The lost world of the London coffeehouse | Dr Matthew Green | TEDxEastEnd

Summary

This script transports us to the coffee houses of 17th and 18th century London, where strangers engaged in lively debates and shared the latest news. It contrasts these historical spaces of community and intellectual exchange with today's impersonal coffee shops, like Starbucks, where individuals are often isolated. The speaker advocates for a return to the interactive spirit of old, urging us to connect with strangers in coffee shops and spark conversations, as a means to enrich our increasingly virtual lives.

Takeaways

• 📚 The script discusses the historical significance of coffee houses in 17th and 18th century London, where people engaged in intellectual debates and shared the latest news.
• 🤝 It highlights that these coffee houses were spaces of social interaction, free from societal constraints, allowing people to engage with strangers openly and discuss various topics.
• 🏠 The speaker mentions Dudley Ryder, who used coffee houses as a space for personal growth and networking, eventually becoming the Lord Chief Justice.
• ☕ The first coffee house in London was opened by a Greek entrepreneur named Pascal Ros in 1652, introducing a new beverage that was initially considered unpalatable but became popular for its stimulating effects.
• 💡 Coffee houses played a pivotal role in the Enlightenment, providing a platform for clear thinking and the exchange of ideas, which was a stark contrast to the constant state of inebriation that was common due to the poor quality of water.
• 📊 The script describes the diversity of coffee houses, each with its unique character and clientele, ranging from scientific debates to exhibitions of exotic animals.
• 🚫 It points out the gender exclusivity of coffee houses at the time, where women were not allowed to participate in the intellectual discussions, reinforcing the societal norms of the era.
• 🗣️ The importance of sharing news and gossip in coffee houses is emphasized, as it was the currency of these establishments, with patrons expected to contribute to the communal knowledge pool.
• 📉 The speaker contrasts the vibrant and interactive nature of historical coffee houses with the modern-day experience in chains like Starbucks, which are described as lacking the same level of social engagement.
• 🌐 The script reflects on the impact of virtual communication and the potential loss of face-to-face interaction, advocating for the revival of the spirit of coffee house culture in contemporary society.
• 🌟 It concludes with a call to action for people to engage more with strangers in coffee shops, to rekindle the spirit of community and intellectual exchange that was once a hallmark of these establishments.

Q & A

What was the purpose of the original coffee houses in London 300 years ago?

The original coffee houses in London 300 years ago were places where people could engage in discussions, debate, and share the latest news. They were spaces that encouraged interaction and the exchange of ideas without the constraints of class or societal norms.

Why was Dudley Ryder considered a coffee junkie?

Dudley Ryder was considered a coffee junkie because he frequented coffee houses, used them as spaces for social interaction, and even recorded his experiences in his secret diary, showing his deep involvement and interest in the coffee house culture.

How did the taste of coffee in the 17th century differ from today's coffee?

The taste of coffee in the 17th century was described as disgusting, often compared to oil, ink, soot, and mud. It was significantly different from the refined tastes of today's coffee, which are enjoyed for their smooth and nuanced flavors.

What was the significance of Pascal Ros's coffee shack in 1652?

Pascal Ros's coffee shack, opened in 1652, was significant because it was London's first coffee establishment. Despite its simplicity, it marked the beginning of the coffee house culture in London and contributed to the transformation of social interactions in the city.

Why were coffee houses considered emancipatory spaces?

Coffee houses were considered emancipatory spaces because they allowed people to interact freely, regardless of social class or taboo subjects. They provided a platform for open discussions and debates, which was a departure from the restrictive social norms of the time.

How did the introduction of coffee impact the sobriety of the population in the 17th century?

The introduction of coffee led to a significant increase in sobriety among the population. Since the river water was polluted and unsafe to drink, people relied on alcoholic beverages. Coffee provided a safe, stimulating alternative that contributed to clearer thinking and the cultural and scientific growth of the era.

What was unique about the coffee houses of the 18th century compared to modern coffee shops?

The coffee houses of the 18th century were unique in that each one had its own distinct character and theme. They were not uniform like many modern coffee shops, and they served as hubs for intellectual and social exchanges, rather than just places to consume coffee.

Why were women not allowed in the original coffee houses?

Women were not allowed in the original coffee houses because of the prevailing misogynist mindset of the time. These establishments portrayed themselves as sanctuaries for rational thought and debate, and women were assumed to be incapable of such discourse. If a woman was seen in a coffee house, she was often mistaken for a prostitute.

