Disposable America - A history of modern capitalism from the perspective of the straw. Seriously.

Alexis Madrigal:

A straw is a simple thing. It’s a tube, a conveyance mechanism for liquid. The defining characteristic of the straw is the emptiness inside it. This is the stuff of tragedy, and America.

If you didn’t already see this on Daring Fireball or elsewhere, you should give this fascinating, in-depth history of the disposable drinking straw a read.