Wealthy TV "experts" are shaming millennials for buying coffee and avocado toast.

[Uncle Joe]

Link to tweet

[emulatorloo]

1. Is this really an issue? I don't think most people care what "Wealthy TV Experts" say

when they order a cup of coffee or a snack. Plus avocados are very healthy and not expensive anyway.

Is this some big issue for voters that I am not aware of? Do you think the debates will devote time to this?

Thanks in advance

[Tom Rinaldo]

5. Yes. That's just the tagline. The video is worth watching

The tagline is a slam at "blaming the victim" by those associated with the real "crime", but it follows that with relevant facts and statistics.

[emulatorloo]

6. Dunno I think millennials are worried about the economy, healthcare, war and peace, civil Rights.

The millennials in my life don’t care about dumbass talking heads telling then not to enjoy a coffee.

But will watch the video only because you recommended.

[Tom Rinaldo]

13. Thanks emulatorloo

I agree that millennials are concerned about the issues you mention. this keys in on the economy. I always appreciate that even when we DO disagree, we do so respectfully.

[Uncle Joe]

7. Not on its' face,

it's just another microcosm of corporate media conglomerate propaganda to brainwash and divide the people along generational lines.

I agree emulatorloo, avocados are very healthy but the poor usually can't afford nutritious food so I guess a "sign" that they're not poor would be an attempt at healthy eating, or for that matter normal living.

No, I do not believe the moderators at the debates will even bring this up as they're to a greater or lesser extent part and parcel of the corporate media conglomerates' machine.

Thank you.

[emulatorloo]

10. Thanks Joe, I appreciate your post and explanation.

[2naSalit]

54. Currently in my local stores...

avocados cost $2 a piece. They are rotting in the bins. Only tourists will buy them right now. Half the time they are black before they ripen so they are not worth buying at any price.

[Uncle Joe]

56. I'm just curious 2naSalit

do you live in a lower economic area of town?

I have read that poorer areas are less likely to get good produce in their stores and if they do, they're usually priced higher.

Thus the poor or lower middle income people just by what's available to purchase, consume higher amounts of fat and sugar based food items.

[2naSalit]

57. Not really.

It's a small county seat, rural city with two grocery stores. The rich shop with the poor, even when they drive over the mountain to a bigger city, limited access by fiat of logistics. Since we are far north, we have serious transportation costs, valid and not. Albertson's and an employee owned chain are what we have, I usually go to the smaller chain for several reasons, most of which being that I object to Albertson's for as many employee abuse reasons as Walmart. They have more GMO produce than the other store so I avoid them and their high prices and requirement of membership for decent prices.

Since it's also a tourist mecca in Summer, they are a captive clientele and will pay the price to have the wonderful time they are so desperate to experience when they come here. It's partly location, partly tourism/greed out of control and partly unwillingness to object loudly enough to matter. Delaware North is moving into town so there goes the neighborhood... it will get worse. Many of we locals grow more of our own food these days and shop for things that won't grow here.

[Uncle Joe]

58. Thanks for sharing.

[2naSalit]

60. Happening in

many a tourist town and near tourist attraction locations, high food prices and Delaware North, the Walmart of concessionaires.

[YOHABLO]

27. This baby boomer doesn't tweet. So I'm unable to view whatever Rich girl is saying. Ironic.

[Blue_Adept]

37. You realize you don't need to have an account to view twitter?

"This baby boomer" as you call yourself can simply click on the link and view the video and educate yourself.

It's JUST a web page

like this one.

It's like someone linking a DU page to someone and them saying "oh, well, I don't have an account, I'm unable to view that." when it's a public page.

[hlthe2b]

2. Yet it is adult to middle-age and older still chain smoking at $6-$10/pack

Not to mention their alcohol consumption. I'm happily the exception to both rules and I adore my coffee and the occasional avocado.

[PatSeg]

4. I am now a senior citizen

and I love my coffee and avocado toast.

[Midnightwalk]

15. Whiskey and avocado toast

Hmmm. Maybe I’ll take a walk and pick up some avocados

[PatSeg]

19. Hmmm

I never thought of whiskey and avocado toast! I'm more of a wine person though.

[nolabear]

17. RIGHT?? Good fat, healthy, filling breakfast, and coffee is heaven!

The fact coffee has no calories almost makes me believe in a deity.

[PatSeg]

20. Seriously!!!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. If they're broke why are they buying coffee and avocado toast?

[Uncle Joe]

9. I hear you, The Velveteen Ocelot, they should "just eat cake."

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

11. I was thinking more along the lines of saltines and garden hose water.

It's a silly argument, of course.

[Uncle Joe]

12. One can only eat so many sardines and with the state

of our national infrastructure, hose water is becoming ever more suspect.

However I would imagine some millennials actually partake of those luxuries as well.

