7 Badass Things That Technology Will Never Make Obsolete

I just threw out a bunch of VHS tapes not too long ago. It was sad to see them go, but I don’t have a video tape player and they were taking up lots of space. I looked into getting them burned to DVD, but found just about everything on YouTube anyway. 

How great is that? I don’t need to store anything and I can still watch whatever I want on YouTube if I want a hefty dose of nostalgia, all because of technology. 

Technology will make many things obsolete in the future. VHS tapes and DVDs are just a few examples of things I found in my recent spring-cleaning that won’t be making a comeback. But I’ve also came across 7 badass things that technology will not make obsolete.

1. Shop Vacuum

Sawdust? Check.

Wet sawdust? Check.

Water? Check.

Mud? Check.

These vacuums will clean and suck up just about anything without apology. The design is so simple with few moving parts that it’s rare that anything ever malfunctions. Once you’re done cleaning up whatever mess you have, you can just take it outside and empty the plastic tank and hose it down and it’s clean and ready to go for whatever is next.

2. Duct Tape

Can repair AC ducts, your backpack strap, and even hold up the side mirror on your car. 

3. Map and Compass

Cell phones and GPS are great but they have limited battery life and you could find yourself out of range with poor reception. 

The old school map and compass is the still the most reliable way to get between two points if you are lost. Using these tools is an exercise in self reliance.

4. Birth Control Glasses

These are the iconic, thick-rimmed, glasses that men and women in the US armed services have to wear during basic training. They get their nickname because people who put them on become instantly unattractive. But these puppies can endure dirt, sand, and whatever else gets kicked up in someone’s field of vision. 

The military is phasing these glasses out and vision correction procedures might make glasses and contacts obsolete soon.

But just when you think BCGs will be an artifact in some museum, hipsters everywhere start wearing them and they make a comeback. These will be around as a fashion statement for years to come.

5. Microsoft Word 

Clients I write for expect everything to be done on Microsoft Word and all comments and edits are done with the track changes feature. Want to submit to Thought Catalog? Word.

I recently heard someone ask an established writer what software he uses to write. “Word,” he answered. I loved this answer because 1.) It shows software is the least of your concerns when you write and 2.) Word is here to stay.

Word.

6. Cast-Iron Cookware

Cast-iron pans were used as early as 206 B.C. Today, you have more cookware options than ever, but cast-iron is still among the most durable and can last a lifetime if you take care of it properly.

It’s also highly versatile and you can use it in an oven, on the stove, on a grill, and even over an open fire. Do yourself a favor and pick some cast-iron cookware up next time you’re shopping for your kitchen. 

7. Original Swiss Army Knife

I’ll be honest, there are better multi-tool knives and straight-up knives available. But there’s something about an Original Swiss Army Knife that always makes me buy them whenever I lose or wear down my old one. 

They’re compact, light, durable, and has everything you need and nothing you don’t. There’s also a certain beauty in the original crimson color and logo that you can’t get on any other knife.

Try disrupting these things, technology. I dare you.