What’s wrong with Mother?

The energy drink that is.  With the equivalent of 60g of sugar and 160 mg of caffeine - well, my opinion had been they're a curse from the devil and one of the sure signs that society is heading rapidly down the toilet!  That's my two cents as I sit here drinking my macchiato and feeling very self righteous.

Until we had a GP come to college and give us some facts.

That having over 1000mg of caffeine a day is dangerous, but having between 200 and 300mg a day is fine.  And given that an espresso shot has 77mg of caffeine, then three to four cups of coffee is okay, AND two Mothers is okay (just).

So, I've had to change my tune – those of us who enjoy coffee and a bit of cake (with its own little bundle of sugar) have no health-related moral high ground to occupy from which to look down on those of you who enjoy a Mother or two.

BUT… is the physiology of caffeine content and sugar content all there is to say?

Because what I also object to about Mother and all the other 'energy drinks' is the sub-text behind them all, that you can party all night and just throw down a couple of these and you'll be able to get through the day and back up for another party tonight.  And that just seems a bit debased to me.  It doesn't sound like 'six days you shall labour and do all your work'; it doesn't sound like 'work and do something useful with your hands so that you may have something to share with those in need'.  Instead it sounds like a 'do what you want when you want it and take this stimulant to get you through the day'.  And that sub-text IS a curse from the devil.

Not that I'm getting all self-righteous again though – because the other sub-text I've been thinking about is the 'I drink macchiato in Newtown wearing my black skivvy' world that says 'I'm so much cooler than you because I can't stand instant coffee and I'll only plunge in emergencies'.  Now I enjoy a good coffee, but I can see that there's a danger in setting my preference for good coffee as an indication of social superiority that will promote a Corinthian-like factionalism in the church – 'I'm of Campos', 'I'm of Vella Nero', 'I'm of Gloria Jeans', 'I'm of International Roast'.  What folly!

Maybe we should all just drink tea?