The intention of this article is to bring into conversation two opposing viewpoints regarding “il caffe sospeso”, known in the United States as, “the suspended coffee”, which is the practice of buying a cup of coffee in advance for someone less fortunate than oneself. There are varying accounts of the origin of this practice, the most popular being that it originated in Naples; groups of friends would lose track of how many cups of coffee were consumed, and would often pay for extras, telling the barista to give the free cup to a future, less fortunate customer—an act which “emphasized his or her refinement” (Buscemi). In Buscemi’s article, How ‘il caffé sospeso’ became ‘suspended coffee’: The neo-liberal re-‘invention of tradition’ from Bourdieu to Bourdieu, he contends that to engage in the “suspended coffee” movement acts more as a tool for improving one’s social position than as an act of true philanthropy. To exemplify this, Buscemi draws on the notion that people are more highly regarded when “they do not need to care about reality and everyday “vulgar” practices. This can be seen in the fact that those people buying the coffee do not have any contact with the people they are buying the coffee for. Additionally, Buscemi points out that there are many better ways to assist those in need of sustenance. On the other end of the spectrum is the Suspended Coffees movement—viewing the video posted below is very interesting when considering Buscemi’s argument. The viewer may notice that the first five minutes of the video focus primarily on the founder of the company, and how the company has changed his life. This is merely scratching the surface of Buscemi’s work—I’d highly recommend reading the article in its entirety. It is worth considering in this context what is signified by purchasing coffee with labels like Single-Origin, Fair Trade, Direct Trade, or Organic.
Your Group Name – Fall Quarter 2015