Busy Backson: America
“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment,” preached Buddha. In depth, I think Buddha seemed to understand that the past is not relevant in succeeding the present. The present is meant to be lived thoroughly with a present tense mind. Unknowingly over thinking the future prevents the mind from enjoying the present. Dwelling over an event that occurred in the past interferes with the natural order of living in the present. It seems unlikely to even appreciate or enjoy the present if the past and future are what the mind is currently thinking of. The key is to clear the mind of all negative and stressful thoughts that arise about the future or past. Don’t be a Busy Backson
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The reward at the end of the journey is not all it’s put out to be if you didn’t get to enjoy the ride there. In my opinion, the biggest Busy Backson out there is America. America today is only ever focused on the reward. To America, the journey is just an obstacle they have to swivel around to reach their goal. In The Tao of Pooh, the characters reveal how America is negatively a Busy Backson.
Although I’ve only been working at Starbucks for three weeks, I would like to think that I have a handle on things. At least, that’s what I thought until a customer walked up with his phone held to his ear, his wallet already in his hands, and his order so rushed that I could barely make it out. When I asked him to repeat his order he rolled his eyes and huffed. “Excuse me, I can tell your new, but I’m in a hurry,” he blurted, already taking his money out of his wallet. I was appalled. My coworker took over as I stood idly by. Now, this is only one person, but it can be expanded to demonstrate how much of a Busy Backson America is. People don’t enjoy or admire the time that they
After purchasing a drink I settled down to the left of the shop just by the window from this location, I observed several rituals through watching interactions and general behavior. My vantage point of view proved useful in the first trip so it was used for observation in subsequent visits as well. I also obtained information by interviewing an informant. The informant is an employee at the coffee shop: a barista who works mainly in the morning shift. The barista has been an employee at this particular Starbucks for three months. According to the informant, having been on duty during the early morning rush has provided sufficient material, which they have used to observe customer behavior, maybe for business strategy.
People often become trapped in past memories and devote all their energy to recreating those events. This is true of The Great Gatsby as seen in the quote by F. Scott Fitzgerald, "So we beat on; boats against the current; borne back ceaselessly into the past." Obsession can often evolve into idolization preventing personal growth. Dwelling on the past can adversely impact one's life. Becoming obsessed with, and consistently trying to re-live, the past will stifle one's ability to grow, mature and move on with their life.
There is a lot that goes into making this country work. Whether it be the coal that makes electricity to power our lights, to the cowboys who herd the cattle that becomes the beef that we eat regularly, there’s more to America than just big business. But we as Americans rarely think about these jobs, let alone respect them. Hidden America written by Jeanne Marie Laskas shines a light on these underappreciated jobs, and points out that these jobs are imperative to our economy, and deserve more respect than they receive.
You can’t repeat the past. Yes, you heard right, as much as we want to stay in the moment it won’t last endlessly sadly. Now there are those that take to accept that reality and those who refute it and try to do their best to avert the inevitable. There is a great book that depicts this perfectly, and that is The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald. One of the main characters Gatsby believes you can repeat the past.
Past experiences are great to learn from and occasionally look back on, but dwelling in the past can often lead to regret and the inability to move forward. It is not possible to live life to the
Buddha, a man who devoted himself to years of contemplation and self-denial, once said “do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment”. Thinking too much about times gone by typically keeps your mind stuck in neutral. Existing in an earlier life could result in revisiting feelings of anger, guilt, resentment, sorrow, or shame. Obsessing about the people and events precipitating such negative feelings can lead to endless rethinking. Becoming increasingly lifeless, or infatuated, thinking really cannot progress toward any resolution. Ultimately, it is pointless to employ memory to hold onto what may have been lost many years ago. As a result of not letting go of the past, it is possible to be robbed of present opportunities. Often, in many novels the characters are still dwelling on their past in the present. In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the author demonstrates how George Wilson and Jay Gatsby are held hostage by their pasts with little hope for their futures.
“Man…cannot learn to forget, but hangs on to the past: however far or fast he runs that chain runs with him.”- Friedrich Nietzsche (German-Swiss philosopher and writer).
The most CWB that takes place at Starbucks would be the “down times” when there is a lull after the crazy rush. This is the time to catch up and make the store pretty again for the next batch of customers but instead many baristas stand around and think that they can just hang out at the register until the next customer walks up. I have no problem having fun and chatting but as long as we are working while doing so.
Starbucks positions itself as a place college students can hang out, study, write term papers and meet people. A Starbucks appeal to this consumer directly through introducing technology as soon as it comes available, focusing on social networking and actively cultivating a “cool” image. The young adult audience grows 4.6 percent each year (O’ Farrell).” However, the majority of the advertising is catered to Adults around the ages of 25 to 40. Adults seem to prefer a pick me up first thing in the morning on their way to work. Most Starbucks today have a drive thru to make it faster to grab and go.
Often times we find ourselves thinking about the past only to try to force the memories away and return to our current delusion. We can never erase the past, but if the past is who we are, then should we just welcome pain back into our lives? Embarrassment, guilt, and pride betray us as we choose to bury our darkest memories in our head and look to a positive future without ever having to readdress them and acknowledge that they had ever happened in the first place. Thinking back now my weakest moment caught me by complete surprise.
As a distractible person, I find myself doing my work in the small cubbyholes of Starbucks stores. Amongst, the unlimited supply of caffeinated drinks, and the white-noise generated by the mélange of indistinguishable conversation, sounds of espresso machines, and crappy jazz, I find it easier to focus in a Starbucks lobby. When you spend inordinate amounts of time in Starbucks you pickup on the unique social dynamics of a place which attracts salesmen, snobs, and students alike.
As Emerson perceived the world, “Man postpones or remembers; he does not live in the present, but with reverted eye laments the past, or, heedless of the riches that surround him, stands on tiptoes to foresee the future. He cannot be happy and strong until he too lives with nature in the present, above time” (“Self-Reliance” 833-834). Even if a man finds himself with both self-trust and originality, he may never realize his true potential if he is preoccupied with past events or future fortunes. Emerson finds these obsessions to be utterly useless: “Discontent is the want of self-reliance; it is the infirmity of will. Regret calamities, if you can thereby help the sufferer; if not, attend to your own work, and already the evil begins to be repaired” (838). In contemporary society, a willingness to “live in the moment” is highly regarded, especially among youth, yet this acceptance seems to wane with age. Nevertheless, excessive anxiousness and nostalgia are a waste of the potential that can be realized when the truths of the present are
Past, present and future are all important to keep in perspective. Looking back and not having regrets is extremely satisfying. Your current situation and your contentment with it are also very important, and having goals and milestones to work toward in the future keeps you motivated and keeps life interesting and challenging.
This how I learned from the three text how to fix my future.Also I wanted to show you how it helps and it is good to look at the past.Then when you even need to be happy look at the things you have done in your lifetime and share it with somebody.Finally when it comes to the way you have the past and future don’t always dwell in your past.That is how this essay shows how the past helps the future.
Starbucks was bought out by current CEO Howard Schultz in 1987. Since then, Andrew Harrer (2012) reports the company has grown to operate over “17,244 stores worldwide” (para. 1). Fortune (n.d.) reports in its yearly 100 Best Companies to Work for that Starbucks employs “some 95,000 employees”. From only a handful of stores in 1987 to a billion dollar franchise today, the success of Starbucks is due in great deal to their corporate culture, specifically how employees, or as Starbucks calls them, partners are treated. Joseph Michelli (2007) echoes this sentiment, “A great cup of coffee is only part of the Starbucks success equation” (p. 767).