What Invention Should Never Have Been Invented?

ZeusAres42

@JulesKorngold

why?JulesKorngold said:

The playground merry-go-round.

Dreamer

Argument Topic: Social media Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.

@JulesKorngold

Social media makes everything worse.

"“We found that falsehood diffuses significantly farther, faster, deeper, and more broadly than the truth, in all categories of information, and in many cases by an order of magnitude,” says Sinan Aral, a professor at the MIT"

https://news.mit.edu/2018/study-twitter-false-news-travels-faster-true-stories-0308

JulesKorngold

Argument Topic: Ouch

@ZeusAres42
Mine was built on concrete.  Getting thrown off was not fun.

ZeusAres42

@JulesKorngold

I see. I was just thinking about tobacco products. If we were able to foresee what damage these can cause then perhaps we could have done something about it. Nonetheless, among many of the things that perhaps should not have been invented, they were made with benign and/or good intentions. 

MayCaesar

Oh, this is a good one. I am giving you the invention that embodies pretty much every negative aspect of modern society. It is...



Being so lazy as to buy food without leaving your car is something that will forever remain beyond me. I will not claim that existence of Drive Thru's contributes significantly to obesity and other health issues prevalent in the society, or that its convenience causes people to significantly overeat fast food... It is not a cause, but a symptom. The fact that Drive Thru's are so popular to me says that people are forgetting what life is all about and succumbing to the "preservation mode" where you do the bare minimum amount of work necessary for your survival and relative contentment.

Drive Thru's are not even that convenient in the grand scheme of things, and I definitely save some time by making my sandwiches at home and taking them with me versus waiting in a Drive Thru lane in order to get an overpriced pseudo-food item. The fact that people find them to be more convenient also tells me something about people's willingness to plan and to think about the future. People increasingly rely on knee-jerk reactions like, "I am hungry. Alexa, what is the closest place I can get something to eat?", versus planning even 20-30 minutes ahead ("Let me pack a homemade sandwich so, once I get to the office, I have something to eat").

You know that question that some people ask themselves in order to get some moral guidance: "What would our ancestors think about this?" I feel that Drive Thru's would be the most revolting thing someone from 200 years ago could see. It would remind them of fat lazy kings sitting on their thrones and getting fed by their servants without having to exert a muscle. That is no way to live. There is a continuum between comfort and excitement, and I do not think that consistently erring on the side of comfort is good for a human being's long-term happiness.

You know what I would love to see? A counter-invention: "Run Thru". In order to get your meal, you have to run a 1 mile loop. The faster your time, the bigger discount you get. People who clock over 100 miles per month get a Premium membership for the next month giving extra discounts. Local champions time-wise are displayed on restaurant billboards and get free appetizers.
Imagine walking into a fast food place full of fit and smiling people... Now that would be a sight! As opposed to now, when you walk into a Burger King and feel like you are in some sort of a rehab facility.

ZeusAres42

Dreamer said:

@JulesKorngold

Social media makes everything worse.

"“We found that falsehood diffuses significantly farther, faster, deeper, and more broadly than the truth, in all categories of information, and in many cases by an order of magnitude,” says Sinan Aral, a professor at the MIT"

https://news.mit.edu/2018/study-twitter-false-news-travels-faster-true-stories-0308

There are many pros and cons regarding social media use. I don't think it's accurate to claim social media should never have been invented based purely on the availability to spread misinformation. with the right education and critical thinking skills, users can learn to discern credible sources from unreliable ones. Social media platforms are frequently implementing measures to defeat misinformation. Tools like fact-check labels,  third-party fact-checkers, etc designed to reduce the spread of false news are being developed and improved upon. Furthermore, people have access to a wide array of sources and can cross-reference and verify information themselves. @Dreamer

John_C_87

To try and never take myself so seriously, I feel that Flavored Condoms should have never been invented. It is them or sugar free gum, are they almost the same thing?

Dreamer

Argument Topic: I never even considered there was pros of social media.

@ZeusAres42

Can you name any benefits of social media?

JulesKorngold

Argument Topic: Benefits of Social Media

@Dreamer

There are many benefits of social media. 

• Staying connected with friends and family: Social media makes it easy to stay connected with friends and family who live far away. You can share photos, videos, and updates about your life, and you can also chat with them in real-time.
• Building relationships: Social media can also be a great way to build relationships with new people. You can join groups and communities that are interested in the same things you are, and you can also connect with people who share your values and beliefs.
• Learning new things: Social media is a great way to learn new things. You can follow experts in your field, and you can also join groups and communities that are dedicated to learning and education.
• Finding support: Social media can also be a great place to find support. If you are going through a difficult time, you can connect with people who have been through the same thing, and you can also find support groups and online communities.
• Promoting your business: If you have a business, social media can be a great way to promote your business. You can create and share content that is relevant to your target audience, and you can also use social media to run ads and promotions.

Dreamer

Argument Topic: Interesting, I never saw the other point of view thank you. :)

@JulesKorngold

I also respectfully disagree, 

"There is an epidemic of loneliness in the United States and lacking connection can increase the risk for premature death to levels comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day, according to a new advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General"

Across age groups, people are spending less time with each other in person than two decades ago. The advisory reported that this was most pronounced in young people aged 15-24 who had 70% less social interaction with their friends.

Murthy said that many young people now use social media as a replacement for in-person relationships, and this often meant lower-quality connections."

By Juana SummersVincent AcovinoChristopher IntagliataPatrick Wood May 2023

https://www.npr.org/2023/05/02/1173418268/loneliness-connection-mental-health-dementia-surgeon-general

Thank you for the interesting discussion.