Gratuitous Icon Post

[jan_andrea]

I know I shouldn't necessarily be proud of the distinction, but I heard the term "Starbucks Democrat" on NPR the other day and, for better or worse, it's a pretty good descriptor of where I am right now politically. I'll probably be using this icon whenever I talk specifically about politics, so if you see it and don't want to read political stuff, you'll know to skim on by :)

Comments

[joy-disaster.livejournal.com]

haha! I can identify with that too

[lissie930.livejournal.com]

I don't even know what they mean, but I can assume it relates to me!

[jan-andrea.livejournal.com]

I wrote a small (if imperfect) explanation here: http://jan-andrea.livejournal.com/83389.html?thread=439997#t439997

[entirelysonja.livejournal.com]

OK, so what is a Starbucks Democrat?

(Since I go to Starbucks once or twice a year, I suspect I probably don't qualify. :-)

[jan-andrea.livejournal.com]

Well, whether it's true or not, Starbucks spins its corporation as a sort of one-worldly, labor-friendly, lefty, environmentally-friendly, neighborhood corner store company. Of course, they're actually a humongous global corporation now, but the vibe you get from their stores is all "We care!" and "We support fair trade!" and whatnot. That's probably true for the most part, inasmuch as it's possible for a multi-national global corp to do so :)

The "Starbucks Democrat" designation is, I think, is meant to call to mind an upper-middle class sort of aesthetic. I mean, you don't go to Starbucks on a regular basis unless you have a fairly sizable disposable income, given the price of the coffee. Yet, with the Starbucks "We love humanity!" image, there's the liberal guilt of spending money on frivolous things, so you get a fair amount of local and global charitable initiatives and the like that patrons are encouraged to support. We know we're spending on frivolity, but want to make sure we're offsetting that (liberal guilt) on worthwhile causes as well.

Mostly, it's a distinction between the "traditional" blue collar Democrat (a dying breed, alas) who supported the Democratic party because they stood for labor rights and protection for the individual (rather than the corporation), and were thought to be the party of the working man. Starbucks Democrats are mostly white-collar, urban, certainly not downtrodden, but also concerned with human rights and equality.

For me, it's a sort of uncomfortable position -- I have a lot of liberal guilt (hence my own charitable initiative) and every time I have one of those $4 coffees, I can't help but think about all the people who go without food, period. So "Starbucks Democrat" isn't necessarily a term of endearment, nor something to be *proud* of, as such, but it is apt for me and a goodly chunk of my cohort.

[entirelysonja.livejournal.com]

Ah, I get it. I don't really know enough about Starbucks to know what it's corporate image is -- I generally find myself in a Starbucks when I'm hungry and it's the only nearby place to find some food.

Although I can't afford to spend $4 on a cup of coffee, I probably am a "Starbucks Democrat". I mean, I am the sort of person who buys wind power even though it costs more.

[jan-andrea.livejournal.com]

Yah, the wind power thing would count :)