What tool would you choose as the most versatile? One that could help you anywhere, in any situation:
In everyday life or in extreme conditions.
To patch up your body and fix a machine.
To help a friend and immobilize an enemy.
In the city and the woods.
On land and water.
The tool must be compact, reliable, easy to use, and not require any extra materials.
A shovel? A hammer? A knife? An axe? A saw? A ruler? A needle? A pencil?
I’d choose reinforced duct tape.
In 1882, the German Paul Beiersdorf patented medical adhesive tape, and in 1901, Oskar Troplowitz named it Leukoplast. In the 1920s, Richard Drew of 3M invented “Scotch tape,” and in 1942, 3M and Johnson & Johnson developed a military version. Soldiers used it everywhere, and after the war, it became popular all over the place [1].
I always carry duct tape in my jiu-jitsu bag. It’s perfect for taping up an injured foot or hand. The wrap acts like an exoskeleton, protecting the joint in extreme positions.
What I value most about tape is that its uses are limited only by our imagination.
Symbolically, duct tape is like prima materia in alchemy—a formless, boundless, infinite substance.
If it's not "everything from nothing," it's certainly "plenty from one crumb."
Sincerely yours,
-Alexander
About me:
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.
How can I help you?
If you've long been trying to understand what is limiting you and/or your business and how to finally give important changes a push, then The Catalyst Session is designed specifically for you. Book it here.