What was the role of the 'cidlik boy' in the coffee houses?

The 'cidlik boy' was responsible for pouring the coffee in the coffee houses. He would pour it from a high height, a technique known as 'pouring it alamod,' which was part of the coffee house experience.

How did the coffee houses contribute to the Enlightenment?

The coffee houses contributed to the Enlightenment by providing a space for intellectual stimulation and the exchange of ideas. They facilitated debates, discussions, and the sharing of knowledge, which laid the groundwork for cultural, economic, and scientific advancements.

What is the speaker's view on modern coffee shops like Starbucks compared to the original coffee houses?

The speaker views modern coffee shops like Starbucks as lacking the conviviality and buzz of the original coffee houses. He believes that the interaction in Starbucks is more solitary and disconnected, with people engrossed in their own devices rather than engaging in face-to-face conversations.

Outlines

00:00

📚 The Birth of Coffee Houses and Social Interaction

The speaker begins by engaging the audience with questions about their recent visits to coffee shops and their experiences, highlighting the contrast with 17th-century London coffee houses where social interaction and debate were encouraged. The narrative introduces Dudley Ryder, a coffee enthusiast from Hackney, who frequented such establishments. The script paints a vivid picture of the coffee houses as emancipatory spaces that defied societal norms and class distinctions, allowing free discourse on various topics. The historical significance of these venues is underscored by their role in shaping societal interactions and the cultural landscape of the time.

05:00

🏛️ The Diverse World of 18th Century Coffee Houses

This paragraph delves into the variety and uniqueness of coffee houses in 18th century London, each offering distinct experiences from scientific debates to exhibitions of exotic creatures. The speaker humorously describes peculiar establishments like the Latin coffee house, which required Latin for communication, and the Hawton Square coffee house, known for its 'inquisitions of insanity.' The paragraph emphasizes the coffee houses as hubs of intellectual and social exchange, contrasting them with the modern-day experience of coffee shops like Starbucks, which the speaker criticizes for their lack of conviviality and interaction.

10:02

☕️ The Cultural Impact of Coffee Houses on Society

The speaker discusses the broader impact of coffee houses on society, linking their rise with a media boom and the growth of urban centers. The coffee houses served as platforms for the exchange of news and ideas, contributing to the Enlightenment. The paragraph highlights the personal transformation of Dudley Ryder, who used the coffee houses to refine his public persona. It also mentions the literary significance of establishments like Button's coffee house, which was a gathering place for renowned writers and a catalyst for literary acclaim.

15:03

🌟 The Revival of Coffee House Culture and Its Importance

In the final paragraph, the speaker calls for a revival of the interactive spirit of old coffee houses in the context of modern society's increasing virtualization. The paragraph contrasts the isolation of digital interactions with the vibrancy of face-to-face communication. The speaker optimistically points to the resurgence of independent coffee shops and their potential to foster community and conversation. The call to action encourages the audience to engage with strangers in coffee shops, reigniting the spirit of inquiry and social interaction that characterized the original coffee houses.

Keywords

💡Coffee House

A coffee house, central to the video's theme, is a place where historically people gathered not just for coffee but for discussion and debate. In the context of the video, 17th and 18th century London coffee houses were hubs of intellectual and social interaction, encouraging conversations with strangers and debates on various topics, unlike the more solitary experience often found in modern coffee shops.

💡Debating

Debating, as highlighted in the script, refers to the active discussions and arguments that took place in historical coffee houses. It was a key part of the coffee house culture, where people would engage in lively exchanges of ideas and news, contributing to the intellectual vibrancy of these establishments.

💡Emancipatory Spaces

Emancipatory spaces are areas that free individuals from societal constraints, allowing for more open and unrestricted interaction. In the video, coffee houses of old are described as such spaces, where class concerns and taboo subjects were set aside, enabling people to engage with each other on equal footing.

💡Dudley Ryder

Dudley Ryder is an individual mentioned in the script who exemplifies the coffee house culture of the time. As a 'coffee junkie' and local resident of Hackney, he frequented coffee houses, engaging in discussions and debates, which were part of the emancipatory and intellectual environment these establishments fostered.

💡Enlightenment

The Enlightenment is a historical period associated with the script's narrative, characterized by an emphasis on reason and intellectual development. The speaker suggests that the coffee houses played a significant role during this era by providing a platform for clear thinking and stimulating conversations, which in turn fueled cultural and scientific advancements.

