# "Open here." Do you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 16, 2006, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-here-do-you/357024 "2006-05-16T20:09:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-here-do-you/357024/1 "2006-05-16T20:09:42Z")
Do you rip off the corner of the ketchup packet along the little dotted line? Do you carefully inspect the top of the milk carton before choosing which side to fold apart and pull open? Do you unzip the frozen pizza box using the perforated tab on the end? Or do you disregard these alleged conveniences as oppressive and controlling, preferring to tear savagely at your packaging by whatever means feels best at the moment? Screw the fancy-schmancy string that’s supposed to unravel along the top of a pet-food bag; anything with a blade will serve to part the heavy paper! Don’t bother with the plastic strip on the Fedex box; I am a manly man and I will claw that flap apart with snarling, bare-fingered gusto! Me, I’ve surrendered to civilization, and I will typically follow the prescribed method for accessing the contents of a package. I tell myself I do this not because I am meek and obedient, but because I am a pragmatist; who wants to do more work than necessary? Even so, I still find occasional opportunities to indulge my inner caveman, as when I find myself with one of those clear plastic containers from Costco and I am compelled to attack it with tin snips and a linoleum knife. Other than that: Open Here. How about you? ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-here-do-you/357024/2 "2006-05-16T20:19:47Z")
I tend to want to open the package as instructed. See, in theory, that’s supposed to be the easiest thing to do. Only that’s not always true - the perforated tab may tear off prematurely, or the milk carton has (accidently? purposely?) been welded together with superglue right where the package says you are supposed to open it. And alas, one must still claw, tear, or use sharp and possibily dangerous implements to open the damn thing anyway. Oh, and I think whoever invented clear molded plastic packaging should be condemned for all eternity to opening it over and over and over with only a dull knife for assistance. ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-here-do-you/357024/3 "2006-05-16T20:29:57Z")
Probably more often than not, but I’ll admit to opening things that I am experienced with enough without looking for the label. Example: I had an individually wrapped Ghiradelli chocolate square earlier today. It was only after I had opened and eaten mine that I noticed that it had directions for how to open on the underside. ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-here-do-you/357024/4 "2006-05-16T20:53:00Z")
I tear them open willy-nilly. I don’t usually see the “open here” instructions until after it’s already open, and I don’t look for them either. If it’s something that’s going to remain stored in the box (cereal, pasta), I just open it from the top so it’s easy to re-close. ---
**Author:** ![marginal\_prophet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@marginal\_prophet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marginal_prophet)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2006, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-here-do-you/357024/5 "2006-05-17T01:08:53Z")
The ones I hate are the metal spouts on things like Minute Rice and most dishwasher detergents - pull down the metal spout and then try to figure out how to cut the hole so the spout doesn’t fall inside the box. Nnot worth it. So I just use a knife to slice the top a bit and peel it back. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2006, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-here-do-you/357024/6 "2006-05-17T15:16:30Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > I think whoever invented clear molded plastic packaging should be condemned for all eternity to opening it over and over and over with only a dull knife for assistance. I’m very glad to know I’m not alone in this. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2006, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-here-do-you/357024/7 "2006-05-17T15:51:52Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > Oh, and I think whoever invented clear molded plastic packaging should be condemned for all eternity to opening it over and over and over with only a dull knife for assistance. That’s what kitchen shears are for. Or tin snips. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2006, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-here-do-you/357024/8 "2006-05-17T16:08:58Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > That’s what kitchen shears are for. Or tin snips. And then I cut myself (badly, a couple times) on the sharp plastic I’ve just cut open. I freakin’ hate that packaging, and it’s completely unnecessary. ---
**Author:** ![Godfrey\_Daniels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Godfrey\_Daniels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Godfrey_Daniels)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2006, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-here-do-you/357024/9 "2006-05-17T17:29:00Z")
What with all the tamper-proof devices out there, it’s usually easiest to use the “open here”. I further propose that whoever invented the “blister pack” not even be allowed a dull knife, but instead just have to use fingernails, teeth, etc. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2006, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-here-do-you/357024/10 "2006-05-17T17:40:48Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > And then I cut myself (badly, a couple times) on the sharp plastic I’ve just cut open. I usually use heavy-duty box cutters and cut where the plastic is most soft and thin. Usually the flat part surrounding the item in the middle. Anyway, on packages that do have a “open here” label, I almost always follow it. There’s usually a good reason it’s there. