I like the food analogy. Consider predicting how people will react to a dish by measuring the pH, thickness, saltiness, sweetness. Characterizing the food by single parameters is almost hopeless. So you have the characteristics of a mixture and peoples values compounding the problem.
Really good anology, I like it! And certainly no well mannered person would ever attack another for discussing the ph of a wine or the saltiness of the soup or the sweetness of the pie. :-)