Are You In An Abusive Relationship With The Unicorn Frappuccino?
First, let's talk about relationships. We live in a relational world centered around the relationships we have in our family, at work, with friends, and strangers even. It would behoove us to remember that it is also a fallen world, the aftermath of original sin. Put these two realities together and it makes sense that trouble is "brewing" (pun shamelessly intended) in all of our relationships. It's up to our consistent proactive efforts to maintain healthy and happy relationships across the board.
There is one relationship that is worth exploring here (there are many, possibly, but I'll focus on one for now). This is the relationship between YOU and your RESTAURANT/FOOD PROVIDER. Is this not a relationship that impacts your daily life? Of course it is! Thus, it is worth our attention. All aboard the train of thought!
As you may have learned in your Middle School Biology class, there are 3 different types of relationships in nature. The most preferable relationship is mutualistic or symbiotic, where both parties benefit from the existence of the relationship. Then there is commensalism, where one party benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed. Last is the parasitic, where one party gains and the other suffers.
Now hold up, have you guys seen this?
The Unicorn Frappuccino is STRAIGHT TRENDY. It's short lived stint on the menu had it garnering attention not only for it's admittedly attractive neon swirls but it's outlandish health facts. It was undeniably a detriment to the health of the consumer, which is why the Stratford Health Department called out Starbucks for promoting it. Like so many other products, it's meant to catch your eye and inspire a purchase, with much less thought to what happens after money changes hands. For YOU however, that's the part that matters MOST.
Back to the relationship idea now. The unicorn Frappuccino causes me to consider the true relationship that people have with Starbucks, looking through the fanatical following it has from caffeinated coffee cravers worldwide. It is symbolic of the relationship we should consider with every food purchase, not even just the trendy ones! What is the truth at the end of the day about this relationship?
It goes down like this...
1. We pay hard earned money to food purveyor (let's continue with the Unicorn Frapp as an example).
2. We receive the Unicorn Frappuccino, which on the surface provides happiness in the form of a dopamine hit, cool photos for social media peeps, and the magical ambiance of the word "Unicorn".
3. We drink the Unicorn Frappuccino, and our body does all the work trying to process the 56g of sugar (grande size, 76g for a venti), jarring your system on all fronts from your now craving induced brain, your swinging mood, rotting teeth, pre- (or current if you suffer from type 2 diabetes) insulin resistant liver, hyperactive pancreas, etc.
Result- You are short 5 bucks, closer to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity, erectile dysfunction, etc. Starbucks is up $5 and some priceless advertising on your social media.
I know what kind of relationship my Middle School Biology class would have categorized this one as... It's right alongside tapeworms, fleas, and barnacles.
-JRG