We are told that the fundamental need of man is simple. All he needs are food, sleep and the chance to procreate. The high water mark of procreation, the ecstasy of climax, must have been added by Nature to lure Man to help in the continuity of his species. With increasing complexity, when Man started living in communities, and social mores began creeping in, their fundamental needs zeroed on food, clothing and protection from the harmful elements of Nature. With further sophistication, when the society progressed, the essential things in life do not remain basic anymore.
There used to be a time when food was a necessity, or perhaps obligatory, for one's body to be able to burn enough energy for one to garner sufficient might to provide for his loved ones. With their God-given limbs, the immigrants and the sojourners alike tried to change their fate through sheer hard work and willpower. Whatever came their way which was nutritious and palatable was consumed for sustenance.
Now, food is a novelty. It has become an art form, an experience and an indulgence. With affluence, it has become an over-indulgence, actually. We no longer eat to live but rather live our lives to eat. This, we do despite knowing very well the ill-effect of gluttony and sloth. But we pamper ourselves with catchphrases like 'you only live once' and 'these are the simple pleasures of life'. 'You live once' may be true if you do not believe that karma is a bitch that would return to haunt the living days out of you to make you feel the pain of starvation, but that the life lived once should not be a burden to society and the immediate family members around you. But then, in your next life, you will not have any recollection of your past misdeeds!
During my trip to Penang recently, it came to my attention of a hawker who sold authentic Penang home-made coffee. His core business, his only one, is to sell coffee and in its various variants. That is it; somewhat like Starbucks minus the accompaniments. The irony of this unfancy hawker stall is that it is so famous that people from the island over throng to this joint. They do not mind waiting, sometimes more than half an hour sacrificing valuable time to enjoy their cuppa. Even outstation visitors were well aware of its caffeine-rich condensed milk sweetened blend. People do not seem to mind the somewhat unsophisticated surrounding of its premises.
On the contrary, I think it adds to its pull factor. People these days are suckers for nostalgia. Anything with a hint of our past sells (like hotcakes); unlike a time in our distant history when nostalgia was indeed a disease akin to what is now termed as PTSD!
Now, food is a novelty. It has become an art form, an experience and an indulgence. With affluence, it has become an over-indulgence, actually. We no longer eat to live but rather live our lives to eat. This, we do despite knowing very well the ill-effect of gluttony and sloth. But we pamper ourselves with catchphrases like 'you only live once' and 'these are the simple pleasures of life'. 'You live once' may be true if you do not believe that karma is a bitch that would return to haunt the living days out of you to make you feel the pain of starvation, but that the life lived once should not be a burden to society and the immediate family members around you. But then, in your next life, you will not have any recollection of your past misdeeds!
During my trip to Penang recently, it came to my attention of a hawker who sold authentic Penang home-made coffee. His core business, his only one, is to sell coffee and in its various variants. That is it; somewhat like Starbucks minus the accompaniments. The irony of this unfancy hawker stall is that it is so famous that people from the island over throng to this joint. They do not mind waiting, sometimes more than half an hour sacrificing valuable time to enjoy their cuppa. Even outstation visitors were well aware of its caffeine-rich condensed milk sweetened blend. People do not seem to mind the somewhat unsophisticated surrounding of its premises.
On the contrary, I think it adds to its pull factor. People these days are suckers for nostalgia. Anything with a hint of our past sells (like hotcakes); unlike a time in our distant history when nostalgia was indeed a disease akin to what is now termed as PTSD!
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Note the somewhat orderly queuing of patrons. Malaysians are notoriously disciplined to appear obedient in two places: when buying food at a lowly joint like under a tree/ by the roadside or at a betting outlet (Magnum4D, Sports Toto or DaMaCai). Also, notice the symbiotic nature of the shops around the vicinity. Eateries mushroom the coffee pushcart to justify its existence! The sight of unplastered walls of buildings, I suppose, adds to the authenticity and the yesteryear feel to the beverages served. ©FG
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The skyline of Penang; the complementary compromise of the old and the new. Living true to the idiom that 'one who forgets his past does not reach where he is going to', Penangites excel in the juggle of re-enacting the past to head for the future. It also helps that this exercise draws money. After all, money changes everything. ©FG
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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