Espresso and Paris
I’m posting this here so my dad can read it. Hahah. My second English assignment of spring quarter is this essay, and it basically defines me. I don’t think writing an essay has ever made me so happy and excited. :)
To mentally grasp the term ‘self’, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi explains how to transform an abstract idea into a concrete, tangible object. Csikszentmihalyi probably asked himself his own question, “What is the Self?” (250), many times before making sense of it. He uses an example of the ocean, and how it is made up of many molecules to create the picture we attribute to the large body of water (250). The water is our tangible object, the molecules are abstract. To help our minds define our sense of self, we each have a series of our own tangible objects.
A household object that represents a large portion of my ‘self’ is my espresso machine. Csikszentmihalyi describes the function of such household objects as a way to “create inner order and clarity in the owner’s conception of self, rather than making an external impression” (256). Not only does my daily espresso give me physical clarity; it also gives me pride in my trained barista abilities. However, I do think it makes an external impression, despite the fact it doesn’t leave my kitchen counter. When friends come over, I take pride in being equipped to make them feel like they’re in an urban cafe with latte art to top their mugs.
“In contemporary homes, most people construct a symbolic environment filled with images to help them to remember who they were, to confirm who they are, and to foreshadow the kind of person they would like to be in the future” (Csikszentmihalyi 256). My darling little espresso machine doesn’t only symbolize that I love coffee. The cafe society is a culture I consider myself to belong to. I visualize Europe, as espresso and cafes are a significant part of European culture. For as long as I’ve known I was going to attend college, I have longed to study abroad in Paris, France. I can picture myself sitting at an artsy little cafe on a street corner, drinking my beautifully made latte and people-watching for hours. This image is how I perceive myself, and how I would like others to see me as well. For me, it is all linked together. I associate my espresso machine with cafes, cafes with my dream of Paris, and Paris with a beautiful painting of how I see my best self.
Going to a cafe is a big outing for me. Looking well put together is a necessity. Similarly, a great part of Parisian life is always looking clean, manicured, and fashionable. The best version of myself has attained these qualities in every day life. I want people to notice me, and to admire my confidence and self awareness. I want to be the picture of class, sitting in my cafe on a sunny afternoon, lazily sipping my latte.
Csikszentmihalyi defines reification as the way “we attribute reality to mental constructions” (250). My reality is my espresso machine, whipping out smooth espresso shots topped with creamy foam. My mental construction is the way I see myself in that Parisian cafe. Belonging to cafe society is an important association in my sense of self. My father always taught me to set goals, and then put up pictures and other constant reminders of those goals. Being visually reminded of those goals every day essentially makes them easier to see in the realistic future. My espresso machine is a beautiful, and functional reminder of my goal of Paris, and my picture of my ‘self’.
