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International coffee chain Tim Hortons opened its doors in Lahore on Feb 10 and people lined up to try their coffee. Oh, the horror — people spent their hard-earned bucks on the new eatery in town. The country is in crisis, how dare people drink coffee? How dare they enjoy themselves? How dare they ignore the inequality, the class politics, the economy? How about you take inspiration from them and learn to ignore what doesn’t concern you.

Not even 24 hours had passed to Tim Horton’s opening when photos of long queues started circulating online, causing outrage, for some reason. Some netizens cannot seem to understand why a bunch of people would want to wait hours for a coffee chain that’s a few minutes from their place as opposed to spending lacs on tickets alone, travelling for a day to go try it in Canada. Beats us, why, oh why, would people do that?

Yes, Razia. We’re dying to know.

Edgy is so last decade — if you really want to hate something, learn from the rebels and hate with a cause.

Please zero in on the real problem instead of pointing fingers at people who are the system’s pawns.

Just to be clear, this piece is not reflective of the lower income economic groups for whom coffee and what it represents are the least of their worries. This is strictly addressing all those who have access to social media and the privilege to choose to buy or not buy Tim Hortons’ coffee, and then bash people online for buying it.

It’s always damned if you do and damned if you don’t with us. Also, shoutout to the lady for being a party pooper. Very on brand.

Give us better ways to spend our time, maybe? Better recreational activity, where you at?

So it’s okay when it’s happening elsewhere but a shameful matter that needs to be condemned if it’s here? The double standards are real.

The people going to try the coffee are people who may not be able to fly halfway across the world, especially in this economy. To look down on them just shows how unaware you are of your privilege. To judge them for overspending is just pointless because there will always be someone who has less than you and always someone who has more. If you want to stop enjoying life because the world is an imperfect place where people suffer everyday, then you’re going to live a very miserable life. Welcome to reality.

As someone who recently spent Rs1,000 on one serving of coffee, to my own horror, I have to admit that Tim Hortons’ coffee is actually priced the same as any other decent cafe in Pakistan.

Expect the unexpected, especially when it comes to Pakistan.

This is a more pressing issue, to be honest with you. This is what really needs tackling.

In conclusion.

Live and let live. And let people drink their overpriced coffee — we don’t have much else going for us these days anyway.