For writer and critic George Steiner, the café made Europe. In the light of disappointing turnout for this year's European elections, La Vanguardia laments the disappearance of these places of debate. There's a lot more to a cup of coffee than a break and a stimulant. The very blackness of this bracing brew holds a refreshing sensation, the beat that begins the day, the highlight of lunch, or the passing of idle hours. It represents the illusion of opening up the doors of perception, clearing up confusion, or providing a painless panacea for the occasional indisposition. "Let's have coffee" remains an excellent and concise formula to express the desire for a get-together replete with confidences, closeness - in a word: sociability. "A little cup of coffee", we say with a touch of tenderness. The important thing is to utter this magic word, which gives meaning to a social engagement and fosters the culture of conversation. At a talk he gave in Amsterdam five years ago entitled "The Idea of Europe", George Steiner ventured a seemingly frivolous assertion: "As long as cafés are still around, the idea of Europe will endure." So in view of the massive abstention and electoral autism exhibited in the latest elections - only 43.1% voted, 59.6% didn't bother, beating the 2004 record for abstention - I can't help wondering what has become of the great European café.
For writer and critic George Steiner, the café made Europe. In the light of disappointing turnout for this year's European elections, La Vanguardia laments the disappearance of these places of debate.
There's a lot more to a cup of coffee than a break and a stimulant. The very blackness of this bracing brew holds a refreshing sensation, the beat that begins the day, the highlight of lunch, or the passing of idle hours. It represents the illusion of opening up the doors of perception, clearing up confusion, or providing a painless panacea for the occasional indisposition. "Let's have coffee" remains an excellent and concise formula to express the desire for a get-together replete with confidences, closeness - in a word: sociability. "A little cup of coffee", we say with a touch of tenderness. The important thing is to utter this magic word, which gives meaning to a social engagement and fosters the culture of conversation.
At a talk he gave in Amsterdam five years ago entitled "The Idea of Europe", George Steiner ventured a seemingly frivolous assertion: "As long as cafés are still around, the idea of Europe will endure." So in view of the massive abstention and electoral autism exhibited in the latest elections - only 43.1% voted, 59.6% didn't bother, beating the 2004 record for abstention - I can't help wondering what has become of the great European café.
Hey, cafes are still thriving around here. What is this Steiner guy talking about? The brainless should not be in banking. — Willem Buiter
I can't help wondering what has become of the great European café.
it's gone online, duh.
he's obviously never been to ET! ~"When an inner situation is not made conscious, it appears outside as fate." Karl Jung~
Starbucks regulars should take a close look at their credit card statements. The coffee giant admits it double-charged more than a million customers during two days last month.