💡Pascal Ros

Pascal Ros, identified in the script as an eccentric Greek entrepreneur, is credited with opening London's first coffee shack in 1652. His initiative marked the beginning of the coffee house culture in London, which eventually evolved into a significant social and intellectual phenomenon.

💡Sobriety

Sobriety, in the context of the video, refers to the shift from a society where people were often inebriated due to the poor quality of water to one where coffee provided a safe and stimulating alternative. This change is depicted as a foundational aspect of the cultural and economic growth during the Enlightenment.

💡Conviviality

Conviviality captures the spirit of friendliness and community that the original coffee houses were known for. The script contrasts this with the more solitary and disconnected experience in modern coffee shops, emphasizing the loss of a vibrant social atmosphere where interaction and conversation thrived.

💡Misogyny

Misogyny is the prejudice against women, which is highlighted in the script as a societal mindset of the time that barred women from participating in coffee house discussions. This reflects the gendered limitations of the era, where women were unfairly stereotyped and excluded from intellectual exchanges.

💡Renaissance

In the script, the term 'Renaissance' is used metaphorically to describe a modern resurgence of small, independent coffee shops, particularly in London. These new establishments are seen as a positive development, reviving the art of coffee-making and offering an alternative to the more corporate coffee shop experience.

💡Virtual World

The virtual world is contrasted with the physical, face-to-face interactions of historical coffee houses in the video. The speaker expresses concern about the increasing dominance of virtual interactions and the potential loss of real-world social engagement, advocating for the importance of maintaining human connection in an age of digital communication.

Highlights

In the past, coffee shops were places where strangers would engage in debates and discussions, unlike today's more solitary coffee shop experiences.

300 years ago, London coffee houses encouraged behavior like debating news and sharing poetry, which is unusual in modern coffee shops.

Dudley Ryder, a historical figure, used coffee houses as emancipatory spaces where he could freely interact and debate with others.

Coffee houses in the 17th and 18th centuries were hubs for intellectual discussions and were distinct from each other in character and clientele.

Pascal Ros, a Greek entrepreneur, opened London's first coffee shack in 1652, which was a simple setup without modern amenities.

The taste of 17th-century coffee was considered disgusting, often compared to oil, ink, soot, and mud.

Coffee was seen as a miracle cure and a stimulant for body and mind, sparking conversations and ideas.

The arrival of coffee led to a 'dawn of sobriety', as it was a safer alternative to polluted river water.

Coffee houses contributed to the Enlightenment by providing a clear-headed space for intellectual growth.

By the 18th century, there were 3,000 coffee houses in London, each with a unique character.

Some coffee houses, like Don Saltero's, were filled with oddities and attracted notable figures like Isaac Newton.

The Grecian coffee house was known for scientific debates, including public dissections to prove theories.

The Latin coffee house required patrons to speak Latin all day, but it did not last long.

Haxton Square coffee house in Hackney was known for 'inquisitions of insanity', where locals would judge the sanity of alleged lunatics.

Original coffee houses were male-only zones, with women assumed to be prostitutes if found inside without serving coffee.

Coffee houses were a source of news and gossip, with patrons expected to share news upon entering.

The speaker calls for a modern revolution to return to the interactive and convivial nature of historical coffee houses.

There has been a resurgence of small independent coffee shops in London, reviving the art of coffee making.

The speaker encourages people to engage in face-to-face interactions in coffee shops rather than isolating themselves with technology.

Transcripts

[Music]

