Speaking as someone who enjoys cooking, gardening, and yes even washing up, I should be a Zen master right? But I'm not, so there must be something else going on here.
I guess it's a combination of both work and play being more consumptive/prescriptive. There's no space to put your own stamp on things.
The obvious counter to this is all the what would have been factory workers (in the west) that now seem to have more freedom. To which I would guess that essays complaining about lack of creativity tend to be written by the well off, where as the less well of have other concerns.
I feel it's also something about the ease you can do things with and your deeper feelings about them.
When something is easy to do well because all the supplies are easy to reach, in good order and condition (the joy of a new sponge for dishes!) and there is not too much of it and you don't have to climb around other messes it's nice.
We become used to suboptimal situations so quickly, and the bad feelings of stuffiness and annoyance are buried below more immediate issues.
Taking an hour or two and identify/remove the pain points can improve the task experience greatly.
I guess it's a combination of both work and play being more consumptive/prescriptive. There's no space to put your own stamp on things.
The obvious counter to this is all the what would have been factory workers (in the west) that now seem to have more freedom. To which I would guess that essays complaining about lack of creativity tend to be written by the well off, where as the less well of have other concerns.