The Coffee Cure

A recent article touting the benefits of drinking coffee for women has been gnawing at me. The coffee study purported to link treating depression in women with a daily cup of coffee. I know of these studies. Ever since I became an avid coffee drinker in college 20+ years ago, and ever since I quit a few years ago, then resumed on an occasional basis, I have seen these studies: some purport to say coffee is harmful. Others report the opposite. This seems to have been a constant conflict for at least 20 years.

But that is not what bothered me with this recent finding that coffee could treat depression in women. Then it dawned on me:

Why are women depressed? That is the Question.

When you're standing outside History and know it, a certain kind of challenge, a certain kind of consciousness, must always be engaged.

You have to beware and be highly suspicious without lapsing into paranoia at how arguments are framed for you and the parameters set around those arguments. Because, to put it another way, one of the reasons certain judge and cabinet appointments, certain activists, and certain arguments cannot be entertained is the establishment - the victors! - want to control the argument.

In this case, in our contentiousness about caffeine and our pill-popping culture, having a cup of coffee without regret is supposed to be the focus of this so-called study.

That is why determining the reasons for depression in women is not the operative issue, and it should be. Like, "why they hate us," this cannot really be discussed.

Why would they be depressed, making 70 cents on the mighty dollar; less if you are Black or Latina; much, much less if you are a native American woman?

Why would they be depressed if, besides making less wages, despite their population they trend toward lower-skilled, blue collar professions?

Why would they be depressed if they face harassment in the workplace, glass ceilings toward advancement?

Why would they be depressed if they are alone in shouldering the rearing of their children with no affordable child care?

Why would they be depressed if many men and much of society view them as punching bags to vent their frustrations [who needs that cup of coffee?!]?

We are not supposed to ask such questions. We are not supposed to tell the emperor he is naked. The reactionaries I unfortunately know - and too many of them presently - in their role as supporter of the establishment will attack the woman's will power, her character, her inflated sense of entitlement ... because there is nothing otherwise amiss.

I say, if a woman is depressed she might just need to break something, literally. If the system is too big to break at the moment, try some of the machinery at the job that oppresses her (a radical group of contract employees did just this in San Francisco in the 90's). This can have a liberatory effect on the spirit, short of walking out on your wage-slavery, which can have unforeseen consequences. Break up the romantic relationship. Break off the engagement. Break patriarchy. Break some dishes.

I don't know where to start, but a cup of coffee seems a peculiar place. Don't pick a commodity picked by under-waged workers, many of whom are women. But that's the point, isn't it?