Living in a Service Society

I like to explore and do new things...so this week while I'm on vacation, I decided to seek out some things right here in Dallas. As one of my little splurges, I decided to visit Sprinkles, a new cupcake place I had seen on the Food Network. I came across it in D Magazine so I thought I'd treat myself. Nice way to start off the vacation, right??

I drove to North Dallas and found the place with a line streaming out the front door and down the sidewalk. Since I rarely drive to North Dallas, I figured I might as well wait. So I stood in line and waited...for 30 minutes...and then bought 3 cupcakes...for $10.50!!!

Reading the ingredient panel, seeing the line, and listening to people talk, I figured these must be some pretty amazing cupcakes! As soon as I got home, I pulled out my glass plate and a silver fork (at that price, these aren't cupcakes you just stuff in your mouth...they must be savored!).

I was pretty disappointed after the first bite when I realized these cupcakes are no better than the homemade cakes we have at our family reunions...and really not much better than the $.99 Duncan Hines mix I could buy at the store (...which would make 12 cupcakes, by the way!).

I think some people would say they spend the money because they just don't have time these days. (yet it took me 30 minutes to drive there and back and 30 minutes to stand in the line!). I've decided we are a culture who likes to be served and we don't mind paying for it. We pay people to mow our lawn, paint our nails, make our food, and clean our house.

I'm not crazy enough to think that this will change; our society has already established this kind of service-expecting culture. Despite the talk about a depressed economy, we all seem to have a lot of disposable money. By catering to these extravagances, our "need" to be served has become the norm.

Although I think this "need to be served" has gotten a little bit out of hand, can we really expect people who have less money, in such an extravagant culture as the United States, to want any less than the rest of us?