## 2026.09.07 / Monday

### Gateway drugs

I watched a "knife video" on Youtube. The author addressed the
'hate' of knife snobs (his words, not mine) towards Bear Grylls'
Gerber knife - explained the reasons (spoiler: cheap manufacturing
cutting corners wherever it was possible), and went to a
conclusion: while the "hardware" itself didn't live up to the
expectations - the "Fisher Price knife" made some tablet bound
kids put their outdoor booties on and go into the woods, learn to
make fire, cut some branches, get wet and miserable, look at
objects farther away than 12 inches. For some of them the first
step into that direction.

Is "less than perfect" better than "none at all"? Certainly, in my
opinion. Can shortcomings of a tool kill the budding interest?
Sure. Will it? Uncertain - some will quit, some will dissect and
analyse, and learn from the failure.

(I am unironically typing it on a Raspberry)