okay thank you very much uh I just want

to ask you a question to begin with how

many of you guys have been into a coffee

shop in the last week could you put up

you don't have to stand up but you put

up your hand so that's an awful lot and

uh I want to ask you another question um

can you you just summon up a mental

picture of that coffee shop and uh

answer me this could you imagine walking

in sitting down next to a stranger and

asking for the latest news then debating

it for hours on

end that's a no okay another question um

could you imagine Marching In whipping

out a book of poetry slamming it down

next to someone's Vanilla Ice latte

demanding to know their opinion before

delivering your own PR of the book in a

big boom boing voice to the whole

shop that's a no okay um what I want to

reveal to you tonight or this afternoon

even is that 300 years ago the Streets

of London were lined with a very

different breed of coffee house where

such Behavior was actively encouraged um

they wouldn't think you were a menace or

a nuisance or a freak if you just went

up to a stranger and started talking

this used to happen day in day out in

coffee houses all over the city and one

individual in particular uh his name was

Dudley Ryder this guy behind me he was a

coffee junkie and he was local as well

uh he lived in uh Hackney in Bohemia

place and uh back then Hackney was a

very different place to what it is now

as you might imagine it was a bucolic

Paradise it was like an Arcadia Beyond

morefields it was surrounded by all

these Meadows and Fields and Market

Gardens and this is the junction that he

used to use to get into London this is

the junction of Cambridge Heath Road and

may streets um a bit different isn't it

and you can just about make out the Dome

of St Paul's in the background and um he

dropped in to the Hackney coffee house

this was about 301 years ago and he

recorded in his secret diary he saw a

room full of people he didn't know any

of them but he sat down asked them what

the latest news was and he heard

alarming report the jackaby Rebellion

that was swirling in Scotland was moving

ever closer to England and it was going

to come down and take over London and he

debated it for hours on end and then he

left feeling Ed ified and refreshed and

for Dudley Ryder that's what his family

home has become by the way a busot um

for Dudley ryer like for so many people

coffee houses were emancipatory spaces

they freed people from the strictures

and straight jackets of society they

allowed people to interact with who they

wanted how they wanted where they wanted

and in a way that they wanted without

abiding by any kind of class concerns or

um any Notions that certain subjects

were taboo and every time Dudley rid

took a sip of coffee uh every time any

of us take a sip of coffee we're

participating in a ritual that stretches

back 361 years to this Alleyway anyone

know it this is right in the thick of

the city of London this is St Michael's

alley in Corn Hill for it was here in

this churchard in the year 1652 that

this man here uh who was an eccentric

Greek entrepreneur called Pascal Ros he

opened London's first coffee Shack I say

Shack because it didn't have any of the

things we associate with houses like

tables or chairs or a roof or anything

like that and he opens it uh against

those black railings which were then a

stone wo to the churchard garden now I

don't know if you guys are coffee

connoisseurs I from the amount of people

that put their hands up I'm guessing

quite a lot of you are but if you're

into your silky smooth flat whites brw

to mathematical Precision in one of the

the finest third wave coffee houses in

Hackney the taste of the 17th century

stuff would have you headed for the

nearest toilet bowl um this was

routinely described even back then so

it's not just a case that our taste buds

have become more refined people at the

time thought it was disgusting as well

it was routinely compared to oil ink

soot mud and most commonly just um

nonetheless This Bitter muhammadan gr as

it came to be known it would transform

the face of the city bring people

together and Inspire brilliant ideas

pasare claimed that it was a miracle

cure for just about every single ailment

he could think of uh and people loved

the way that it stimulated the body and

the mind and sparked conversations but

the main reason for its success uh and

this might come as something of a

surprise but until the arrival of coffee

most people in the country were either

slightly or very drunk all day long not

because we were a nation of Alcoholics

but because you couldn't drink the river

water unless you had a death wish

because it was notoriously polluted so

the arrival of this GRL would trigger a

dawn of sobriety that would lay the

foundations for spectacular cultural and

economic and science scientific growth

in the decades that follow purely

because people were thinking clearly for

the first time in their history so this

was the jet fuel you might laugh but

it's true this was the jet fuel of the

Enlightenment this uh this kind of

hellish concoction as it was known um

and you can still find the plaque in the

alleyway today and he triggered a coffee

house boom um by the turn of the 18th

century there were 3,000 coffee houses

all over the city and much unlike all

those kind of blands cafos and Starbucks

and those kind of depressing places that

have invaded our high streets today the

great thing about the original coffee

houses was that every single one was

different so I'm just going to take you

on a whirlwind tour of some of the more

outlandish establishments if you went to

Chelsea you could go to Don sto's coffee

house which was a museum of monsters you