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2006, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-here-do-you/357024/11 "2006-05-17T17:46:36Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > Do you rip off the corner of the ketchup packet along the little dotted line? > > Do you carefully inspect the top of the milk carton before choosing which side to fold apart and pull open? > > Do you unzip the frozen pizza box using the perforated tab on the end? No, yes, and yes. “Open here” generally means that opening anywhere else will be more difficult; condiment packets (except some brands of soy sauce) are equally easy (or difficult) to open everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![homeskillet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/7ba0ec/32.png) [@homeskillet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/homeskillet)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2006, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-here-do-you/357024/12 "2006-05-17T19:23:25Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > That’s what kitchen shears are for. Or tin snips. I’m reminded of Ellen DeGeneres: \* “Have you seen the packaging of scissors lately? You need scissors just buy a pair of scissors. What if it’s your first time buying scissors! CD’s are the worst, ‘Open Here’! Open Here? Is that sarcasm?!”\* ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-here-do-you/357024/13 "2006-05-18T12:31:40Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > And then I cut myself (badly, a couple times) on the sharp plastic I’ve just cut open. I freakin’ hate that packaging, and it’s completely unnecessary. Perhaps a blowtorch? It would curl and soften the edges as it opens the package. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f07891/32.png) [@Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Plastic_Ninja)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-here-do-you/357024/14 "2006-05-18T13:03:36Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > And then I cut myself (badly, a couple times) on the sharp plastic I’ve just cut open. I freakin’ hate that packaging, and it’s completely unnecessary. I hate it passionately, but I understand why it exists – it’s damn hard to shoplift something by just slipping it out of its package when you have to attack that package with a machete. At the very least, a salesperson might notice. 😃 Those locking plastic cases they keep CDs and such in are likely prohibitively expensive and too much work for the poor worker-drones to deal with on a constant basis. So, not many other options. I do wish the plastic was softer, though; hard to open is one thing, but hard and DANGEROUS to open is ludicrous. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-here-do-you/357024/15 "2006-05-18T18:28:29Z")
[My heart bleeds for the Snicker-Snacks company"](http://www.lavasurfer.com/cereal-fictional5.html) ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-here-do-you/357024/16 "2006-05-18T18:34:17Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > Oh, and I think whoever invented clear molded plastic packaging should be condemned for all eternity to opening it over and over and over with only a dull knife for assistance. That is way too light a punishment. They should have to open with dull knife in a time limit. If they don’t, then they get beaten to death with it then resurrected then made to do it all over again. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-here-do-you/357024/17 "2006-05-18T18:44:49Z")
> [@Little Plastic Ninja](#): > > I hate it passionately, but I understand why it exists – it’s damn hard to shoplift something by just slipping it out of its package when you have to attack that package with a machete. I always thought the purpose of the big friggin’ box that software CDs used to come in was to discourage shoplifting (and the smaller one that audio CDs used to come in too, now that I think of it). I thought it was kind of a waste, but at least I wasn’t almost self-amputating a finger to get into those. It must be too expensive to do now, though, because you don’t see it any more. If plastic must be used, I could suggest a soft, stretchy plastic. Years ago when I worked in a hospital pharmacy the Schedule IV and III drugs used to be shipped to us in a case enveloped in this plastic - you could dig your fingers into it and pull - and pull, and pull - and it would just stretch. You needed something sharp to cut it, but at least it was safe to stick your hand in there to get the items out once that was done. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-here-do-you/357024/18 "2006-05-18T20:31:08Z")
If it’s a food product I usually try to follow the opening directions, only because it makes it easier to close again. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-here-do-you/357024/19 "2006-05-18T21:33:33Z")
Another vote here for tearing it open willy-nilly. We need to have a _little_ challenge in our lives. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2006, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-here-do-you/357024/20 "2006-05-19T01:30:24Z")
Breakfast cereal’s the one. All my life I’ve opened it more or less the way you’re supposed to, and all my life I’ve been unable to reseal the box using the “handy tab” or whatever it’s called. Just keep making the boxes the same way. I have no problem with that. But don’t insult my intelligence - please just remove any reference to the boxes being resealable. They aren’t! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-here-do-you/357024.md?page=2)