I'm not sure I see the absurd nature of this experience.

Sure, the liquid nonsense is just that....nonsense.

But the TSAer could have made a huge deal of this, such as re-screening the items in the baggie, the entire backpack, and/or given the woman a secondary.

Yet he just gave the woman a baggie, advised her of the guideline for future travels, returned the items into the backpack and set her on her way.

Am I missing something?