By now you’ve probably heard about it: the fury over the new all-red holiday cup from Starbucks. Now, if you’re like most (sane) people, I bet you’ve already picked up on the ridiculousness that is the rage that came from removing traditional ‘Christmas’ symbols from the cup – Donald Trump has even recommended an America-wide Starbucks boycott. I can almost guarantee that you’ve read an article over the last few days about #Cupgate, which likely mocked those getting their reindeer-printed stockings in a bunch over the design.
Of course, there is merit to these articles – it is just as ridiculous and silly as people are saying. It’s easy to dismiss the outrage as a bunch of oversensitive people who have nothing else to be upset over besides how their latte is packaged. However, that isn’t the real problem.
A view that many people hold is that we as a generation are too concerned about ‘political correctness’: the idea that nothing we say should offend anyone or we are the Worst Human Beings Ever. While the attempt to be ‘politically correct’ can go overboard, franchises that create holiday goods that aren’t explicitly Christian are not inherently bad. Simply from a business standpoint, the more inclusive a chain is, the larger the customer base can grow.
However, the business viewpoint is not the only one to consider. There’s the viewpoint from the fundamental values of those who are branding a company. While customers should have every right to wish their barista a Merry Christmas in exchange for a peppermint mocha, there are so many people who would rather give a good wish from another faith. Their beliefs also shouldn’t be excluded, and it seems as though Starbucks agrees with me.
But even if a more inclusive cup was the intention, I’m not sure why that is a bad thing. Isn’t the Christmas spirit supposed to spread love, especially during the holidays? Collegiettes, as a small way of creating positive change, try paying forward a Starbucks coffee before the holidays. You just might make someone’s day; a warm drink in a basic red cup still sounds like a pretty nice treat to me.