I love what you say about finances, motivation, etc, and thought this was an interesting post, but you lose credibility when you misrepresent science to try to make your posts more interesting.

But then, I watch his shows so much, perhaps I feel as if I’ve already achieved it. And then again, I probably DID cuss that much in college…

As for this mirror neuron theory, it’s interesting, but what about people who are visual learners? Different people are wired differently. Some people find doing at the same time very distracting.

I guess it helps to stop getting that fake sense of satisfaction.

I wonder how Trent would cope with a week of reading deprivation? I guess he doesn’t need it anyway. Personally I made it only two days and then I crumbled.

The people I know who watch don’t fall into the “sitting on the sofa with cheetohs” category of the ever-critical Anthony Bourdain (who made a career by criticizing and nothing else. Highly constructive!)

Most of them are great cooks, some self-taught. They watch more out of curiosity and often the shows are on as they are in their kitchens cooking something else entirely.

Other folks watch to get inspired and to get ideas for actual meals they want to make for the family and friends.

You can also learn a lot about food itself on some of the shows.

yea, some are a waste of time. But that applies to almost anything.

A lot of people who would NEVER learn about healthy cooking options, or about low-cost meals, or other relevant and useful stuff, unless they watched some of these shows.

If you’re going to cook, you’re going to cook. It’s got nothing to do with what you watch. Unless, of course, you only want to vicariously “cook.” (It’s like the folks who watch travel shows. They rarely travel. People who travel don’t watch TV, let alone travel shows!)

As for DIY shows. Again, some shows are exactly what you need to say: Hey, I can do that or, more often: Oh boy. I can’t do that (and you end up saving LOTS of money that way with unfinished projects that should never have been started).

We have learned things that have helped us to better select and supervise home improvement vendors and, more importantly, learned about things that help us make more cost-efficient and productive choices in home repair, home remodeling and purchasing.

There is good information out there. Whether you choose to use it or act on it, that’s up to you. Don’t blame the shows because you’re lazy. It’s not their job to get you off your ass to cook or clean or fix something.

Not to mention American chefs turning out dishes such as truffle-saffron corn dogs and puree of Kobe beef and french fry sloppy Joe Ice Cream.

In the end, “Iron Chef America” is just a platform for the ch-elebrities to see their own brand of Ginsu Knives. Billy Mays is dead. Long live Billy Mays.

I have to say that I don’t have either Food Network or any of those DIY show channels, but 2 weekends ago I stayed at a place with those channels. I watched Food Network for several hours, and learned several tips that I went back and used the following week (From Bobby Flay’s Grill It! – a marinade can be super simple and still great; and brush food with canola oil before grilling so it won’t stick to the grill). But there were several other shows that I just didn’t learn from, because either I thought the food wasn’t very healthy or didn’t look good, or I just couldn’t follow the steps as they worked. Oh, and maybe 4 years ago I saw a DIY show that painted an awesome design on a porch floor, and I’m now seriously considering doing it… wish I could remember more details :)

So I agree for the most part about the vicarious living through t.v., but I also think we can tuck ideas away in our heads about how to do things.

I’m with Johanna and Jeremy. I had the displeasure to watch the FN for a few hours last year, and what a waste of time. On the other hand, the PBS chefs are amazing. I DO get up off the couch and go make the meal I’ve just watched on those shows. I have learned so much about cooking from PBS shows like Lidia’s Italy, Rick Bayless, Simply Ming, and Jacques Pepin.

Again, as Trent says, doing is the way to mastery. Other people’s experience can be learned from, but you have to balance it with your own activity.