‘The point is, ladies and gentlemen, that greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right, greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through and captures the essence of evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed, you mark my words, will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA.’—Gordon Gekko, Wall Street (1987)
Caffeine, Consciousness, and Capitalism
Every day, 90% of the world’s population enjoys a caffeinated beverage. In this interdisciplinary piece, Josh draws on insights from history, cognitive science, and sometimes economics, as he sets out to answer the following question: has the rise of caffeine been a positive development for our species?