Things I Don't Understand - Episode 1: Cutthroat Kitchen

I've decided to start a weekly "Things I Don't Understand" posting. I will try to make it an every Saturday thing. Some weeks other issues may take precedence ... but the goal is every Saturday!

Episode 1

I don't understand a cooking show based on being devious and underhanded. It's cooking, for pete's sake! I'm speaking of a show on Food Network called Cutthroat Kitchen, and I have not watched an episode. I'm basing my opinion on the premise of the show that each contestant is given $25,000 to purchase items at some kind of auction during each episode that will benefit only themselves and/or sabotage their opponents. I like winning fair and square. Either you have what it takes to win (in whatever the competition is) or you don't. Winning because you gave yourself an unfair advantage, or winning because you caused your competitors to have an unfair disadvantage proves nothing to me ... other than the fact that some people want to win so badly they'll stack the deck in their favor and then accept the "award" as though they won on their merit alone. If you have to rig the game in your favor ... you didn't really prove yourself to be the best. In my eyes, all you did was prove yourself as being someone who can't win on a level playing field. You're not the best, you're simply the meanest.

There are other shows on television that operate under the same general premise of being devious to win, and those shows bother me, too. (I don't watch any of those shows, either.) I don't agree with giving every kid in an athletic team a trophy so that they don't get their tender feelings hurt. Not being the very best isn't the end of the world. If nothing else, it teaches you what your shortcomings are and what you need to work on to get better. I believe the best should be celebrated. It bothers me that there are shows out there that both encourage ... and reward ... someone who wins by rigging the game.

I wouldn't do well on any show that requires that you be "mean" to win. I prefer to win, but I don't mind losing ... as long as I've lost fair and square.