Why society fails – Panera Bread

This is the first in a hopefully reoccurring theme that discusses the end of the world as it is happing around us. People are too heavily focused on the bigger picture things like global warming, terrorism, or cable reality shows. I challenge you to look no further than the “pick up your order” counter at your local Panera Bread.

I marvel at the complete social breakdown that happens in the short wait for fancy “not plain white” bread sandwiches and lukewarm bowls of soup. Like the caustic elements that are brought together to ignite a terrorist’s tightie whities, people are forced to huddle around and wait together as the food is prepared. This is not a new concept mind you – this happens at every corner sandwich shop all over the world. You order at end of the shop, and you have a short walk to the other side of the counter to pick up the food you ordered. Simple, right?

No. This is where we fail. Time and time again we fail as a society, because we are not able to function as one. The flaws of humanity are more exposed here than the underwear of your average coed (Foul – two undie jokes in as many paragraphs). The huddled mass, too selfish to care about the person beside them, too focused to see the ills around them.

There will always be those who are either ignorant to technology too fearful to embrace it. Many are held back without the opportunity to advance themselves and are either taken over or pushed aside. This is represented by the person who can never quite seem to make the drink machine work for them.

History has produced many a fearful tyrant. A person who takes what they want, because they feel it is rightfully theirs. Attila the Hun, Hitler, the Romans… all despicable humans who have turned a blind eye to their soul, and made miserable the unfortunates in their destructive path. I see this evil in every nudnik that walk right up to the counter and assumes that the first plate they see belongs to them. They encounter the folks too polite to confront them, and the fiercest who want to protect the food coming to them. This is where war begins, and in the end it is never a pretty site. The collateral damage is great, the tears many, and the resolution questionable. The folks at the counter lose track of orders, people get the wrong side items, and some idiot wanders off and wonders why his roast beef tastes like chicken.

And then there is sometimes not enough to go around. Whether it is the gluttony of others, or a failure of planning to provide. Inevitably there is a shortage of the bread used to make my beloved Sierra Turkey sandwich. Since this happens so often, one might imagine they make more… but that would be a solution. We know that solutions don’t come easy, and they often times come with a price. Like most people, I don’t understand politics or economics, so I choose to suffer with a lesser quality bread. I will gripe about it, but I will never take the time to write my congressman.