The Ingenuity Myth

Okay, this isn’t a myth, it's real. Kiwis are always running around fixing stuff. MacGyver was a closet Kiwi. One needs those skills when a new one either isn’t available, it costs an arm and 2 legs, or it takes 6 weeks to arrive. So one finds another solution. I just took a First Aid course. For splinting broken bones, do you think high-falutin' air splints are used? Nope, cardboard works great. The common and passe reference to #8 wire, used in fencing for sheep paddocks, refers to the gazillions of repairs made with it. Kiwis are self-reliant, practical, and take care of gear. It is not uncommon to see vehicles for sale that have 200,000+ miles on them, and they appear to be in good condition, unlike my truck back home. That truck's rust and wobbly condition would not make a Kiwi proud, nor would the fact that I had to take it into the shop just to repair a short in the brake light. Kiwis understand electricity and would fix that at home. However, if I "had a go" at that, I'd probably be sporting a pair of entry/exit wounds from electrical shock, just as they were described in that First Aid course.