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> I'm always a little surprised that so many people never picked up the ability to even do basic cooking. I'm not, unfortunately. For years now, cooking has be

> I'm always a little surprised that so many people never picked up the ability to even do basic cooking. I'm not, unfortunately. For years now, cooking has been marketed as a waste of time and effort like hand-washing clothes (think fast food advertising). Just like anything else, cooking takes time, patience and structure to learn, which many people don't ever have naturally. I was lucky to grow up in a household that enjoyed cooking and I learned when I was kid and boy does it pay off in adulthood, but I also see why so many of my peers don't do it. Everything in our world is optimized for time now, and cooking takes time.

jmkb 7y ago
> For years now, cooking has been marketed as a waste of time and effort like hand-washing clothes (think fast food advertising). Maybe that's the marketing message that hits some demographics, but there's also plenty of marketing push in the other direction: All the food channels on cable & youtube, amateur cooking competitions, prosumer kitchen renovations, gourmet grocery stores, dozens of cooking magazines and thousands of cookbooks. Not to mention emphasis that cooking skills are desirable for those in the dating scene. (Now I'm looking forward to a competitive clothes-washing show... no, that's too absurd. Maybe competitive tailoring.)
- bentcorner 7y ago
  > Maybe competitive tailoring That exists (kind of). I'm familiar with Project Runway, although that's more fashion oriented but has a strong technical tailoring aspect to it. I'm sure there's more Bob Ross-style shows around sewing/tailoring too.
elihu 7y ago
Cooking also requires proper cooking facilities and access to ingredients. There are a lot of people in living situations that don't involve a kitchen, and many who don't have decent grocery stores nearby but they do have restaurants. Still, you're right that many people have access to all those things and choose not to cook for whatever reason.

jmkb 7y ago

> For years now, cooking has been marketed as a waste of time and effort like hand-washing clothes (think fast food advertising). Maybe that's the marketing message that hits some demographics, but there's also plenty of marketing push in the other direction: All the food channels on cable & youtube, amateur cooking competitions, prosumer kitchen renovations, gourmet grocery stores, dozens of cooking magazines and thousands of cookbooks. Not to mention emphasis that cooking skills are desirable for those in the dating scene. (Now I'm looking forward to a competitive clothes-washing show... no, that's too absurd. Maybe competitive tailoring.)

bentcorner 7y ago
> Maybe competitive tailoring That exists (kind of). I'm familiar with Project Runway, although that's more fashion oriented but has a strong technical tailoring aspect to it. I'm sure there's more Bob Ross-style shows around sewing/tailoring too.

elihu 7y ago

Cooking also requires proper cooking facilities and access to ingredients. There are a lot of people in living situations that don't involve a kitchen, and many who don't have decent grocery stores nearby but they do have restaurants. Still, you're right that many people have access to all those things and choose not to cook for whatever reason.