Condiment sachets: Ingenious, money saving gems or infuriating packets of pointlessness?

I get the existence of condiment sachets: They are hygienic and save on waste and washing up, but I find trying to open the blasted things beyond irritating. I’m ready to tuck into my tasty, hot looking meal but first have to battle with the mustard sachet for several minutes until someone, with stronger thumbs, can’t pretend not to notice my struggle anymore and offers help or, I have to stop someone, mid fork to mouth manoeuvre, and pathetically ask them, like a child, if they would ‘Please to mind to open my ketchup?’

What's more, unless its mustard, it’s not as if one will do, is it? You need at least four of the ketchup variety if there is to be any noticeable impact on your chips. Then you have a table littered with little, leaking packets that look like they stopped by on migration. A mumur of sachets.    

I ask you: Is life too short for sachets or do I just need to get a firmer grip!?