Coffee Culture: The embodiment of actual culture?

Author: Klaudia Sliwa

For years, Eastern and Western ideologies seem to have clashed and caused conflict between countries as well as everyday people. Ideologies, however, must stem from cultural upbringing and how people conduct themselves on a daily basis. It is quite interesting to see, however, that both cultures, Eastern and Western, have a commonality of coffee. Is it possible then to see the cultural disparities as well as similarities of cultures through a lens of coffee culture? My own experiences

Source: My own photography
A Starbucks coffee shop always has "Starbucks."
written in white letters on the store front as well as
their green logo clearly displayed in the window.

have indicated that coffee culture is in fact rather symbolic of geographic culture, specifically between New York City, USA and Kusadasi, Turkey, representing the conflicting Eastern and Western cultures seen in conflict so often.

Source: My own photography
The port of Kusadasi is a small town
located on the central western coast of Turkey. 

Cultural differences can be seen through a variety of ways in which coffee is enjoyed, its purpose, the way in which it is prepared, its history and the time associated with coffee. In New York City, coffee shops such as Starbucks dominate the city. Starbucks, starting out as a coffee shop in Washington state in the early 1970’s², has grown into a company influencing most of the world’s coffee consumption. In contrast, Turkish coffeehouses have their origin in the Ottoman Empire, the first coffeehouse being established in Istanbul in the 16^th century¹. The history of coffee establishments and their relevance in today’s society shows how culture differs between the East and the West. In Turkey and Eastern culture, the authenticity and longevity of coffee become factors into how coffee is incorporated in today’s approach to enjoying coffee. The idea that coffeehouses were regarded as a hub of social interaction in 16^th century Ottoman Empire remains the same in Kusadasi and other Turkish towns in the 21^st century³. The purpose of coffeehouses in Kusadasi as well as other places in Turkey, are about the social experience, wanting to converse and interact with friends and share news. Contrasting this with New York City and Western culture, the origin and purpose of coffee is somewhat more shallow without the history and tradition to influence today’s society. Although coffee is a significant part of Western culture, the tradition to sit and socialize is practiced but not on as large of a scale, often even being called a “hipster” act. The timeliness in obtaining and enjoying coffee also differs between cultures and stems back to their respective histories as well. The act of conversing with friends, socializing and sharing news takes time; the purpose of going to a Turkish coffeehouse is to sit down and enjoy the experience. Getting coffee in New York City, especially during early morning rush hour, is perhaps the exact opposite. The purpose of going to a coffee shop in the morning in Western culture is to caffeinate oneself, and move onto the next task of the day, not exactly enjoying the coffee and its company. All of these factors of coffee culture indicate and encompass the differences between Eastern and Western culture.

The way in which a coffee establishment is regarded, indefinitely implies the way in which the coffee is produced and distributed. Coffee “shops,” such as Starbucks, imply a capitalistic

Source: My own photography
A typical Starbucks aesthetic includes dim lights,
dark furniture and smooth jazz playing in the background.

Western culture that is rather task and time oriented. “Coffeehouse” however, implies hospitality and a people oriented Eastern culture. With Starbucks, the consumer is first and foremost buying a brand, rather than coffee. Entering the coffee shop, they provide the customer with an aesthetic that focuses on how the consumer experiences the brand that is Starbucks.

Source: My own photography
This disposable Starbucks cup for cold beverages
features the well known Starbucks logo along with the
famous green color displayed on both the cup
 and the straw accompanying it.

The employee asks for the customer’s name, attempting to make the experience more personable and less about business. The coffee order is then called out to the customer by name and served in a disposable cup with its logo clearly displayed. Each Starbucks perhaps only differs in the layout of the shop, not in what products they carry, since the most efficient way to sell themselves is to mass produce. This mass production encompasses the capitalistic nature in the way even coffee is made, feeding mass supplied coffee beans into machines to quickly cater to each customer’s order. As Slavoj Zizek mentions, since Starbucks and Western culture is also all about consuming, Starbucks must broadcast that buying coffee at their establishment is not just buying coffee but trying to ease the guilt of pure consumerism with “ethical sourcing” of coffee beans. 

Starbucks website describes this concept as “…responsible purchasing practices, supporting farmer loans and forest conservation programs,”³ all to make the buyer feel less guilty about the culture they are perpetuating and to culminate an experience that benefits even third world countries. The mass production that goes into supplying each Starbucks shop for time efficiency as well as the treatment of consumers, shows the time and task oriented nature of the Western culture and the guilt that comes with it. In Turkish and Eastern culture, the “coffeehouse” instills the traditional idea of hospitality and consuming coffee amongst friends for recreational and pleasurable purposes.

Source: http://www.turkishstylegroundcoffee.com
/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/pot-mix.jpg
A traditional Turkish boiling pot,
called a cezve, is used to brew coffee.

Each coffeehouse may look different depending on where it is located. The process of entering and obtaining coffee at a coffeehouse also differs, entailing a consumer to sit down, order and enjoy themselves. Coffee in Eastern culture also differs in the way it is made for each customer. Although because of modernization, coffee machines do exist, a traditional coffeehouse will use a cezve to brew coffee, adding ground beans, cold water and sugar if desired and putting the boiling pot over a fire or stove. The process is more individualized and oriented around the customer, not quickly made without a face to put to the coffee order. The beverage is then served in a traditional coffee cup, usually hand crafted, with a glass of water and a Turkish delight. Eastern culture values the coffee making process as a tradition to appeal to the consumer, not only as a mass ploy to gain business and provide a falsified experience.

Source: My own photography
At a coffeehouse in Kusadasi, I was served my coffee in this
 traditional coffee cup along with a cold
glass of water and a Turkish Delight.

The way in which coffee establishments present themselves and treat their consumers in places like Turkey, show the values people share as well as the people oriented culture of the East. 
Although the cultures of the East and the West have a variety of disparities, one commonality is still coffee. Cultures, opinions and points of view may differ and maybe even clash but perhaps our differences can be settled over a hot cup of coffee, no matter where in the world.

Sources:

1.     http://aregem.kulturturizm.gov.tr/TR,132383/turkish-coffee-culture-and-tradition.html

2.     https://www.starbucks.com/about-us/company-information/starbucks-company-profile

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3.     http://www.turkishculture.org/lifestyles/lifestyle/coffeehouses-204.htm

Author:

Klaudia Sliwa is a Polish-American student studying biochemistry at Rutgers University. Her interest in modern politics and the influence the middle east has on international politics culminated a hobby into exploring the cultural differences of Eastern and Western culture.

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