La Croix or How the Aesthetic of Flavor Signaled Good Taste

This week on Decisions at the Fulcrum, we delve into the unexpected journey of LaCroix, the sparkling water that found its niche not through its flavor, but through its inscrutability. Before it became a meme or an iconic item, LaCroix was simply found in laid-back settings: office break rooms, workplace cafeterias, and your aunt’s second fridge. Then it made its way to Trader Joe's, appeared in your social media feeds, became your friend's Halloween costume, and turned into a daily ritual. It wasn’t seeking attention; it was just present, evoking the scent of sandalwood and bran muffins, infused with an ethereal sense of virtue. In that relaxed atmosphere, something changed. LaCroix morphed into more than a beverage; it transformed into a whole atmosphere. Each sip was clean, simple, and purposeful. The flavor was essentially nonexistent, and that was precisely the intention. In this episode, we're diving into a few questions: What’s happening when you enjoy something that barely has a taste, yet stipulates something novel? How did the almost nothing flavor item turn into a routine? Why does practicing restraint often lead us to discover so much more?    This episode makes limited use of archival audio, advertisements, or public statements for purposes of commentary, critique, and scholarship. These uses fall under the doctrine of fair use as defined by U.S. copyright law (17 U.S.C. § 107). All excerpts are employed selectively and transformatively to support critical analysis, educational inquiry, and public understanding. No commercial gain is derived from their inclusion.