It’s a common question, but I’m never quite sure how to answer it. When someone asks you, “Do you drink coffee?,” is their question more similar to:
- Do you like Coke?
Or is it more akin to:
- Do you use heroin?
The first question concerns taste: do you like how coffee tastes and therefore consume it as desired?
The second question is about need: do you depend on coffee to make you functional?
They are two very different questions, and since I’m never sure which one I’m being asked when someone says, “Do you drink coffee?,” I’m never sure which one to answer.
I have often thought this as well and sometimes don’t know how to respond. In most settings I don’t want to take extra time to respond to explain my answer, “uh, I drink it about once a month,” just doesn’t seem to always make sense. Sometimes, when I am at a coffee shop, I ask this question, and normally I’m asking the latter.
I don’t share your struggle, for me the answer is simply “yes,” no matter how the question was meant.
I’m with Eric. The answer is yes.
You think people ask you that to covertly discover if you have an addiction?
Danny – I don’t think so. But this reflects that language is more than the meaning of individual words. Scholars in a couple of thousand years could read the printed words “Do you drink coffee” and understand each individual component but not understand the meaning of the whole.
Todd,
You’re leaving out the context. If I were to meet a buddy in town and he were to ask me if I drink coffee, I would assume that he’s asking because he wants to know if a coffee shop would be a suitable place to meet up. On the other hand, if I were visiting my psychologist and he were to ask me if I drink coffee, I probably would assume that he has a deeper reason for why he’s asking me this question.
Benj – as you note, context can help. But there have been many times in my experience where it does not.
My answer is “No, I dring hot tea” then given the feeling like I need to go to a Levitical city!
YES, I like Coke and I use Heroin. ;-)
It appears that I may need to try a less subtle approach at conviction.
Ha ha… well, clearly you have underlying issues with being associated as an I-require-coffee-to-be-functional-drinking individual. What is this deep-seeded issue lurking in your inner sanctum that has propagated such a psychological frenzy when someone links you to the sacred nectar?
Isn’t it just a question? I’ve asked people before if they drink tea. It doesn’t mean they horde tea bags in their pockets & carry around a honey-bee. I know you think that us “regular coffee drinkers” are semi-fanatical… but really… when asked, assume that it’s just in a “do you like coffee” context (i.e… can you handle the taste? do you enjoy it?)
But really, just cure the question with a simple answer…
–“Do you drink coffee?”
–“Occasionally” (…this lets your inquirer know that you are not an addict but you don’t mind the taste… You are merely a “social drinker”.)
Okay, glad I could spend my Sunday afternoon clearing that up for you. ;-) I still think you have coffee issues and that you’re emotionally scarred in some way… otherwise, why ask the question? =)