to my desk I began to wonder if the American public would be just as willing to pay for a cup of tap water at their local eatery. The answer I concluded was an undeniable no. If I went to my neighborhood Chilies and discovered when I received my tab that I had been charged $0.54 for a glass of water I would be outraged, upset, and would demand to speak with the manager. But somehow because I was drinking from a cool cup that said Starbucks on it, the $0.54 was well worth it. Funny how we are willing to pay for tap water if it comes in a name brand cup, but unwilling to pay for that same cup of water if it comes in an unmarked glass. That ironic hypocrisy got the wheels in my head spinning and I began to wonder, "are we as a society to materialistic?" How many times have I as a consumer overpaid for an item simply because it had a trendy logo or name on it? I can not decide for the rest of you but as far as I am concerned I think I am going to beat the rush and get my tap water from the break room from now on.

Learn more about this author, Michael Stevens.
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