Accidental Solutions

     Inventions are amazing and the people who create them impress me.  They are almost like 

magicians who made something that we had not imagined until it was created.  Sometimes they are 

very useful and a godsend while other times they are blinks in the social timeline, and others 

surprisingly last a long time whether they serve a huge purpose or not.

            Viagra has an interesting birth story.  Impotence has been an issue for males for as long as there have been males and affects about 30 million American men (History.com, 2009).  It is not only a physical issue but a psychological one.  A man’s self-esteem and self-worth can decline when they are unable to perform sexually.  Every species has an innate responsibility to procreate for the survival of the species.  Humans are the same way and even if a man no longer wants to have any more children, the ability to procreate is something that is ingrained in him as something that is necessary for survival.

            The chemical name for Viagra is Sildenafil.  It was originally developed to treat angina and hypertension.  During medical trials, it was discovered that while it did not help with angina, it caused penile erections in about 30-60 minutes (History.com, 2009).  Shortly after its patent being approved (two years), the FDA approved it for treating erectile dysfunction.  It became super successful especially since it was one of the first prescriptions to be marketed directly to customers.

            As with other prescriptions, there is a risk if taken incorrectly.  There is one story I remember from “1000 Ways to Die” in which a cheating man dies from it.  Unbeknownst to him, his wife puts a pill in his drink before makes an excuse to leave for a bit.  He takes a pill before meeting his mistress, and his mistress does the same thing his wife did.  He has now taken three times the necessary dose and succumbs mid-coitus (Beers, 2009).  Moral of the story: don’t cheat on your spouse?

            One of the most ubiquitous accidental inventions is post-it notes.  This reminds me of an episode of Forensic Files that used post-it notes to inspire a genius solution to a crazy (almost case-stopping) problem.  The episode is about an Air Force family stationed in The Philippines.  The Air Force father, Joe is having an affair with the Philippine nanny.  Like most of these shows, murdering your spouse is the more attractive option than getting a divorce.  Joe asks his mistress to find some locals to kill his wife Julie.  Based on the forensic evidence, law enforcement arrested Joe and searched his house.  During the search, they found a floppy disc containing incriminating emails between Joe and his mistress.  They not only proved the affair but their plan in the murder.  In a desperate attempt, Joe reached for the floppy disc and cut it to pieces with scissors he had in his pocket.  The disc was eventually wrestled away, but not before the damage was done (Jordan, 2005). 

One attempt to fix the disc involved scotch tape.  When it was placed in the disc drive, the floppy broke it.  The FBI was called to see if they could help.  They said the chance of repairing it was low and it came with a long timeline and hefty price tag.  A lower-level officer asked to give it a try.  Thinking of the adhesive on post-it notes, he decided to use a thinner tape.  He did and it worked!  Not only did it take no time, but it also saved the Air Force a lot of money!  Give that man a raise!

            Viagra is definitely an invention that society needed and not realizing how quick that fix could be.  The floppy disc hack makes me smile because it reminds us that anyone can be a problem solver regardless of how big the problem may be.

 

References

Beers, T. (Director). (2009). 1000 Ways to Die [Motion Picture].

History.com. (2009, November 24). FDA approves Viagra. Retrieved from History.com: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/fda-approves-viagra

Jordan, M. (Director). (2005). Shear Luck [Motion Picture].

 

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