Products are usually well thought-out. After all, companies are investing time, money, and other resources into developing them. But even though they are created to satisfy a specific need, things happen and products can evolve into something else entirely, taking on new forms and applications.
To learn more about these examples, Reddit user u/EpicEllis2004 submitted a question to the platform, asking what are some of the products that have drifted away from their main purpose. Turns out, it's a topic that really interests people. In just a week, the post has received over 34K upvotes and 14K comments, providing quite a few interesting insights into consumerism. Here are some of the answers.
#1
Bubble wrap was invented as fancy wallpaper.
Image credits: galactic-frog
#2
Pipe cleaners,Use them for all sorts of arts and crafts as kids. It wasn't till I owned a tobacco pipe and went to buy them that it actually clicked
Image credits: TouchedbyJebus
#3
Q-tips. The only thing they are used for is the one thing you are explicitly told not to use them for.
Image credits: bloblehead
#4
Apparently paintball guns were invented for foresters/loggers/park rangers to mark trees (for cutting etc.) without having to approach each tree.
Image credits: galactic-frog
#5
The eggplant emoji.
Image credits: Mio69uwu
#6
History Channel... as far as I am concerned the secret relationships between aliens and the illuminati do not qualify as "history"
Image credits: Ezequiel-052
#7
WD-40 was developed as a rust preventative (it’s even in the initials: “WD” means “Water Displacement”). Nowadays people use it to lubricate mechanical parts.
Image credits: bluebirdgm
#8
Iirc Play-Doh was invented to clean wallpaper
Image credits: spacelordmthrfkr
#9
Minoxidil was originally developed to treat high blood pressure and people reported unusual hair growth all around the body, since it promotes blood flow to the skin pores. They came up with a topical version and voila, millions of people smear that sh*t on their scalps and beards everyday and its the one of the only clinically proven ways to cure baldness.
Image credits: LeagueOfLucian
#10
Super glue was meant to be a temporary method of stitching a wound. It was used that way during the Vietnam War. Tell people today to super clue their cuts shut, however, and most will think you're crazy
Image credits: BigBobby2016
#11
Viagra. It’s a heart medicine originally.
Image credits: VegetableWishbone
#12
Slinky, the toy. It was originally designed during WW2 to help sensitive instruments remain steady on ships... to counter the effects of pitch, roll, and yaw. The engineer working on them knocked one off his desk accidentally, saw the way it moved from the table to the chair, to the floor, and a new purpose was born.On a side note... during the Vietnam War, when the Slinkys were metal, radio operators would carry them through the deep jungles. If they couldn't get a good signal in the jungle mountains, they'd sling a Slinky high into the tree limbs while holding onto one end. It created an instant antenna extension that they would attach to the radio.
Image credits: Single_Performance25
#13
Remember when MTV was a music television?
Image credits: galactic-frog
#14
Microsoft Excel/Google Sheets used as informal databases instead of as a data analysis tool
Image credits: rwilldred27
#15
Botox was created to treat migraines
Image credits: lovejetblack
#16
Snuggy was originally designed for wheelchair users. Outerwear designed for walkers is cumbersome to take on and off for wheelchair users so snuggies were designed to help with this.
Image credits: TooMuchHotSauce5
#17
The warming drawer on the bottom of all our ovens, which is used as pan storage for exactly %100 of oven owners.
Image credits: Newtracks1
#18
I think people already know this but the neck on the beer bottle is actually supposed to be held so you don’t warm your drink too fast.
Image credits: bigbenis21
#19
Gloveboxes were originally meant to store gloves because people used to drive with gloves on for some reason.
Image credits: Yah-ThnPat-Thn
#20
The toilet lid of a toilet. Seen too many not even know you're supposed to put the lid down before flushing. Microscopic fecal matter flies everywhere otherwise. Apparently this isn't common knowledge.
Image credits: ShroomyKat
#21
Ketamine is for horses and not for Saturday night.
Image credits: jibbletmonger
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