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Italy's longest-serving barista reflects on six decades behind the counter

reuters.com

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Re: Italy's longest-serving barista reflects on six decades behind the counter

#21

Post by divbzero »

Incipient wrote: post #17
bix6 wrote: post #9

I was thinking about robotic baristas the other day and how you might save on costs but you give up so much; If I’m going out for coffee I prefer places where I know the baristas so I get to feel like a part of my community.

I feel like there are definitely two types of people that are after coffee - the morning commute people that need caffeine, and just want it fast. They'd not notice a machine doing it for them (and a lot of them would have a machine at home!) The other group is like you and I, where we like engaging with the community. I suppose three - the Starbucks crew that do it for 'likes'.

Even for morning commute people who need caffeine, getting to chat with a human beats having a machine to do it.

Re: Italy's longest-serving barista reflects on six decades behind the counter

#22

Post by siavosh »

Incipient wrote: post #17
bix6 wrote: post #9

I was thinking about robotic baristas the other day and how you might save on costs but you give up so much; If I’m going out for coffee I prefer places where I know the baristas so I get to feel like a part of my community.

I feel like there are definitely two types of people that are after coffee - the morning commute people that need caffeine, and just want it fast. They'd not notice a machine doing it for them (and a lot of them would have a machine at home!) The other group is like you and I, where we like engaging with the community. I suppose three - the Starbucks crew that do it for 'likes'.

I’m obviously out of touch. What do these starbucks people do exactly.

Re: Italy's longest-serving barista reflects on six decades behind the counter

#23

Post by swatcoder »

socalgal2 wrote: post #19
swatcoder wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For most people, it proves very disorienting to not be doing something constructive for others, and in a capitalist world, where everything easily becomes transactional and people get a little isolated from deeper community and family, it's kind of organic for that drive to be fulfilled by continuing to work in old age. Lots of people do it by choice. If you feel like you might be on that road, the smart trick is to…

>and in a capitalist world, where everything easily becomes transactional and people get a little isolated from deeper community and family, What does this have to do with capitalism?

Huh?

Not every culture or community is built so centrally around atomization and transactionality as the prevailing one is. But those things represent the essence of what capitalism is, and are central to what it aspires to acheive. It works its magic when people can negotiate their relationships through currency and through accounts measured against it, and so a society that means to participate in it is one that tends to engender payment, quantified barter, and unburdened individuality over alternatives like filial concern or community enrichment.

It's not really a controversial thing to suggest, and wasn't there to be accusatory or something. It's the world we live in.

Re: Italy's longest-serving barista reflects on six decades behind the counter

#24

Post by alephnerd »

bix6 wrote: post #9

I was thinking about robotic baristas the other day and how you might save on costs but you give up so much; If I’m going out for coffee I prefer places where I know the baristas so I get to feel like a part of my community.

> I was thinking about robotic baristas the other day and how you might save on costs but you give up so much...

How do they save costs?

Their operating cost doesn't beat gas station coffee, and the margins needed to service them end up pricing them the same as human barista coffee.

Automation only works if it helps reduce your COGS, not increase it, and for a product like coffee with already paper thin margins, the cost of servicing a robotic barista ends up not being much different from hiring 2-3 part time baristas while providing a subpar product.

Re: Italy's longest-serving barista reflects on six decades behind the counter

#25

Post by gyomu »

bix6 wrote: post #9

I was thinking about robotic baristas the other day and how you might save on costs but you give up so much; If I’m going out for coffee I prefer places where I know the baristas so I get to feel like a part of my community.

> you might save on costs but you give up so much

Modern society, and the push to optimize every single thing that can be measured, in a nutshell.

Re: Italy's longest-serving barista reflects on six decades behind the counter

#26

Post by Daishiman »

swatcoder wrote: post #23
socalgal2 wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>and in a capitalist world, where everything easily becomes transactional and people get a little isolated from deeper community and family, What does this have to do with capitalism?

Huh? Not every culture or community is built so centrally around atomization and transactionality as the prevailing one is. But those things represent the essence of what capitalism is , and are central to what it aspires to acheive. It works its magic when people can negotiate their relationships through currency and through accounts measured against it, and so a society that means to participate in it is one that t…

Not only is not controversial but one of the bases of Marxist critique of capitalism is the concept of alienation, which not even the staunchest defenders of capitalism deny.

Re: Italy's longest-serving barista reflects on six decades behind the counter

#27

Post by sho_hn »

siavosh wrote: post #22
Incipient wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel like there are definitely two types of people that are after coffee - the morning commute people that need caffeine, and just want it fast. They'd not notice a machine doing it for them (and a lot of them would have a machine at home!) The other group is like you and I, where we like engaging with the community. I suppose three - the Starbucks crew that do it for 'likes'.

I’m obviously out of touch. What do these starbucks people do exactly.

Order the special drink of the week/month and pose with it on socials. Think your Pumpkin Spice Latte season.

Re: Italy's longest-serving barista reflects on six decades behind the counter

#28

Post by amarant »

komali2 wrote: post #18
amarant wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Reading the writing on the wall perhaps. In Soviet Russia, Rome is a poor city I guess

Sorry, I don't quite understand what this means, can you help?

Russia seems poised to invade Europe in the near future. If they do, and succeed, Rome could become part of the new Soviet Union(which Putin has explicitly said he wants to bring back)

Once that happens, it's likely to lead to poverty. At least that's what happened in the last USSR

Re: Italy's longest-serving barista reflects on six decades behind the counter

#29

Post by sho_hn »

gyomu wrote: post #25
bix6 wrote: post #9

I was thinking about robotic baristas the other day and how you might save on costs but you give up so much; If I’m going out for coffee I prefer places where I know the baristas so I get to feel like a part of my community.

> you might save on costs but you give up so much Modern society, and the push to optimize every single thing that can be measured, in a nutshell.

Nobody is rolling these out to optimize anything.

Robotic baristas - I'm assuming the OP is referring to those 6dof robot arm deployments - are largely novelty or luxury items meant to catch attention. You either see them in touristy areas trying to attract the Instagram crowd, or (increasingly now, after the novelty is starting to wear of) in corporate lobbies trying to impress.

Re: Italy's longest-serving barista reflects on six decades behind the counter

#30

Post by silcoon »

She's vividly awaken with an active mind at 101 yo, it's not a thing for everyone. We try to fix the body decadence problem with technology while ancient seems already discovered it. You can see it in her words and her lifestyle; a simple life, a helpful work, a community that makes you feel appreciated for what you do. All the rest doesn't really matter for longevity.

Btw, the woman is addressing the interviewer using "her", which is a common form of respect, for a person probably half her age.

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