coffee comraderie

so i just wanted to put in this little note about my thoughts on comraderie in the coffee industry.
there is none.
why so competitive, people?
a customer ( an annoying one, but that's besides the point), asked if it was true that there is a lot of in-fighting in the coffee business. i couldnt say that it was not true. it's sad.
yesterday, i was coffeegeeking at a local competitor's shop with a fellow barista. we tried to make some plans to get together and make some coffee science experiments happen. unfortunately, because the two businesses we work for are competitors, neither of us could invite the other to use the facilities at the roasting works at either place. that was just annoying.
it seems like it isnt the baristas who are the source of this industry wide rivalry/in-fighting, but the coffee roasters/shop owners/industry professionals who are making it so evident.
i think that the only way that we will really accomplish any real comraderie is if these shop owners and higher-ups each take the high ground and open up their doors to each other.
in pittsburgh, i think that this was beginning to happen to some extent. there was sharing of resources between shop owners. there was definite comraderie amongst the baristas, for sure.
i just want everyone to TRULY get over themselves and realize that our purose, besides making money, is to educate the public about coffee and in turn educate growers about what the consumers want.

ps. read sprudge.com