The True Best/Worst Inventions of Mankind
By C. Henry Martens
I’ve seen a lot of Best/Worst lists and can’t believe these items never seem to be on them. Usually the Worst Inventions are something silly (pet rocks) or too difficult (Rubik’s cubes), so they get a bad rap. What? We don’t have REAL complaints? On the other hand, the Best Inventions are all usually something that creates work by simply being available. I OBJECT! Here is an alternative view for you to disagree with. Please feel free to add your own choices and commentary below in the comment space provided.Worst First1 - Interest on Debt“Neither a borrower nor a lender be…,” Hamlet, written by Shakespeare. Both the Bible and the Koran vilify the lending of money. Interestingly, more members of Islam pay attention than do Christians. The Muslims partake in a joint venture rather than loan money, and if the venture fails, so does the investment. Overall, paying cash for only what you can afford is a better idea than paying interest. Money ahead in the long run.
2 - AdvertisingWho invented this time waste? They should be drawn and quartered! Do you realize how little advertising is really paid attention to? Sure, those that sell it are convincing, but will they prove that their efforts are worth the money they ask? NO! I have several times offered to give 100% of the proceeds to an adverting company during a campaign if they will do it on commission… but what is their answer? NO!!! NEVER!!! We don’t do things that way! But they sure have us all believing that it pays to advertise.3 - TimeSome cultures don’t even have the word. Can you imagine? They get up when they want to, they don’t know how old they are, they work until they are tired, and they don’t use appointment books/apps. Yet they exist. They laugh, eat well, plan ahead, and generally do what is necessary without a clock or a time-conscious boss looking over their shoulders.4 - ComputersOkay, I’m typing this on a computer keyboard. There are of course upsides to computers. But in this failed paperless society that was promised, we all spend too much time using our digits to manipulate keys, strain our eyes with intensely lit screens, and forget easily the “critical” information we would otherwise have really “learned.” I admit, they are getting easier to use, and I can no longer go to the library to find answers easier and faster, but retaining data and extrapolating how it works in the real world against all other information is more difficult. And one of the tremendous downsides is that extreme viewpoints gather more easily without any modulation from neighborhoods or elders or face to face friends. Then those extreme views are reinforced and encouraged by people unknown. 5 - ChairsYup, I’m sitting in a chair. I sit in chairs all the time (TIME again!). I should walk more, even with all the day hikes I still do. Sitting around is killing us. The human species was designed to move about, not recline in front of the boob tube… or lost in a technological device (Computers again!).
Best1 - MusicWhat leads to dancing? That bad ass, heavy beat, that thump thump thump that gets the feet moving and the heart pounding. Music infests your brain so vigorously that they have a name for it, Earworm. What can be better than a favorite song, along with almost any other enjoyment you care to indulge in? Music goes with everything and makes it even better. 2 - WineNot all wines. Personal tastes are involved. But the act of socializing over a glass of your preferred wine is one of the best pleasures on earth. Good friends, comradery, a fine meal, and a glass of wine.3 - KnotsSimple, elegant, and useful before the invention of Velcro or Bungee Cords, and still useful today for those who bother to learn them. They are soooo easy and useful, that they should be required learning in schools. I am constantly amazed at how little respect the simple ability to tie a knot is given in modern society. A good knot holds but is also easy to undo. I can hold loads or objects together, lift heavy weights, break or bend lengths of material, drag and hang items, and harness animals with a simple length of rope… and less than five good knots.4 - BoatsHow would the earth be known were it not for the ability to navigate the waters of the world? Probably the most versatile vehicle ever invented, boats can do it all. They transport huge volumes of goods more efficiently than any other conveyance, they maneuver up and down rivers, and when coupled with sails or a motor, they create speed and playful enjoyment. Oh, and they keep one from drowning if they are managed well. 5 - WritingThe universal tool for learning is the written word. We could all be struck with a disease that leaves us mute, and the world would go on and progress with little hesitation. Imagination and fact are both communicated equally well by all ethnicities and cultures, and language is defined by being placed on paper to be understood over the ages. It seems that as we melt into our devices and shun the society of those around us, we are increasingly involved in a renaissance of written communication. What will the future hold? I suspect writing will replace vocalization as the dominant exchange between human beings.
P.S. My wife says I need to add Fabric to the list of Best Inventions. As materials should be seen as art and design as much as infinite utility, I have to concede that she has a very good point. They are enjoyable as visual imagery, as well as texture, and are one of the most versatile tools ever created.
