Current Events > "worst" human inventions

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I saw something about how landmines are amongst the worst human inventions, due to how much damage and death they continue to cause to innocent people, decades after their intended use, and I have to agree.

what else is up there?

Kpop

I wander around in woods sometimes. I really hope I don't blow up one these times.

religion

ow the edge

Freon

various torture devices

altruism

I was gonna say nuclear weapons, but would it be totally off basis to say nuclear weapons have probably played a significant role in vastly reduced warfare on a large scale since the second world war?

it's crazy how well landmines were made that they hold up over decades, through wear, rust, inclement weather, etc

I don't know about the worst human inventions, but the person who invented fluorocarbons for aerosols and refrigeration units also came up with the idea of leaded fuel to reduce engine knocking. That's pretty much up there with the one two punch of bad engineering ideas.

Schwarz posted...

religion

ow the edge

Religion was needed at one time. It was a major part of developing society. We have outgrown its use now though

oh, plastic. fantastic for humans, basically a cancer for the rest of the planet

Solid Snake07 posted...

I was gonna say nuclear weapons, but would it be totally off basis to say nuclear weapons have probably played a significant role in vastly reduced warfare on a large scale since the second world war?

The number of times we've come close to total planetary annihilation due to, among other things: Crossed wires triggering a false alarm, accidentally delivering the wrong payload and only finding the mistake right before detonation, one officer choosing not to push the button in spite of receiving orders to do so, and a few other instances of human error / hubris, I'm inclined to say Nukes are still our worst invention. We just haven't seen the full payoff yet.

Alucard188 posted...

I don't know about the worst human inventions, but the person who invented fluorocarbons for aerosols and refrigeration units also came up with the idea of leaded fuel to reduce engine knocking. That's pretty much up there with the one two punch of bad engineering ideas.

He ended up bedridden later in life, and built a pully system to allow him to move around his house unaided still. It ended up strangling him. He went 3/3 on terrible ideas.

viewmaster_pi posted...

oh, plastic. fantastic for humans, basically a cancer for the rest of the planet

Plastic is complicated. It's sanitary, safe, stable, and good at preserving things. The vast majority of our products are made in some form or another with plastic. It's undeniably bad for the planet, but most alternatives would encourage an excess of waste that be just as bad or worse. The real problem with plastic is that our planet can't really sustain this many lives. At least not under an infinite growth model like Capitalism.

Uta posted...

The number of times we've come close to total planetary annihilation due to, among other things: Crossed wires triggering a false alarm, accidentally delivering the wrong payload and only finding the mistake right before detonation, one officer choosing not to push the button in spite of receiving orders to do so, and a few other instances of human error / hubris, I'm inclined to say Nukes are still our worst invention. We just haven't seen the full payoff yet.

Yeah, this was also a angle I thought of. Just cause atomic weapons haven't destroyed the world yet doesn't mean they won't ever.

viewmaster_pi posted...

oh, plastic. fantastic for humans, basically a cancer for the rest of the planet

Probably cancer for humans too, actually.

Pasties

my body is 57% micwopwastics -coughs and coughs-
w

DDT
chemical fertilizer
leaded gasoline

Solid Snake07 posted...

I was gonna say nuclear weapons, but would it be totally off basis to say nuclear weapons have probably played a significant role in vastly reduced warfare on a large scale since the second world war?

Nah, the warfare has just been outsourced.

Social media

1337toothbrush posted...

Nah, the warfare has just been outsourced.

yea, a lot of the wars, conflicts, genocides, human rights violations, etc. in developing countries throughout the decades following WW2 have had the US, USSR, or their allies being responsible in some capacity

And the ICC rewards the war criminals and calls it justice.

Steel jaw traps

g0ldie posted...

yea, a lot of the wars, conflicts, genocides, human rights violations, etc. in developing countries throughout the decades following WW2 have had the US, USSR, or their allies being responsible in some capacity

I'm not saying this is totally inaccurate, but obviously it's been on a much smaller scale than the world wars. And I don't think it's inaccurate to guesstimate that major super powers have avoided direct warfare with each other for the last 80 years largely due to nuclear capabilities.

Social Media
anime

guns

Solid Snake07 posted...

I'm not saying this is totally inaccurate, but obviously it's been on a much smaller scale than the world wars. And I don't think it's inaccurate to guesstimate that major super powers have avoided direct warfare with each other for the last 80 years largely due to nuclear capabilities.

honestly we haven't had nearly enough time to properly assess it. WWI was delayed for 50 years because of the scramble for africa. when there was no one else left to conquer, that was when european colonial powers turned towards one another.

Sackgurl posted...

honestly we haven't had nearly enough time to properly assess it. WWI was delayed for 50 years because of the scramble for africa. when there was no one else left to conquer, that was when european colonial powers turned towards one another.

Uh....that's quite honestly a really stupidly simple and white washed take on global politics of the last 100 years

lol the boomers saying anything related to computers and entertainment.

social media

kuwab0 posted...

Freon

Air conditioners are essential

Alteres posted...

Air conditioners are essential

Only cause people want to live in the desert but not have a desert life

Uta posted...

Plastic is complicated. It's sanitary, safe, stable, and good at preserving things. The vast majority of our products are made in some form or another with plastic. It's undeniably bad for the planet, but most alternatives would encourage an excess of waste that be just as bad or worse. The real problem with plastic is that our planet can't really sustain this many lives. At least not under an infinite growth model like Capitalism.

Plastic is super complicated and affecting the world in ways we don't fully understand--but they're probably not good. The worst thing is that it's literally everywhere, micro-plastics are in every person's body, in every animal's body and it's even been found in the most remote parts of the planet like the Sahara, Gobi and even Antartica

indica posted...

Plastic is super complicated and affecting the world in ways we don't fully understand--but they're probably not good. The worst thing is that it's literally everywhere, micro-plastics are in every person's body, in every animal's body and it's even been found in the most remote parts of the planet like the Sahara, Gobi and even Antartica

I think they even found it in the deepest parts of the ocean

ThyCorndog posted...

Only cause people want to live in the desert but not have a desert life

People like to plant trees in the desert then rake the leaves. A truly insane species.

ThyCorndog posted...

Only cause people want to live in the desert but not have a desert life

to be completely fair I was being even more of a shitheel than that, but I would gladly give up 95% of modern luxuries if the trade off was AC

Capitalism

Jk, it's landmines because of what the OP said, someone decades later could end up dead because of one.

Nothing parasites do to the body are good for the most part.

Government.

Weebshit

Inkjet printers.

Solid Snake07 posted...

I was gonna say nuclear weapons, but would it be totally off basis to say nuclear weapons have probably played a significant role in vastly reduced warfare on a large scale since the second world war?

That is allegedly why we keep them. And considering they have only been used twice (very close together) in war I'd say it appears to be true.

Weird thought occurred. Twice atleast America has changed how war is fought commonly in the world. First time not for the better iirc as we invented total warfare.