Product Disfunctionality

Have you ever looked at a product and wondered why it was made the way it was? Or why something was packaged in a manner that just doesn’t make since? There are many examples in the world. Like when a product and its mate doesn’t come packaged in the correct numbers or together at all. The biggest example is buns and franks for making hot dogs. A pack of 8 buns or 12 buns, but only 10 wieners. What psychopath mathematician thought this up? Then there is the whole batteries not included fiasco. What is the point in buying a thing that is battery-powered when there are no batteries with it? I guess just feed the machine, as it was, and buy some Duracell. Right? However, there’s also questions pertaining to product design. Like that favorite pair of hiking boots. They are comfortable and the laces are just long enough to tie without dragging the ground. Then you need to clean out the tread, for one reason or another and you are soon met with an M. C. Escher maze of rubber that you have to scrape out. Why is the tread designed that way? Does it help with traction? Is it supposed to be easier to clean out? I feel sorry for the engineers that are tasked with making the mold of the rubberized Jackson Pollock. I also don’t understand product features that are completely unnecessary. For instance: Bluetooth speakers in everyday products. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good Bluetooth speaker. They are very handy for when I want to listen to music cast from my phone, but why do I need one in my toaster? I have a toaster to toast things. A piece of bread, a soft bagel, and even a Pop-Tart now and then. So, in my case, the toaster should be plain and simple and relatively inexpensive. I am not paying an extra 30 dollars just so I can listen to my favorite podcast from the same device. That is what my refrigerator is for. Maybe one day someone with more knowledge than me will have the answers I seek, and you better believe that if that day comes, I will be front and center with my pristinely cleaned boots listening to every answer while I heat up my extra buns with my battery powered toaster. But that is just one man’s opinion. Thanks for listening to me ramble. I appreciate it. See you next time.