Whether they are paper, plastic or cellulose, when will we realise that straws suck?
We turned to paper straws because single-use plastic ones damage the environment, but do we need them at all?
Why do people still insist on drinking with straws?
For a short time after that, we all declined straws with our ice lemon tea or cola. But then they started using paper and other organic biodegradable material for straws and suddenly it was fine to suck our drinks through a thin hollow utensil again.
Clearly, nobody actually likes paper straws. They quickly disintegrate and become ineffective. Yet, consumers just cannot seem to give them up. Is it really that difficult to raise a glass to your lips and just swallow the liquid the way normal adults have done for centuries?
We give babies sippy cups to help them learn to drink. It always struck me as strange that modern adults want to infantilise themselves by relying on a tool designed to prevent toddlers from choking. Or is it that Freudian oral fixation thing – your mum weaned you too early? – that encourages you to pucker up to satisfy your thirst?
For me, it is quite hilarious to see tough-looking big dudes order a McDonald’s meal and then demand a straw for their drink.