I believe the argument or point of the OP actually has nothing to do with food consumption so much as highlighting a microcosm of corporate media conglomerate propaganda to divide the people along generational lines.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

16. Not sardines, saltines. Sardines actually have some vitamins and protein.

Millennials should not be eating protein if they expect to be able to save for their retirement.

[Uncle Joe]

18. ...

[Blue_true]

32. Exactly. Much cheaper to make both at home. nt

[Skittles]

8. they've made sure Millennials spend more time paying debt than contributing to their retirement

then they'll blame Millennials for their lack of retirement savings by telling them they really cannot have any pleasure in life AND have any kind of retirement

[George II]

14. "Ruling class".....

Coming from someone who has been in Washington for almost 30 years.

[Nitram]

21. I make coffee and avocado toast at home because they are too expensive.

The markup is insane.

[NYC Democrat]

22. Yeah iv seen some places selling it for like 10+ bucks

The hell? It's literally some toasted bread with some avocado spread on it and maybe some other stuff if you want it's not that expensive or labor intensive to make.

[Nitram]

23. Buy some good beans, grind, and brew them yourself and save a bundle for an excellent cup of coffee.

[NYC Democrat]

35. O I only buy coffee when I'm on a long road trip when where for whatever reason I REALLY need on spot

I have a grinder, know what beans I like, good machines.

and on top of that I'm actually more partial to tea and more willing to up mark for some top quality tea heh.

speaking of Avocado Toast, I'm literally having some rose Wine and some Avocado toast right now, I can't imagine this cost me more than 8 bucks you know for the proportion of bread and avocado used and at least 70% of that was probably on the glass of wine which was cheap but good for the price.

[tishaLA]

24. I was recently at a place in Venice, CA where it was 15

it had a poached egg with it, but what the actual fuck ?

[Voltaire2]

36. The actual fuck is the cost to the

restaurant for the location. But you knew that, right?

[Nitram]

41. I think it's called "overhead." Pays the rent, salaries, etc.

[madville]

45. Yep, restaurant prices will keep going up

Real estate costs, taxes, food costs and wages aren't going down anytime soon.

Most restaurants try to operate around a 30/30/30/10 business model of their gross revenue. 30% food cost, 30% facility/utilities, 30% wages, and hopefully 10% left over as profit to make improvements or grow.

Most startups don't make it unless they have enough capital and/or an established franchise model to follow.

[DBoon]

29. With restaurants, you don't pay for the meal

you pay to rent the table

If the location of your meal doesn't matter, cooking at home is cheaper as you have to pay for your kitchen space already

[customerserviceguy]

25. While Suze Orman

is pretty full of herself, the fact remains, many people who are "broke" find all kinds of ways to piss money away. Everything from too many expensive clothes (paying a fortune for ripped jeans!!) to the latest electronic toys, and leasing cars instead of hammering out a good deal and buying them is a big part of a lot of people's problems, and not just millennials, either.

Carping about how much rich people have is not going to fill anyone's pockets.

[Blue_true]

33. A lot of people here on DU that like to see themselves as the ultimate progressives that everyone

should emulate love to calm out Sweden and Norway as models, yet both nations have long had in place safeguards to insure that people are doing their part and not taking total advantage of the social safety net under all of their society. For example, they have safeguards that make people that abuse free healthcare pay after a point, so the person that contracts a virulent cancer get lifetime free treatment, whereas a person that has a drinking problem that he or she does not use social services to fix, and who ends up in the hospital frequently because of the drinking pays more as the events pile up. So, people are forced to responsibly use the social services that are provided.

[Thekaspervote]

26. Having several millennial family members orzman is missing a major issue here.

They simply are not Buying into her or their parents models. They don’t care if they own a house, a car or work themselves to death to get ahead. They want to experience life as THEY see it without being shamed for buying coffee and avocado toast. Susie... some advice, spend some time getting to know the millennials, you just might learn that its Okay that not everyone wants to be like YOU!!

[Blue_true]

34. So you are saying that they are making choices.

Every choice has always had a consequence, some good, some bad. If a millennial is choosing to buy a $15 cup of coffee and a $10 piece of toast every day or even every other day when both can be made and consumed at home, that person is making a choice to spend money that can be used for something else that makes their life easier, it does not have to be a house or car or even saving for a vacation.

[Blue_Adept]

38. Fun with numbers!

Gurner exaggerated the price consumers pay for the treat: $19 for a slice isn't the norm. Square found that the average piece of toast costs $6.78, although, depending on the purveyor, it goes for as little as $2 and as much as $18. While some people might be paying top dollar, that's certainly not the rule. Jul 21, 2017

Americans spend $900,000 a month on avocado toast - CNBC.com

[Blue_true]

46. Paying an average of $6.78 for something that can be made at home for maybe $0.75 is splurging.

A mashed avocado preserves really well if gently covered by about a half inch of water, I use the technique to preserve guacamole for salads, it keeps for up to a week. A person could prepare the avocado, split it into four or five plastic containers that come with kids, cover the avocado in each with a half inch of water, seal each container and then have avocado toast every day by pouring off the water from a container, then toasting bread and then putting on the mashed or sliced avocado.

