Learning how to do nothing was my most important takeaway from lockdown. Detoxing from social media and being able to unplug from city life allowed me to assess what opinions and thoughts were mine, as opposed to internalizing the emotions of thousands of strangers, and asserting what’s really important to me.
> If tea has any health benefits they may be a by-product of the state of unhurried calm that the ritual of stopping to enjoy it facilitates.
Since nobody in the comments mention this, but tea has L-Theanine, a drug that calms down the jitters of caffeine. In other words, it is the symbol of "rise but don't grind" culture. And still this is commodified in meal supplementation in a corrupted "relax enough to grind" sense. The upside-down sentiment is maintained, that labor is the rule, and that relaxation/contemplation is the exception. https://soylent.com/blogs/news/l-theanine-everything-you-need-to-know-about-this-powerful-supplement
"...have to pull an all-nighter beginning with the team getting out the single origin Assam"... I LOL'ed and almost choked on my tea. I drink about a half-gallon a day sometimes. It does even out the peaks and valleys.
Enjoyed this read! I don't know how to properly brew tea, the ins, and the outs of temperature, hard or soft water, and all that (though I appreciate the ritual of tea making both simple and complex and hope to learn more about that which is a little separate from where I was originally going with this) but I do enjoy tea. Reading this has also reminded me to leave some time in my day to just sit for a bit.
I take your point and grant the bigger takeaway of the need to slow down. However... Having worked in the "third wave" side of Coffee for nearly two decades, I can attest that good coffee is also about going slow and not needing to be speedy. Slow drip coffee can be fairly Zen just like matcha. It is the intent of how it will be used.
Tea is used in England and India to freshen the mind of laborers, along with a lot of sugar. And Green Tea has been added to every motivational supplement on the market. The issue is not the "delivery plant " for caffeine but the completely "artificial" need for people to be ever more productive. I often point out to my philosophy classes that the first drugs used by Euro-Americans to amp up the productivity of labor were coffee and tea.
I don't drink much tea at all, but maybe I should drink one now and again. I do regularly sit and stare out of the window though, as I have an excuse to do so. I'm a "creative" and need reguarly breaks to "reset" and "think laterally".
"Choosing reflectively to do nothing can be the wiser option over reactively feeling the need to do something" — this is something I wish we could stamp on the foreheads of the Twitter Hustle Bros
I have no intention of starting “actually x people/culture has broader place for tea in their lives” kinda argument but as a Turkish I’m quite confident that you’d easily make plenty of observations in in Turkey that would back up your thoughts. I enjoyed this so much and silently screamed “FINALLY SOMEONE GETS IT!” because I loath playing catch up with every aspect of my life and that being the cultural norm for proving yourself efficient/driven/achiever individual.
There's a Turkish community in my city and whenever I'm out walking and see the guys stirring tea outside the cafes or sat on fold up chairs outside the barbers laughing and people-watching I always think 'these guys get it.'
Strange how you always put me at ease even while reading your substantial ideas. Also enjoy the way you so effortlessly link trains of thought together - cohesive and thoughtful. While I've always intuitively understood the difference between coffee and tea, the way you stripped it down to the bones was so clarifying and solid. Looks like I may need to brew a cup of Lapsang Souchong in the morning instead of coffee! Well done.
That’s very kind of you to say Trilety. The coffee versus tea difference is something I've been pondering for a good while now. Lapsang is a fancy way to start the day, the smokiness and slight caffeine makes it like a way more gentle take on the classic coffee and cigarette breakfast combo.
OMG yes! How, especially as a former smoker, did i never make that connection between the "smokiness and slight caffeine" being a "more gentle take on the classic coffee and cig" combo. Brilliant!
A savvy essay as is always the case. It's interesting that in some Eastern regions where tea is also the preferred drink, their religions propose that becoming an empty cup is the height of wisdom and fulfillment. To be empty is to be full.
Great Britain and Japan- two overcrowded islands which are both characterised by tea drinking, overpoliteness (traditionally) and sexual repression while also being a perv. Makes you think.
Learning how to do nothing was my most important takeaway from lockdown. Detoxing from social media and being able to unplug from city life allowed me to assess what opinions and thoughts were mine, as opposed to internalizing the emotions of thousands of strangers, and asserting what’s really important to me.
Tea forever!
So, your mug reads, "Don't just sit there, ritualize"?
> If tea has any health benefits they may be a by-product of the state of unhurried calm that the ritual of stopping to enjoy it facilitates.
