When the culture of tea plugs into the lives we lead today with our always switched-on collection of gadgetry, is the tea drinking experience enhanced or marginalized?
This article makes a very interesting point. With WiFi, come the addition of internet access and laptops to our favorite venues. This is a good thing in general, and provides more freedom.
But what happens when our beloved tea houses are filled with the glow of laptop screens?
Because of the range of options the internet gives us, it is very tempting to go from a simple, relaxing activity ( reading about tea :) ) to something more stressful, such as checking the stock market. Suddenly, we are drinking our tea not to help us relax, but to focus on the endless amount of activities the internet give us.
For me, I have always viewed tea houses as a place to relax and unwind, not to get serious work done. I understand this is not the case for many. Yet, many people come to tea houses not just for the tea, but the atmosphere, the *vibe*, the place gives us. With the addition of wi-fi, I fear more of our tea houses will feel more like sitting in a Starbucks than a place of relaxation and peacefulness.
It would be a shame if all our rustic, internet-free tea houses were to disappear. Let's put them on the endangered species list, for the sake of our tea! :)
- PaulaTeas
Visit my baby tea blog at OrientalTea.org :)
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