I think you're reading into the $5 wrench a bit too literally. It's not about perpetuating the idea (false or not) that torture is an effective means of procuri

I think you're reading into the $5 wrench a bit too literally. It's not about perpetuating the idea (false or not) that torture is an effective means of procuring intelligence. The point of the comic—at least to me—is about tunnel vision w/r/t security. Someone might invest a great amount of time and effort on encryption, but then look past the fact that the encryption is only as strong as the password that protects it...or that the password is only as secure as the place it is stored (lastpass, 1password, or even your brain). There are many creative ways to circumvent encryption, and one of those ways could be something sinister like a wrench-torture, but it could also be through social engineering or psychological craft. The wrench is just an extreme example, maybe even a metaphor.