BoomerZoo Almanac for May 13-19, 2007: A sticky proposition
Velcro is definitely a product of the Baby Boomer era. We may not remember having grown up with it, but it’s been around most of our lives.
This hook-and-loop type fastener was invented by a Swiss guy who got the idea from burrs and was originally patented in 1951. The trademark for Velcro was registered in the U.S. in this week in 1958 and the rest, as they say, is history.
But it’s not the history I’m interested in here. It’s what I call the Velcro Principle, which is applied to any thing wherein its good quality is also its bad quality. For Velcro, of course, its good quality is that it really sticks together well. As many Boomers on the upper end of the age range are beginning to discover, Velcro’s bad quality is that it REALLY sticks together well, which is a bane to those whose fingers just aren’t as strong and nimble as they used to be.
Here’s another example: The good thing about working in a small office is that everyone knows everyone else. This is also the bad thing about working in a small office.
If you can think of more examples, I’d love to hear them. If you just want to learn more about Velcro, you can download a PDF with a cute story and timeline about the product. If you want to come up with your own principle... well, that's another proposition altogether.
