Here's a trick for reading The Martian—if things are looking up, then you're only pages away from it all tumbling back down. You wanted independence, Mark? Well, your wish has been granted.

Although Mark has gotten used to living in fear, he hasn't exactly transformed into Braveheart. The fact of the matter is that something could go disastrously wrong in an instant, and Mark needs to be vigilant to prevent that from happening. While good, that sort of attention is going to drive you crazy at some point.

Jeez, Mark should just get a sponsorship deal already. We can already see the pitch: If duct tape is good enough for Mark Watney, then you can be darn tootin' it's good enough for you! Jokes aside, this passage shows that the most useful technology isn't always the flashiest.