STARBUCKS : CATALYST TO HEDONISM AMONG STUDENTS TODAY?

Ng, Iris Pei Vi (2015) STARBUCKS : CATALYST TO HEDONISM AMONG STUDENTS TODAY? [Final Year Project Report] (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Globalization of Starbucks (SBUX) has made it a branded coffeehouse across the globe that people all around the world are able to drink a cup of American coffee no matter where we are. People today are no longer drinking a cup of coffee to fulfill their need of caffeine but a cup of lifestyle and experience. Students nowadays who are still pursuing theirs studies with financially supported by parents and loan prone on spending their expenses on Starbucks despite the high price-value of the beverage and desserts in Starbucks. The visit to Starbucks is seemed to be a luxurious lifestyle to some of the students which could be reflected by the behavior of snapping pictures with their cup of beverage and posting the picture on social network everytime they visit this place. The reaction and respond from friends in social network reflect that some of the peers are rather less afford to have splendid expenditure since they have very limited purchasing power compare to those who have consistent income. This also rises up the sensation and satisfaction to behave in a way that students emphasize a lot on pleasure when they receive those envious comments and clicks of “Like” in social network. Simultaneously, such social behavior is adjourn to a contemporary culture of hedonism which students prioritizing the sense of desire and pleasure eluted when they are seemed to be grouped as people who are afford to visit a branded coffeehouse. In other word, students seem to be attracted by the brand of Starbucks and wish to show that they are classified in the group of social group with higher taste. This could be explained in relation with the Theory of Leisure Class proposed by Thorstein Veblen (1899) who uses a car as an example. Someone who owns a new car does not indicate a new transportation but signify a certain extent of status, class and name of the particular person. Max Weber (Breen, 2005) also proposes that the term class is defined as a situation which there is shared typical probability of procuring goods, having a position in life and seeking for satisfaction in oneself. Many of the middle aged adults look at such phenomenon as a trend which students are actually wishing to socialize and fear of being left out if they do not follow their friends to loiter at Starbucks. Therefore, this writing is a plea for the hedonism culture among students to be taken more seriously. This writing also acknowledges the importance of looking at the current social behavior happening among the new generations.

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