Photo source: dishmaps.com
For one, the toaster community is a very global one and the phenomenon known as avocado toast is found mostly in the United States and Canada. Toaster fans from less metropolitan areas are probably not familiar with the breakthrough known as avocado toast. It originated in the 1950's but was not politicized until the 2010's when it began to take on a meaning associated with the frivolous spending habits of Millennials and Gen Y'ers. (source: Wikipedia)
The hate from the media and older folks that avocado toast gets is just another form of Ephebiphobia, fear of youth, young people, and teen culture. (source: Wikipedia) There's nothing inherently bad about avocado toast as a food but the associations it has with problematic young people garners it a lot of bad reputation.
Secondly, avocado toast is very overpriced because it is now deemed "trendy". In some cafes, especially in large cities, a single slice of avocado toast can cost 10 or even 15 dollars. This is another key reason that lots of people dislike avocado toast. This dislike is justified because there is no reason for it to be so expensive. However, some people that hate on avocado toast simply because of the price may not know that when one makes the snack at home, it is reasonably priced and a very delicious food choice.
Enough about avocado toast itself. What does its rise mean for the toaster fandom?
Like most things in life, there are both positive and negative outcomes of this trend. While it does foster the creation of a new generation of toaster fans, the hate it receives reflects negatively on this community. This question is rooted in another, more vital one– Who qualifies as a true toaster fan? If someone only owns a toaster to make avocado toast and is only a part of the fandom for avocado toast, is their "love" of toasters legitimate?
My answer is yes. So long as someone has a genuine love, enjoyment, and appreciation for toasters and what they represent, they are welcome in this fandom. In a greater sense, I would like it if fandoms would stop making people prove if they are "fan enough". I find it takes away from the sense of community when people focus too much on the "fake fans". This is of course just my opinion and I completely understand when others believe that a fandom should be full of a few die-hard fans. It can be frustrating when someone joins a fandom just because it happens to be popular. But trust me, no one is a part of the toaster fandom to be more trendy. We all are here because we love toasters and this community!
I know I digressed from the original point of this, which was to talk solely about avocado toast. But as the internet's official unofficial toaster fandom blog, I felt this was important to talk about. Everyone has different opinions on this matter. Please leave a comment to tell me yours. Thank you for your continued support! :)
The hate from the media and older folks that avocado toast gets is just another form of Ephebiphobia, fear of youth, young people, and teen culture. (source: Wikipedia) There's nothing inherently bad about avocado toast as a food but the associations it has with problematic young people garners it a lot of bad reputation.
Secondly, avocado toast is very overpriced because it is now deemed "trendy". In some cafes, especially in large cities, a single slice of avocado toast can cost 10 or even 15 dollars. This is another key reason that lots of people dislike avocado toast. This dislike is justified because there is no reason for it to be so expensive. However, some people that hate on avocado toast simply because of the price may not know that when one makes the snack at home, it is reasonably priced and a very delicious food choice.
Enough about avocado toast itself. What does its rise mean for the toaster fandom?
Like most things in life, there are both positive and negative outcomes of this trend. While it does foster the creation of a new generation of toaster fans, the hate it receives reflects negatively on this community. This question is rooted in another, more vital one– Who qualifies as a true toaster fan? If someone only owns a toaster to make avocado toast and is only a part of the fandom for avocado toast, is their "love" of toasters legitimate?
My answer is yes. So long as someone has a genuine love, enjoyment, and appreciation for toasters and what they represent, they are welcome in this fandom. In a greater sense, I would like it if fandoms would stop making people prove if they are "fan enough". I find it takes away from the sense of community when people focus too much on the "fake fans". This is of course just my opinion and I completely understand when others believe that a fandom should be full of a few die-hard fans. It can be frustrating when someone joins a fandom just because it happens to be popular. But trust me, no one is a part of the toaster fandom to be more trendy. We all are here because we love toasters and this community!
I know I digressed from the original point of this, which was to talk solely about avocado toast. But as the internet's official unofficial toaster fandom blog, I felt this was important to talk about. Everyone has different opinions on this matter. Please leave a comment to tell me yours. Thank you for your continued support! :)
