Psychology: ketchup, part 0

Self-tutoring about point of view: the tutor explores his connection to ketchup.

Have I a connection to ketchup? In a way, no: I’d never buy it if I lived alone. My kids and wife like it, though, so we always have it on hand. As a kid, I liked ketchup, too.

Being a kid didn’t work out well for me, so perhaps that’s one reason I don’t use ketchup now. You see that, sometimes: a person in a different stage of life wants to cut connections with the previous one, perhaps for fear of being “pulled back.”

My relationship with ketchup is uneasy because I see it used on food where, I feel, it doesn’t belong. I’m well enough adjusted not to say anything, of course, but seeing ketchup used on some foods offends me. Sometimes I make homemade mac and cheese, for instance, and am troubled when I see ketchup added to it on someone’s plate. That’s my issue, of course – not theirs.

Contemplating making mac and cheese today, I’m trying to figure out why seeing ketchup with it troubles me so much. If I can understand, maybe I can stop worrying about it.

I think the offense comes from the fact that ketchup is sweet. Why would you add a sweet sauce to a savory dish? Yes, I know it’s done all the time, but doesn’t that compromise the savory nature of the dish?

Likely I’ll make mac and cheese today; likely, I’ll see someone add ketchup to their helping. I’ll try not to look; this exploration hasn’t seemed to help.

I hold that understanding often does ease anxiety, even if perhaps not in this case:)