The article reflects on the fleeting excitement of owning a bread machine during the pandemic and compares it to the allure of mobile games that attract users with simple but engaging tasks.
The article offers a personal perspective from a bread machine that was purchased in 2020, during the pandemic's peak, when making bread became a popular hobby for many. Initially, there was a wave of enthusiasm where people sought to become amateur bakers, akin to how mobile games captivate players with the notion of engaging in simple yet entertaining activities. The bread machine acknowledges its initial desirability, emphasizing that it was a well-considered purchase meant to fulfill the growing need for home baking during lockdowns.
As time passed, however, the excitement waned, likening this trend to the brief allure of popular mobile games like 'Goods Sort Master' and 'Potato Rush.' These games mimic mundane activities, such as sorting groceries or peeling potatoes, creating an engaging experience paradoxically centered around tasks that people do not aspire to in real life. Just as these games captured the attention of users with simplicity and entertainment, the bread-making craze also drew in individuals seeking new hobbies at home, leading to a transient engagement with the task of baking.
Ultimately, the bread machine's journey to being placed in the cupboard serves as a commentary on our collective behaviors during crises—how fleeting interests can arise out of necessity, transforming into a temporary passion that is often abandoned once circumstances change. This narrative reflects on the societal shifts in leisure and lifestyle during the pandemic, noting how quickly enthusiasm can fade in the face of other priorities or distractions, both in baking and in digital entertainments.
