“Suspended Coffee” Re-Educates the Rich
In the News (NPR):
“On March 27, 2013, John Sweeney, a plumber from Ireland, started a Facebook page called Suspended Coffees. His message was simple: Buy a cup of coffee for a stranger, because an act of kindness can change a life. Eight hours later, the page had attracted more than 20,000 likes.
“Suspended coffee, or caffe sospeso, is a tradition that comes from Naples, Italy, and dates to at least the turn of the 20th century. When customers buy coffee, they also pay in advance for a cup to be given to somebody else — usually someone who otherwise couldn’t afford it. …
“One challenge to making kindness through coffee a staple of American culture is that ‘we’re a society that isn’t very comfortable, culturally, with asking for help,’
Question: Is it possible to come up with such harmony for humanity so that those who have money and opportunity would present something without their names and others would use it without humiliating themselves at the request? Would it bring us closer to harmony or not?
Answer: Partially, yes.
Question: What is the most important element here? That it is offered up and is anonymous?
Answer: That is natural, no last names, nothing. Neither who gives nor who receives. That is how everything exists incognito.
Question: Is there harmony in this?
Answer: Sure.
Question: Does the fact that I give something of mine away without demanding anything in return make the world warmer, better?
Answer: Partially. Our egoism will not allow us to do this every day. You can do this for a week or so but not all the time.
Question: So it cannot be a process of upbringing that leads to this and we would live like this all the time?
Answer: No.
Question: There must be ups and downs?
Answer: Otherwise it will be like some kind of tax and so on.
Question: It would no longer be an effort?
Answer: Yes, and there must be an effort.
Question: It is clear that this is a process of education more for someone who suspends, that is, for a rich person. And for the one who accepts, what is here? Is there any kind of upbringing for him?
Answer: He must understand that someone has thought of him. And therefore, when he gets the same opportunity, he will have to do it too.
Question: It is beautiful! Is a mutual upbringing process taking place?
Answer: Yes.
Question: Is it possible to do this?
Answer: This is a mutual agreement. This can, of course, be done.
It is possible to come to this through education. A person becomes educated and then it becomes a habit. And he thinks about it, does not forget, and does it. Or it could be under pressure, like some kind of tax.
But there is no other way because egoism in us is constantly growing and requires that we feed it.
Question: So a person will somehow adapt to these efforts?
Answer: Yes.
Question: Can we say what the final way to harmony is?
Answer: The final approach to harmony is when we do not feel our egoism would force us to do something. It is when we rise above it and are truly free. This is, of course, aerobatics! But it will happen.
Question: You slowly lead into a mini-dead-end, and then suddenly you say: “But it will be.” Do you want to calm us down or will it happen?
Answer: I am sure this will happen, and humanity must come to this. It is written in our genes.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 5/13/24
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