تأثير القهوة على التمكين الفكري عبر التاريخ

Transcriber: Annet Johnson Reviewer: David DeRuwe Hello, my name is Joseph Saez, and before I begin the speech, I’d like to ask the audience a question:

Can I get a raise of hands for how many have drunk at least one cup of coffee within this week? Now, as expected, it’s a pretty decent amount,

and this coincides pretty well with research regarding this caffeinated beverage. According to the National Coffee Association,

seven in ten Americans drink at least one cup of coffee a week, 62% drink at least one cup of coffee a day, and on top of this,

the average American coffee drinker tends to drink at least three cups of coffee a day. These statistics are even higher elsewhere in the world,

especially in Europe, with the Netherlands and Finland having the highest total consumption rates. So just by hearing this information,

it’s pretty clear that coffee has a pretty big impact on day-to-day life around the world, but what if I told you this impact goes deeper

than just drinking a cup of Joe to get you on your feet in the morning? What if I told you that coffee was one of the primary sources of intellectual empowerment in Europe and the Middle East

during the Middle Ages and the Age of Enlightenment? Now, before I get into the nitty-gritty details of coffee and its impact,

I’d like to state what I mean by empowerment. Empowerment can be analyzed and interpreted in many different ways, but I’m going to use the basic definition

which is the process in which something or someone gains strength. In the case of coffee, much historical evidence points at coffee being a strong source of intellectual empowerment

through the sharing of ideas, which ultimately empowers thought. Ideas are what pushes humans to the next level and help us achieve our goals since the beginning of our existence,

which is to improve our future and improve our chances of survivability. This might sound crazy to you, but one of the reasons why we enjoy our present day democratic legal system

and many of the liberties we have now is because of coffee houses. Speaking of coffee houses, let’s take it back to where this all began:

15th century Ethiopia. This is where we get some of the earliest records of coffee consumption. Coffee comes from the berries of a plant known as the Coffea plant,

which are roasted and then brewed with hot water to create the drink we know as coffee. Coffee was introduced to the Middle East through trade with Yemen,

where then it was brought to the Ottoman Empire, and this is where we see one of the first major impacts of coffee: the rise of the coffee house.

The coffee house was colloquially known as “Schools of Wisdom” because they were places where people would play chess, discuss poetry,

discuss politics, share art, and just share ideas with each other openly.

The coffee house eventually made its way to Europe in the 17th century, and this is where we see one of the big changes revolving around coffee. That is the switch from alcohol in the morning to coffee in the morning.

Before the 17th century, Europeans would drink alcohol in the morning for their breakfast. But alcohol is a depressant,

meaning that it slows the central nervous system and slows brain function, while coffee is a stimulant, meaning that it stimulates the central nervous system

and stimulates brain function, making people more aware and alert. Many historians believe that this is one of the reasons why Europe had such a large progression economically and socially

during this time period. The coffee houses of Europe were much like the coffee houses in the Ottoman Empire, and they were known as “Penny Universities”

because they were places where people could pay a penny for a cup of coffee and have access to a lecture or an open discussion or books. Now, I think you’re wondering now,

“What does this all have to do with empowerment?” Well, I think what I connect from all of this is that humans’ ability to share ideas with each other

is one of the most important and most empowering parts of the human experience. And any idea, no matter how insignificant it might seem,

can be incredibly enriching within the eyes of the receiver. For me personally, any time that I have an enriching conversation with someone,

no matter what it’s about, and I learn something new, I feel personally empowered. And this is similar to how Enlightenment thinkers

in the 17th century would flock to coffee houses in order to be able to openly discuss their ideas, which included civil liberties, natural rights,

freedom of speech, freedom of religion, democratic government. And that’s the reason why we enjoy many of the freedoms we have today.

So next time, when you’re drinking your Frappuccino, your latte, or whatever it is, remember what a little bit of caffeine can do in drastically empowering the world.

Thank you. (Applause & Cheers)