My latest pet peeve - advertisements that try to convince us that relatively simple and mundane tasks are far too difficult for average human beings, and therefore require the purchase of special equipment. Take for instance the Flip Fold - a hunk of bendy plastic that is supposed to eliminate your folding worries forever. They actually have a grown man in this ad telling how he was never able to fold his clothes before buying this product. Didn't he learn how when he was a little kid, like the rest of us? How tragic!
Best of all, it's fun! Buy one for the kids! It's the secret used by retail stores for years to get professional-looking folds! (the voiceovers in the ads are invariably thrilled to the point of ecstasy) Actually, the retail thing is a big lie. I worked retail for a while out of college, and funnily enough we all knew how to fold clothes without special tools.
The other recent one is the special pasta pot! with the strainer right in the lid! and special locking handles! How is this simpler than just pouring the pasta from the pot into a colander in the sink?
As an aside, I'd have long ago thrown out any husband who pointed impatiently at his watch as he contemplated his empty plate at the table.
posted by Alison @ 9:51 PM
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