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I’ve seen a lot of Best/Worst lists and can’t believe these items never seem to be on them. Usually the Worst Inventions are something silly (pet rocks) or too difficult (Rubik’s cubes), so they get a bad rap. What? We don’t have REAL complaints? On the other hand, the Best Inventions are all usually something that creates work by simply being available. I OBJECT! Here is an alternative view for you to disagree with. Please feel free to add your own choices and commentary below in the comment space provided.Worst First1 - Interest on Debt“Neither a borrower nor a lender be…,” Hamlet, written by Shakespeare. Both the Bible and the Koran vilify the lending of money. Interestingly, more members of Islam pay attention than do Christians. The Muslims partake in a joint venture rather than loan money, and if the venture fails, so does the investment. Overall, paying cash for only what you can afford is a better idea than paying interest. Money ahead in the long run.
2 - AdvertisingWho invented this time waste? They should be drawn and quartered! Do you realize how little advertising is really paid attention to? Sure, those that sell it are convincing, but will they prove that their efforts are worth the money they ask? NO! I have several times offered to give 100% of the proceeds to an adverting company during a campaign if they will do it on commission… but what is their answer? NO!!! NEVER!!! We don’t do things that way! But they sure have us all believing that it pays to advertise.3 - TimeSome cultures don’t even have the word. Can you imagine? They get up when they want to, they don’t know how old they are, they work until they are tired, and they don’t use appointment books/apps. Yet they exist. They laugh, eat well, plan ahead, and generally do what is necessary without a clock or a time-conscious boss looking over their shoulders.4 - ComputersOkay, I’m typing this on a computer keyboard. There are of course upsides to computers. But in this failed paperless society that was promised, we all spend too much time using our digits to manipulate keys, strain our eyes with intensely lit screens, and forget easily the “critical” information we would otherwise have really “learned.” I admit, they are getting easier to use, and I can no longer go to the library to find answers easier and faster, but retaining data and extrapolating how it works in the real world against all other information is more difficult. And one of the tremendous downsides is that extreme viewpoints gather more easily without any modulation from neighborhoods or elders or face to face friends. Then those extreme views are reinforced and encouraged by people unknown. 5 - ChairsYup, I’m sitting in a chair. I sit in chairs all the time (TIME again!). I should walk more, even with all the day hikes I still do. Sitting around is killing us. The human species was designed to move about, not recline in front of the boob tube… or lost in a technological device (Computers again!).
Best1 - MusicWhat leads to dancing? That bad ass, heavy beat, that thump thump thump that gets the feet moving and the heart pounding. Music infests your brain so vigorously that they have a name for it, Earworm. What can be better than a favorite song, along with almost any other enjoyment you care to indulge in? Music goes with everything and makes it even better. 2 - WineNot all wines. Personal tastes are involved. But the act of socializing over a glass of your preferred wine is one of the best pleasures on earth. Good friends, comradery, a fine meal, and a glass of wine.3 - KnotsSimple, elegant, and useful before the invention of Velcro or Bungee Cords, and still useful today for those who bother to learn them. They are soooo easy and useful, that they should be required learning in schools. I am constantly amazed at how little respect the simple ability to tie a knot is given in modern society. A good knot holds but is also easy to undo. I can hold loads or objects together, lift heavy weights, break or bend lengths of material, drag and hang items, and harness animals with a simple length of rope… and less than five good knots.4 - BoatsHow would the earth be known were it not for the ability to navigate the waters of the world? Probably the most versatile vehicle ever invented, boats can do it all. They transport huge volumes of goods more efficiently than any other conveyance, they maneuver up and down rivers, and when coupled with sails or a motor, they create speed and playful enjoyment. Oh, and they keep one from drowning if they are managed well. 5 - WritingThe universal tool for learning is the written word. We could all be struck with a disease that leaves us mute, and the world would go on and progress with little hesitation. Imagination and fact are both communicated equally well by all ethnicities and cultures, and language is defined by being placed on paper to be understood over the ages. It seems that as we melt into our devices and shun the society of those around us, we are increasingly involved in a renaissance of written communication. What will the future hold? I suspect writing will replace vocalization as the dominant exchange between human beings.
P.S. My wife says I need to add Fabric to the list of Best Inventions. As materials should be seen as art and design as much as infinite utility, I have to concede that she has a very good point. They are enjoyable as visual imagery, as well as texture, and are one of the most versatile tools ever created.
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www.readmota.com
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