Things That Had Totally Different Purposes When First Made
Much like the list of words and phrases that meant something different, this list is a list of a bunch of items that had different purposes than what they're used for now.
Coca-Cola, despite being a somewhat addictive drink consumed for pleasure, was originally a concoction of kola nuts and coca leaves. Hence the name, it was initially meant to treat soldiers taking morphine for their nervous systems.
Viagra was initially intended to be a form of cardiac disorder treatment. However, it proved useless in that regard. An unusual side effect was noted: the substance strongly affected blood flow in the pelvic region, and thus the famous aphrodisiac was born.
Giving it to hamsters also helps them recover from jet lag. Yes, I know this is one of the most useless discoveries ever made.
The Slinky was not, in any way, shape, or form, intended to be a toy. It was actually a tension spring that someone dropped, and it "crawled away merrily." Later, the idea for the toy was developed. So, initially, it was just a tension spring. Who would've thought?
That actually makes a lot of sense.
Yo-yos, much like Slinkies, were accidental toys and were actually used as weapons. I had to look this one up for clarification, but I knew yo-yos were used for something besides being a toy. They were used for fighting in the jungle.
That reminds me of Watch Dogs 2. The protagonist of the game uses a yo-yo as a weapon.
I could see yo-yos being used as a weapon.
A ring used to have a more practical purpose. The nobility used rings as a seal, archers protected their fingers from bowstring injuries, and needlewomen protected their fingers from needle pricks.
Later on, a ring showed the social status of its wearer: only noblemen were allowed to wear golden rings. And somehow, between then and now, they were turned into symbols of marriage.
Even today, people still wear rings for important occasions. They wear wedding rings, receive graduation rings, and championship players on sports teams also get rings. So, it's still happening today.
Men's fragrances were initially used as medicine. Eau de cologne was considered a miracle item. It was believed to help against poisons, fleas, and even the plague.
It's crazy to think about, but a long, long time ago, high heels were actually used by men. They had nothing to do with fashion and looks, which I find quite a relief in retrospect. High heels provided a strong grip on a horse's stirrups and were used in the military. If I had to guess, this dates back to around the time of the Roman Empire.
Now, the shoe is on the other foot. High heels are used by girls and women rather than men, and by civilians instead of soldiers.
Mascara is another thing commonly used by females to attract attention from men. But it had a more important purpose back when people hunted dinosaurs and watched black-and-white TV. Much like the stuff baseball and football players put under their eyes, mascara was used to protect the wearer's eyes from the sun.
A T-shirt is more than likely what you're wearing on your upper half as you read this. Although they're worn casually every day and everywhere now, they were originally underwear.
They were originally meant for permanent ownership, but rentals became popular with Blockbuster Video.
The Newcomers
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic is an animated children's television series based on the fourth incarnation of Hasbro's My Little Pony franchise. The show follows a studious unicorn (later an alicorn) pony named Twilight Sparkle (Tara Strong) and her friends Applejack (Ashleigh Ball), Rarity (Tabitha... read more Do I want to know who the guy is who always submits stuff like this? Fine, I'll make it work, although I'm going to sound quite stupid.
My Little Pony was originally meant for little girls. Somehow, a bunch of middle-aged men decided that MLP was just as interesting to them as it is to little girls. So yes, in that sense, I suppose it fits.
If you have a driver's license, you know that you have to frequently fill your car with gasoline to make it run. You probably never would have thought this to be true, but gasoline was actually a stain remover and sanitizer.
It's difficult to prove this because if you search "gasoline was a stain remover," the internet mainly provides ways to remove stains made by gasoline. Just trust me on this one, okay?
Someone in my family uses old gasoline to clean and remove stains from his tools. When we have old gas, we bring it to him.