I honestly think the bacon thing was an advertising push; one that gained its own momentum. If I remember something interesting, it's that the original bacon advertising campaign over a hundred years ago was one of the most successful advertising campaigns in its long term effects on the 'culture' of american breakfast. Then there was another push with it to become a 'premium' addon in culinary circles in the 90s-00s.

There is definitely something odd about meat in people's minds, though, you're right. I've never heard of anyone, even italian chefs, caring about whether a pasta must be cooked al dente to be done right, but every idiot and their cousin will tell you they know exactly how a steak must be cooked, and everyone else is wrong, and not only wrong but a terrible savage for thinking differently.

Ohh, I see. That weird thing where people make one really specific, otherwise small thing an absurdly huge part of their personality.

I've seen it with tea, coffee, chocolate, meat (specifically bacon and steak), and a million other things food-related and otherwise. I follow what you're talking about now, and yeah it's weird. I enjoy meat quite a lot, and I do have some kinds of meat I do like cooked a (general) particular way. I'm not going to go around preaching to God and everyone about it, though, and I wouldn't consider "meat' a part of my personality, lol. When people take one small, specific thing and make it their entire personalities it does get... Strange.