Coffee Shop Dwellers

"Stereotypical people who hang out at coffee shops want to seem smart, sophisticated and show they can afford luxuries like coffee" -Michelle K. (obtained from Chacha.com)

When I read this view I compared it to what I observe, as a coffee shop dweller myself, and I must conclude that the authoress is not a coffee shop frequenter :)


Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines stereotype with these words: "Something conforming to a fixed or general pattern; especially : a standardized mental picture that is held in common by members of a group and that represents an oversimplified opinion, prejudiced attitude, or uncritical judgment" When one adapts this definition of stereotype, one must allow the authoress to be somewhat correct; for a stereotype is not a fact, but an opinion. Just the same, being the critical person I am, I am going to attempt to explain why I do not hold to the same opinion at all!

Every morning, around 6 or 7 until 8:30 or 9, I sit at a counter at the local coffee shop, downing 2-3 fairly large cups of coffee. At this time of morning the patrons you expect to see, and pretty much always see, are 6-10 middle-aged to slightly older gents. These men, most of them, sit around for about an hour sharing tales, trying to be the one with the most interesting story! And though it's somewhat of a battle of whits, I can not with a good conscience say that one of them is attempting to be seen as "smart or sophisticated". Albeit no one, unless they are playacting, desires to come across dumb, but I can not say that by frequenting a coffee shop these men are attempting to appear "smart or sophisticated".

If one was to take into consideration these men's attire, again one would not assume they were trying to be sophisticated, in fact I would guess quite the opposite.... these men understand the value of simplicity in appearance. They are often dressed in jeans, flannel shirts, work boots, and a heavy duty jacket (often a Carhartt).


As far as the assumption that coffee shop dwellers frequent the coffee shop to show off their money by affording "luxuries like coffee"; well... this is not the 30s and 40s where coffee is a luxury! Though the economy is certainly not good, I don't think that we're in such a grave state yet where we must forgo such things as coffee!


I do concede that the stereotypical view above might apply in the big cities, but out here in the country it's quite the opposite!