Why we pay for coffee and not music?

This image came into my news feed on Facebook. At first look, I was in agreement with this one but when I thought about it, it does not seem logical argument. 

To make a cup of coffee

  • There would be thousands spend as well to make a perfect cup. i.e. growing the beans, cleaning, transportation, storage, humans, cows, sugar, machines cups, restaurant the list goes on. 
  • A Barista would have spend years to practice how to make a perfect coffee.
  • The coffee machine maker might have invested years to invent it.
I’m not in favor of piracy and that is a moral conflict I’ve not been able to resolve yet. I think as a human we would steal anything anytime if
  • the consequences of getting caught are not high
  • the punishment is tolerable
  • the reward outweighs the punishment/consequences 
  • it is acceptable to steal in the social circle we are in
I think people will steal coffee if they are able to. May be there will be digital coffee in the future you can download.

I’m just saying it does not cost just $5 like the image portrays to make coffee. You’ve to be genuine when you are doing cost analysis …consider all the cost (except the emotional aspect).

Mrugank Patel
mrugank.patel@gmail.com
1 Comment
  • Rory Bezecny
    Posted at 22:11h, 23 December Reply

    My son was a barista for a while after graduating college. Considering how little he was paid (a few cents over our state’s minimum wage) he said with the other costs, a cup off coffee doesn’t cost that much to make and the mark up is quite high. It doesn’t take much training either. They had a high turnover rate but the coffee quality was consistent. I’ve been a musician for 45 years and writing songs for 40. I am still active in my home town. It takes each individual musician hundreds if not thousands of dollars to equip themselves even on a basic level. As long as I have been playing I still learn new things and constantly strive to improve. It’s a life long road if you take it seriously. Musicians deserve to get paid for what they create just as much as someone who creates other consumer goods.

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