For my grandmother’s generation, the big invention was cake mix; for our moms, it was the microwave, and for me, it’s the iPhone. And that’s enabled us to do so many different things more efficiently at home. ~ Brit Morin
A few weeks back, my brother suggested microwave ovens as a topic. This sounded good to me, as I know little about them, apart from their use. However, the more I thought about the primary characteristic that makes them appealing, the more I began to think that this particular invention is not entirely positive. The paragraphs that follow will lay out my argument. Feel free to disagree and tell me where I’m losing the plot.
Let's start where microwaves began
During WWII, British scientists developed cavity magnetron tubes in their research for enemy ship and aircraft detection. In case you are shockingly unfamiliar with cavity magnetron tubes, microwaves don’t wave without them. That was in 1940. Five years later an American engineer, Percy Spencer, noticed that when he was near these tubes, the chocolate in his pocket began to melt. He experimented by placing eggs and corn adjacent to the tubes. When they began cooking, he knew he was onto something and filed for a patent. The next year he sold the first commercial microwave, per the KitchenAid site. It was a Baby Huey, at 6′ tall and 750 lbs., and the price tag was $5,000.
- 1971: The Intel 4004, the first single-chip microprocessor.
- 1972: The first IC-based, handheld calculator.
- 1986: IBM released the first laptop weighing less than 15 lbs. Earlier versions were available from 1981 forward, but not as marketable.
- 1988: Compaq offered the first battery-operated laptop.
- 1978: The Global Positioning System (GPS) had limited availability. Widespread civilian use arrived in 1993.
- 1990: First search engine invented was “Archie,” created by Alan Emtage, a McGill University student (Montreal).
Time-saving devices - is faster always better?
You can tell from my website that I am a laptop fan, and I use search engines dozens of times a day for writing, if for no other reason. If I’d had a word processor in the 80s, I would have loved it. That white-out correction process was tedious and messy. Handheld calculator? Sure. However, I think its accessibility has contributed to the deterioration of math skills in this country. That’s probably a topic for a separate post, though. I’ll leave it at that.
As to microwaves – the answer depends on what you’re looking for. Speedy popcorn? Ten-minute baked potatoes? Maybe. Warming up leftovers? Definitely. And I haven’t found a downside related to physical health issues. Every source I accessed indicated microwaving is safe, as long as microwave-safe containers are used. And believe me, I looked. So, yes. If time is of the essence, microwaving is a winner, and I do plenty of it. But. Here’s the thing. There is probably a better way.
Multiple sites proclaim the benefits of traditional cooking. Nope, it isn’t about nutrition, though it is healthy to eat foods prepared in a variety of ways. The source I settled on for old-school advantages is News-Medical.Net. Here’s what I learned:
- People began cooking food at least 500,000 years ago, and the process of working together likely reinforced relationships and a sense of community.
- Research has shown that cooking improves a person’s mood, self-esteem, and “other mental health outcomes.”
- Cooking programs are common tools in rehab and occupational therapy situations.
Those of us who have enjoyed cooking for decades don’t need to be convinced. There isn’t much that gives me more satisfaction than preparing a from-scratch meal. And making bread? That’s a whole other level of contentment.
The op-ed bit
Lest you misunderstand, I’m glad I have a microwave. It’s just that I don’t recall a sense of accomplishment when removing anything from the microwave. It’s the same for many other relatively recent inventions; I’m grateful to have the options they offer. And yet. Some don’t give me joy.
My Grandma Gibson used to tell me that she had more free time before she had so many “conveniences,” and that was in the 80s. Way before laptops or cell phones or anything else I’ve mentioned in this post became part of the fabric of our lives. I wonder if our need for speed pressures us to stay in 4th gear, non-stop. Wouldn’t life be better if our tools were relegated to their proper place? That is, useful but not demanding to be used. Doesn’t the ability to mix/process/bake/whatever faster simply mean we have more time to waste on other new-fangled gadgets?
By now, I’ve talked myself into a very late New Year’s resolution. I’m going to cook more dried beans, and not in an Instant Pot. Make more bread that I didn’t take out of a Sister Schubert wrapper. And come summer, I think I’ll sit out on the porch, shell purple-hull peas, and just be.
I agree with your assessment that we use more time now on time-saving devices than ever before. And we have lost peace of mind that goes with kneading bread and shelling beans. Laura
Since you mention it, shelling peas/beans and kneading bread provide a break for our brains. We are concentrating on a task that is meaningful but not stressful.
Kitchen appliances are tools. Using the right tool for the right job is the trick. There must be a list somewhere; I have mine. Popcorn, sweet or baked potatoes, left over soups and stews always work. Meats, if cooked right the first do not appreciate additional heat…..especially true for fish.
My choice is generally convection or slow cooker for most things. The real microwave of the 50s was the pressure cooker. In addition to 30 minutes to soften up ribs before grilling, I pressure cook greens and green beans.
They are all tools.
I agree that the pressure cooker was the microwave of the 50s. I never learned to use one (odd, since Mother used hers all the time), and still prefer to slow-cook dried beans and peas.