Matt Bruenig, founder of the left-wing think tank People’s Policy Project, ranted on Friday against the tyranny of gas ovens, saying devotion to the appliance is the “same kind of culture/identity performance as people who insist on rolling coal in their giant diesel truck”:
People who insist on using gas stoves are engaged in the same kind of culture/identity performance as people who insist on rolling coal in their giant diesel truck. You can cook food and get around fine with electricity, but that's not what it's about.
— Matt Bruenig (@MattBruenig) March 26, 2021
And these ovens, beloved by at-home cooks everywhere, should be banned in the future:
That's right. We must start by banning the production of new gas stoves and gas hook ups for new construction. After some time, we may need to take more drastic steps.
— Matt Bruenig (@MattBruenig) March 26, 2021
Can’t we just have our nice things that work the way they’re supposed to?
For most people I think what it's about is the convenience of quickly changing the temperature rather than waiting for the coils to heat up or cool down on a lag. https://t.co/KVMKWcA6rg
— Conor Friedersdorf (@conor64) March 26, 2021
It’s not even an argument:
electric stoves are absolute shit if want to do more than just boil water … and even then…
— tsar becket adams (@BecketAdams) March 26, 2021
Gas stoves and ovens are objectively better.
— Emily Zanotti (@emzanotti) March 26, 2021
Oh, and it’s not even about cutting emissions. It’s about destroying the natural gas industry. From Curbed:
It’s important to note that building electrification won’t clean up the emissions and other environmental impacts of generating electricity. Advocates note that it’s as much about building the infrastructure for a zero-emission, renewable power system of the future as it is cutting out sources of carbon emissions now. The Sierra Club estimates that a third of the buildings in California that will exist in 2045 will be built between now and then; electrifying now will both cut emissions and help bolster the market for electric appliances.
What Bruenig wants is for people to switch to induction which means, for most people, buying all new pots that will work with the fancy electromagnetic hotplates:
get on my level https://t.co/7bKD3Ly4tm
— Matt Bruenig (@MattBruenig) March 26, 2021
Or replacing entire cooktops, which is also expensive:
- Cost is a huge factor. Gas cooktops are, of course, going to be much more affordable. In fact, there are some very basic models that can be found just about anywhere. But, if you are more concerned about quality, design style, and method, then perhaps you should consider the induction cooktop.
Tell us again which is an “affectation of upper class culture”?
gas stoves are an affectation of upper class culture though
— Matt Bruenig (@MattBruenig) March 26, 2021
It’s a mystery:
why does anyone listen to these people https://t.co/V9aOzg2E5s
— Natalie Weiner (@natalieweiner) March 26, 2021
***
Join the conversation as a VIP Member