Since nobody in the comments mention this, but tea has L-Theanine, a drug that calms down the jitters of caffeine. In other words, it is the symbol of "rise but don't grind" culture. And still this is commodified in meal supplementation in a corrupted "relax enough to grind" sense. The upside-down sentiment is maintained, that labor is the rule, and that relaxation/contemplation is the exception. https://soylent.com/blogs/news/l-theanine-everything-you-need-to-know-about-this-powerful-supplement
"...have to pull an all-nighter beginning with the team getting out the single origin Assam"... I LOL'ed and almost choked on my tea. I drink about a half-gallon a day sometimes. It does even out the peaks and valleys.
Enjoyed this read! I don't know how to properly brew tea, the ins, and the outs of temperature, hard or soft water, and all that (though I appreciate the ritual of tea making both simple and complex and hope to learn more about that which is a little separate from where I was originally going with this) but I do enjoy tea. Reading this has also reminded me to leave some time in my day to just sit for a bit.
I take your point and grant the bigger takeaway of the need to slow down. However... Having worked in the "third wave" side of Coffee for nearly two decades, I can attest that good coffee is also about going slow and not needing to be speedy. Slow drip coffee can be fairly Zen just like matcha. It is the intent of how it will be used.
Tea is used in England and India to freshen the mind of laborers, along with a lot of sugar. And Green Tea has been added to every motivational supplement on the market. The issue is not the "delivery plant " for caffeine but the completely "artificial" need for people to be ever more productive. I often point out to my philosophy classes that the first drugs used by Euro-Americans to amp up the productivity of labor were coffee and tea.
Completely agree with you about coffee. I love sitting down with a good cup of coffee and watching the world go by
I don't drink much tea at all, but maybe I should drink one now and again. I do regularly sit and stare out of the window though, as I have an excuse to do so. I'm a "creative" and need reguarly breaks to "reset" and "think laterally".
"Choosing reflectively to do nothing can be the wiser option over reactively feeling the need to do something" — this is something I wish we could stamp on the foreheads of the Twitter Hustle Bros
It can also be hard for me to take a break while I'm working.
Haha. The last sentence you quoted is surely on of the reasons that the Hacker News comment section was so, shall we say, interesting...
I have no intention of starting “actually x people/culture has broader place for tea in their lives” kinda argument but as a Turkish I’m quite confident that you’d easily make plenty of observations in in Turkey that would back up your thoughts. I enjoyed this so much and silently screamed “FINALLY SOMEONE GETS IT!” because I loath playing catch up with every aspect of my life and that being the cultural norm for proving yourself efficient/driven/achiever individual.
There's a Turkish community in my city and whenever I'm out walking and see the guys stirring tea outside the cafes or sat on fold up chairs outside the barbers laughing and people-watching I always think 'these guys get it.'
Glad you enjoyed the piece, Marvin.
Thanks Tom. I have closed my laptop and will get back to looking out the window. The plane is delayed even, possibly time for a cuppa now.
All times are a good time for a cuppa, in my opinion. Cheers Jordan.
Strange how you always put me at ease even while reading your substantial ideas. Also enjoy the way you so effortlessly link trains of thought together - cohesive and thoughtful. While I've always intuitively understood the difference between coffee and tea, the way you stripped it down to the bones was so clarifying and solid. Looks like I may need to brew a cup of Lapsang Souchong in the morning instead of coffee! Well done.
That’s very kind of you to say Trilety. The coffee versus tea difference is something I've been pondering for a good while now. Lapsang is a fancy way to start the day, the smokiness and slight caffeine makes it like a way more gentle take on the classic coffee and cigarette breakfast combo.
OMG yes! How, especially as a former smoker, did i never make that connection between the "smokiness and slight caffeine" being a "more gentle take on the classic coffee and cig" combo. Brilliant!
Love it. As always. My wife has one of those meditation apps. I told her not to take the first paragraph personally. Haha.
No offence to the lovely Mrs Verdich was intended. But those apps are a little but silly though.
Couldn’t agree more : )
A savvy essay as is always the case. It's interesting that in some Eastern regions where tea is also the preferred drink, their religions propose that becoming an empty cup is the height of wisdom and fulfillment. To be empty is to be full.
Great Britain and Japan- two overcrowded islands which are both characterised by tea drinking, overpoliteness (traditionally) and sexual repression while also being a perv. Makes you think.
The timidity of the tea drinker extends from cup to sack. You've just unlocked something groundbreaking here.
The sociology department need to step in and parse all of this out…
I’m not a tea drinker, but I’m going to set aside some time to stare out the window on this lovely Saturday
Excellent news, this means my mission here has been a success.
Are medication apps the new tea? Lol great read. It really is a talent to do "nothing" and not feel guilty.
They might be, sadly. Haha. The guilt takes a long time to go for many, but it can be gotten past. It is possible. Cheers Sajan.
Wonderful work as always, Tom.
Thanks Frank. It’s great to see you chipping away at the writing game in your weekly accountability posts too.