A MINOR THING There seems to me we have a tendency to place a great deal of trust, confidence and love in trivial aspects of our lives. Things often are used to replace rather than supplement possessions.
One example might be that ever-present mark of modern living - microwave cooking.
I often wonder how we survived as long as we did without it. The take over is complete now, but it was a long time getting here. I am not quite old enough to remember cooking out of doors by a wood-fired fueled fire. We did that, however, on occasion when, for some strange reasons known only to the whiz-kid genius of that era knew, our electricity supplies failed to flow, cooking gas tanks sounded "bo-o-o-o-m when kicked - the sound of emptiness or close to being nothing, or our kerosene storage can had sprung a leak we didn't know about until that time.
That called for wood-axe use and chopping and we were fortunate to have a supply available in the patch of woods nearby. Other folks did not have that and we often had company at meal times when the power was off. We rather enjoyed the camping out for time but were glad to move back into the kitchen where the big, black "range" ruled. It ,too, in time, gave way to electric and gas-powered stoves and I can remember one worry the homemakers of the time held to rather firmly. The new unit were too dangerous. Electricity could kill you; escaped gas could, as well. The same objection caused many people to avoid putting any "electronic" creations in their home.
But, once it took over, the microwave style of cooking advanced quickly. Today many people depend on microwave cooking - even when they "eat out" - because it has taken over large sections of the commercial cooking world, too.
Once people are accurately informed and come to understand why a certain thing works to their advanatage they can be quick to adapt to the new way. More cooking methods are in the labs now, to replace microwave, and we will go through the cycle of fear again before it finds favor. Be ready.
Andew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 12-4-06 [c384wds]