had snakes and crocodiles nailed to the

wall and Isaac Newton would be sitting

in the corner sipping his coffee musing

over the monsters if you went a bit

further west you could go to the Grecian

coffee house which was a cold of

scientific debate so much so that a

natural philosopher turned up one day

with a dolphin draped over his back and

he proceeded to slam it down whip out a

knife and dissect it to prove his

theories on Dolphin dissection um so

imagine trying that in a caffero today

um here's what it has become let's not

forget the Latin coffee house this was

opened by hogarth's father not one of

his better commercial propositions

because it had one rule one rule only

you had to speak in Latin all day long

or you were thrown out that lasted about

weeks and it operated from This

Magnificent uh prior that's still there

in Clark andwell today um elsewhere

there was a floating Coffee House a

glorified dance floor for rakes and

dandies and even when the The Ice froze

which it did because they had a little

ice age in the 17th 18th century they

used to set up coffee houses on the ice

um which you can see there but what

about round here because there were

coffee houses in Hackney as well the

most famous was perhaps the hawton

square Coffee House and Hackney then was

renowned for its lunatic asylums it was

full of mad houses public and private so

what better activity to do in the Haxton

Square coffee house than what they

called inquisitions of insanity whereby

it's very Politically Incorrect but a

suspected mad man or woman would be tied

up thrown into the coffee house everyone

got to go and prod the alleged lunatic

and then they retire to the table sink a

shot of the disgusting coffee and vote

are they actually mad or not and if it

was unanimously declared that you were

mad you were dragged away to a mad house

for the rest of your life and these

events were highly popular and of course

we still have mildly pretentious

idiosyncratic uh coffee houses today

this is of course the serial killer uh I

just put that in for a joke really um

okay so in spite of this diversity um

there was a of Common Thread um it's

easy to recreate what it was like to

actually go inside any of these coffee

houses um so the first thing you'd

notice would be that you'd be engulfed

in a whirlwind of smoke and sweat and

steam and eventually the haze would

clear and you'd see a scene much like

the one on the screen behind me long

wooden tables long wooden benches

smartly dressed men and there would be

drinking thinking writing piping

debating um you know like uh persecuting

the coffee house cat Etc one thing you

wouldn't see would be any women inside

um the only woman you can see in this

picture of course is the woman in the

bar and unfortunately coffee houses

liked to portray themselves as

sanctuaries of rational thought and

level-headed debate and in the

misogynist mindset of the day women were

simply incapable of that so they weren't

allowed in if a woman was seen in a

coffee house and she wasn't pouring out

the GRL it was automatically assumed

that she was a prostitute so these were

male only zones and and that was one of

their shortcomings so the haze is

cleared everybody will put down their

their coffee put down their newspaper

put down their pipe and they would Point

At You and they'd all scream out the

following words your servant sir what

news from Tripoli okay sometimes it was

abbreviated simply to what news have you

and if you were in the Latin coffee

house it would have been quid Novi now

although technically it cost one p to

get in and you could stay there and

drink and think and debate for as long

as you like the real currency was news

and gossip and you weren't allowed to

sit down until you divulged a nugget of

Gossip this might be something you'd

read in a paper it might be something

that you'd made up um and it normally

actually was something that You' made up

because these places were Wellsprings of

misinformation and lies as much as they

were incredible sources of information

much like the internet today uh you'd

get to the front you'd see a cidlik boy

pouring the coffee from as high a height

as he could that was called pouring it

alamod uh and um you wouldn't so much

start your own conversation you'd melt

into one that was already in full flow

that's why I began with that perhaps

slightly factious seeming question

that's what this gentleman in the black

is doing on the right he's melting into

a conversation that is already um in

full flow so why was it like that why is

it so different the experience of going

into coffeee houses today there was a

fortuitous Collision of factors the most

important of which was a media Boom at

the start of the 18th century and that

was dovetailed with the growth of cities

and the rise of the idea of politeness

which meant that people should try and

interact with as many people as they

could so they would chisel away their

rough antisocial edges and become shiny

polished and poite and we're still

living with the consequences of that

today uh Dudley Ryder he was a man who

was 23y old guy he was go he was awkward

he was ruthlessly ambitious though he

was um dissatisfied with his own

personality and in the spirit of the

Enlightenment he saw personality as

something that could be molded and

manipulated and he used to kind of adopt

Gees to present a favorable impression

of himself in these public coffee houses

that were so convivial and uh ultimately

he kind of succeeded in knitting

together a super personality based of

all the people he had observed in the

coffee houses which he foisted on top of

his own unsatis satisfactory personality

