Essay On Coffee In America
A cup of Starbucks coffee can seem like a meaningless drink to most people in America but experts report that more than 110 million Americans drink it and total national consumption is more than 300 million cups a day (Douglas, 2009). We might think about getting a cup of coffee is not a big deal and do not really think much about in our daily lives. However, I can see strong a relationship with a cup of Starbucks coffee and the word “privilege.” We often do not think that drinking a cup of coffee that equals about $4 is a privilege; we choose to go out to Starbucks and buy a cup of coffee for $4 when we can make our own coffee at home for much cheaper price! I think this is a privilege that most Americans do not notice similar to McIntosh’s
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As a Korean American living in America, I thought it was really difficult to see myself as having the privilege in any shape or form. There were moments in my childhood when I was discriminated for my appearance. I can recall a time when I was always the last one to be picked for basketball during P.E. in my junior high because I was Asian. They assumed that I cannot play basketball. There were other incidents where my high school friends assumed that I am a geek because I am an Asian. There were times during college years when I did not get hired at an institution because of the stereotype that the supervisors had on Asian male. I was also taught from a friend that I need to use my English name Matthew over my Korean name Chan Yang because it increases my chances of getting an interview as supervisors see me as an American and not as an Asian who cannot speak English. There were many incidents where I felt oppressed and discriminated for my appearance that I did not recognize or realize that I have any privilege. However, this picture helped me to reflect on some of the privileges that I have; ability to speak, move, talk, write, see, play sports, walk at night without worrying that I will get robbed or raped, freely pray in public, drink a cup of coffee. There are times when I am privileged in many situations but I fail to notice it just like a cup of coffee that people tend unnoticed as a
As a Korean American living in America, I thought it was really difficult to see myself as having the privilege in any shape or form. There were moments in my childhood when I was discriminated for my appearance. I can recall a time when I was always the last one to be picked for basketball during P.E. in my junior high because I was Asian. They assumed that I cannot play basketball. There were other incidents where my high school friends assumed that I am a geek because I am an Asian. There were times during college years when I did not get hired at an institution because of the stereotype that the supervisors had on Asian male. I was also taught from a friend that I need to use my English name Matthew over my Korean name Chan Yang because it increases my chances of getting an interview as supervisors see me as an American and not as an Asian who cannot speak English. There were many incidents where I felt oppressed and discriminated for my appearance that I did not recognize or realize that I have any privilege. However, this picture helped me to reflect on some of the privileges that I have; ability to speak, move, talk, write, see, play sports, walk at night without worrying that I will get robbed or raped, freely pray in public, drink a cup of coffee. There are times when I am privileged in many situations but I fail to notice it just like a cup of coffee that people tend unnoticed as a