Green Tea Backlash?

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Apr 5th, '07, 09:08
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Joined: Apr 5th, '07, 08:40

Green Tea Backlash?

by Alida » Apr 5th, '07, 09:08

Hi.
I've been lurking on your board for a few weeks and debating on whether or not to post, as I am just a tea-snob-in-training. (I have the paper hat and crappy store bought tea bag pinned to my lapel to prove it.)
I read the most annoying article this morning, and I was wondering what or if anyone over here would have anything to say about it.
The article is called "Can Green Tea Save Your Soul?" and it's by Jacob Weisberg, the oh, so droll individual who has in no way sold out by pumping out umpteen number of the Bush-ism books. (If I'm not mistaken. Could be a different guy. Frankly, more power to him, if he hadn't picked on my drink of choice.)
Anyway, he rips on the new Green Tea marketing blitz, i.e. Green Tea Candles, Green Tea soap, Green Tea Marital Aids, etc. etc., some of which I happen to agree with. Americans tend to hop onto whatever health food fad that whizzes by and expect it to make up for their otherwise fat-laden, sedentary lifestyle.
But it's really the way he says it that makes me want to toss my cup of Lemon Green Tea onto his keyboard.

So here's the address:
www.slate.com/id/2163503/nav/tap/1

Perhaps I am overreacting. But I defy you to read it and not want to strangle him, just a little bit, until he cries and admits he's wrong, and offers to foot your tea bill for a year.

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Apr 5th, '07, 11:16
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by Mary R » Apr 5th, '07, 11:16

I kinda liked the article. I thought it was funny and really sold the "overmarketing of green tea" idea. I positively loved the line that went:
How is it that tea becomes more medically potent as it loses color and flavor? Next in this progression will be an invisible ghost tea with the regenerative properties of fetal stem cells.
Sure, it was delivered like an annoying rant...but if the ungodly success of news programs like The O'Reilly Factor, Hannity & Colmes, and spoofs like The Colbert Report are anything to go by, the rant is popular.

Maybe I'm biased. I had my own rant session this morning when I opened up a new box of toothpaste...expecting my favorite Crest "Extra Whitening, Clean Mint" and instead finding "Nature's Expressions, Mint + Green Tea Extract." It's awful, btw. Not even my brothers will steal it.
Last edited by Mary R on Apr 5th, '07, 13:59, edited 1 time in total.

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Apr 5th, '07, 12:24
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Location: Fort Worth, TX

gomen nasai

by Space Samurai » Apr 5th, '07, 12:24

I enjoyed the article. He's right. I work at a specialty foods store, and I see it all the time. We carry most the items he was talking about. And its not just green tea, its anything, Oprah, or Dr. Phil or whoever tells them they should ingest. Coconut oil, wasa crackers, shiratki noodles, they don't know what they are, but they know they have to have it. I have customers so obese they have to have a motorized cart to move them around ask me which green tea will help them loose the most weight.

I don't think he's attacking our drink of choice, merely pointing out how western marketing is bastardizing tea. That I do find offensive.

Seriously, frickin green tea patches?

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Apr 5th, '07, 15:48
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by hop_goblin » Apr 5th, '07, 15:48

Holy Crap, the guy needs to switch to decaf! GOD!

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Apr 14th, '07, 00:55
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by Chip » Apr 14th, '07, 00:55

Somebody light a green tea incense or I may have to kill... :wink:

Well, I am going back to the TEAcave to contemplate what form of revenge to take.

Next thing you know, Imus will be calling us some inflamatory TEAname...but no one will hear him. 8)

Apr 23rd, '07, 08:19
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Joined: Feb 25th, '07, 17:54

Re: Green Tea Backlash?

by streetspirit » Apr 23rd, '07, 08:19

This thread reminds me of that article about John Kerry and green tea...

http://mediamatters.org/items/200411160005

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