which he kept hidden in the diary and he

went on to become famous and he actually

rose up to become the Lord chief justice

one of his favorite coffee houses and

perhaps my favorite too if I could go

back in time would have been buttons in

Covent Garden now this was just a Stones

Throw from the Piaza itself it was

opened by this man here Joseph Addison

the great poet and playwright mainly

because he didn't like his wife that

much so he wanted a kind of retreat from

a tempestuous marriage but he being who

he was it soon evolved into an Emporium

of wit and all the great writers of the

age Addison steel Pope gay Swift Etc

they all assembled there and costed

their superb literary judgments upon the

work of aspiring writers making and

breaking litery reputations in the

process so if you got a thumbs up from

those guys it was like getting a retweet

from Steven Fry on Twitter today people

would rush out and buy the book and

watching it all from a hook in the

corner was this it's a lion crossed with

a wizard I've never been able to see the

wizard part myself but it is and the

public were invited to feed it with

letters and lims and stories the very

best of which would be roared out in a

special weekly edition of the original

Guardian newspaper so this really was uh

a medium for interaction and Society

Beyond borders and um there's actually

still a coffee house that operates from

the site of buttons today um so here we

have the sort of literary convivial

buttons do you want to see what it is

today yes you were Whispering it you KN

you dived it you knew it's a Starbucks

there there's not even a blue plaque um

one of London's many lost coffeee houses

and for me this is a big big shame

because the kind of mode of interaction

in a Starbucks is utterly different in

Starbucks people sit sequestered from

the world immersed in their own thoughts

tapping out little babblings on Twitter

or Facebook either that or they just

stare out of the window miserably into

the sort of drizzly Street Beyond

there's no Fizz there's no buzz there's

no conviviality if you talk to a

stranger they think you're absolutely

clinically insane um and you're not

going to be staring into the sparkling

eyes of a customer inquiring after the

latest news um you're going to be

staring into the dull electronic glare

of a smartphone or a laptop and for me

the kind of interaction that you get in

places like Starbucks is more

reminiscent of what we see in something

like this this is Night Hawks by Edward

Hopper it's an image of Urban Oni and

anonymity that's so affecting that it

really sort Sears itself into your mind

and that for me is what Starbucks is

like and you can see here a typically

miserable scene in a

Starbucks uh this is not uh well what

why does this matter um I I I think

basically as we slide into an

increasingly virtual world and you it's

going to come a point where the barriers

between the virtual world and the real

world are going to dissolve all together

um in a very real way not in a sort of

futuristic dystopian way but um and I

think in light of these developments we

can't remind ourselves enough the

importance of face-to-face interaction

in an increasingly virtual world think

of trolling you know I'm sure you will

read I know the comments at the bottom

of the guardian or the end of dep

dependent or the whatever you read you

very rarely have a levelheaded exchange

of ideas it's kind of vitory like

character assassination one upmanship

and um if you're in a coffee house where

you've actually got a real physical

person in front of you then you know

it's not going to break out into an

argument that was a spectacularly ill

time slide because there's a picture

here of a man throwing a cup of coffee

in someone else's face uh just to show

I'm not fetishizing these coffee houses

um but they remind us that we can lose

touch with this face-to-face plane which

I think is very important finally there

are a few Grounds for Hope well quite a

lot of Grounds for Hope um over the last

8 10 years there been a Renaissance of

small independent coffee shops all over

London a lot of them in Hackney here are

some of my favorites there topa on deoa

a bit like the floating coffee house

that one because you can sit on the

floating seats you got the Hackney Pearl

and Hackney Wick the proud archist in

haggon uh Violet these are just my

locals really Violet cakes Wilton way

and they have managed to elevate the art

of making a cup of coffee into this kind

of epicurian art form you know these

flat whites they are to die for we've

come on a long way since the days when

coffee tasted like and uh in all

these places if it's brewed even sort of

slightly too hot or too cold all these

gadgets start beeping and it has to be

remade so that's good but we still don't

really have a space where you can go in

sit down maybe at a themed table

philosophy table politics table

conspiracy table and just talk to

strangers a bit like what we're

hopefully going to do today so having

just listened to all of that with your

help I'd like us to make it a revolution

in the true sense that is a turn of the

wheel back to the housan days of the

17th and 18th century coffee houses so

next time you go into a coffee house I

don't want you just to sit on your own

and check your email or read the news I

want you to scan the room for someone

you've never seen before it can be

someone you like the look of okay then

you walk over to their table you sit

down you slide your chair ever so close

you lean in you put your hand on their

shoulder and then you scream those four

Immortal words what news have you and if

enough of us do it then we will spread

the

revolution thank you very

[Applause]

much