[Blue_Adept]

49. You could get a mcdonalds burger for a buck

Or you could spend $12 at applebees.

I can buy a 12-pack of burgers from the markte for $12 as well.

But hey, let's keep shaming!

[Blue_true]

63. It is not shaming, it's wondering why some don't apply commonsense. nt

[YOHABLO]

28. I mean Starbuck's shit coffee is 2.50+tax for a tall (their small) and who needs toast for avocado?

I read where the drug cartel in Mexico have got their hands all over the bustling avocado industry. Probably to launder drug money.

[CentralMass]

30. Here is an Interest article on this subject.

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/16/fact-checking-a-moguls-caims-about-avocado-toast-millennials-and-home-buying.html

[JI7]

31. everyone who buys that should be shamed

[Honeycombe8]

39. Living frugally does matter, but zero in on big expenses, first.

Keep the same car for years and years....and years. Spend less on housing than you can afford. Don't buy cable tv, when you can stream and use an antenna. Credit card debt is the worst kind of debt. Don't do it, unless you pay it off every month like clockwork.

That's what really matters.

Although $10 a day in coffee & toast is a substantial amount of money over time. Even 3 times a week is $30, $120/month, $1440/year. That $1,440 would pay for a car repair, a medical or dental bill, go toward paying down debt, etc.

Living frugally is a mindset. Everything matters, because little things add up over time. But zero in on bigger expenses first.

If you get student loans, make sure your vocation/profession pays enough to repay the loan, if you live frugally for a decade or more. Get grants and work through college, and choose a vocation that pays well. Go to a community college for the 1st 2 years, then transfer to a 4 yr college.

[customerserviceguy]

42. Excellent points

But I find it is a combination of both big and little things that make a difference. Sometimes, a person is too close to their own lifestyle to see what they're pissing away money on, and an independent honest look from a different perspective is needed. Find a friend or a relative who seems to never complain about money, who may well have limited means, and ask them to give you an honest look at your finances.

I used to do this when I was a tax accountant back in the 1980's, and was able to help a lot of people go from the desperate feeling of living from paycheck to paycheck, to feeling more secure financially.

[Honeycombe8]

43. +1.

I bet that process of having others look at your finances objectively is very painful. Ouch. I know I hate to think of past mistakes.

[customerserviceguy]

44. It can be painful

but if one does it with compassion, the medicine is much more palatable. Suze Orman likes to create drama by scolding people sometimes. I guess it makes for ratings. Why do you think there are all those fake judge shows in the afternoon? Some people like to see others get chewed out.

[Honeycombe8]

50. Judge Judy is real....tv judge real, anyway.

She had been a real judge for 40 years.

I watch JJ because I learn a lot, like what to look for in contracts for work done on house, agreements regarding purchase & sale of cars and things, how to document a loan to someone, how to protect your dog in public from loose aggressive dogs (no dog parks!), etc.

Things usually go fine, but when things go wrong, you have to be able to prove certain things.

But this is off topic.

[UniteFightBack]

40. The point is a lot of Americans don't save money and spend it on bullshit. nt

[Peacetrain]

47. The coffee thing has been going on since the 70's...

[Peacetrain]

48. What the heck is avocado toast.. please don't tell me it is an avocado smashed and spread on toasted

wonder bread...I had never even heard of it.. till I am reading this story about Megan Markle making avocado toast for her friends.. so please tell me these is some special jam made for a artisan bread (another term that is goofy) and takes at least a half hour to make..

[mahatmakanejeeves]

51. I'm sure millennials are glued to their sets. Is this on UHF or VHF? NT

[cwydro]

52. That's a weird tweet.

No idea what BS is trying to say there.

[cwydro]

53. I don't get this avocado toast craze.

I love avocados and I love toast, but that doesn’t sound good at all to me.

[TheRealNorth]

55. I have some boomer relatives that love to blame millenials for the State of the Country

I just remind them that they are the ones who have been voting since the late 60's and 70's and the middle class has been on a downward slope since then.

[2naSalit]

59. ...and probably didn't bother to

include themselves as parents in the growing process of these children.

[Kaleva]

61. Only people who have a low opinion of themselves can be shamed.

I rarely buy coffee and I don't know what avocado toast is but if I did buy such on a regular basis because I liked it, I could care less what others may think about that.

[Uncle Joe]

62. The propaganda target of the shaming isn't the economically disadvantaged

themselves but those that aren't, by shifting the blame from the true culprits of our long time dysfunctional economy from the 1%'s overwhelming influence on our economic, political and social lives to blaming the poor and/or struggling millennials.

It's just another form of creating division to maintain the status quo.