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Can you think of any examples of how technological advances have had the opposite of their intended effects?

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I do. My first one is with the advent of AI chatbots like chatgpt, it made people dumber and lazier. Instead of writing something through thinking, you just type keywords and the program writes an essay for you, to which you copy-paste. No to little brainpower needed. While it makes things efficient, it dulls your mind. Kind of like how some people write poorly and slowly nowadays because they're so used to typing on a keyboard.

My second example is social media, if we can consider that a tech advancement. Sure, it's meant to connect people and serve as gathering places, but it makes people asocial or event antisocial in real life. If you know already what's happening in a guy's life, there's nothing to talk about anymore. And, social media has become competitive nowadays. People are in it for the validation, not for the connection.

My last but vague example would be those computer programs/ apps that help work become easier. Yes, making spreadsheets, reports, slideshows and other office tasks have become easier, but it also raised the bar for work output. Bosses just want us to work harder and more efficient, but the catch is the human brain can only perform so high for a certain amount of time, unlike these programs that constantly get upgraded. Employers see their employees as droids that never get tired.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Facebook. Often used for vindictive gossip, bullying, and fake news.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

My local 24hr MaxValu has just become total self service, following in Daiso‘s dubious direction.

I joined the cue of angry customers waiting to use the 3(!) terminals for cash purchases.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Where to begin? Online gaming (then on the smartphone), Facebook, tiktok, Tweet (X), AI being dumped on us without option, smartphones in general (particularly texting, which is now done while driving), free sites becoming pay sites and usually not cheaply (YouTube is a great, sad example) and I could come up with more. All of these things are good. But all of these things have become addictions and distractions. The "free" web is now a cash web. What to do? Beats me.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Facebook. Often used for vindictive gossip, bullying, and fake news.

The intended effect of Facebook was to hook people and make them the product to sell, you are just describing what became the best way to reach this intended effect.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

The much-hyped empowerment of the individual in the real world by the internet was a temporary phenomenon. A technology that was initially hoped to be a tool to increase access to knowledge and freedom – a new buttress to liberalism – is gradually morphing into a tool of disinformation, surveillance and oppression. Not only does it spawn echo chambers of fearful, ignorant fantasy and bullying, it has become the upgrade on the ubiquitous, eavesdropping telescreen in Orwell’s ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Air Canada introduced check-in kiosks at Narita about 8 years ago, while the lineups and wait times in front of the physical counters have gotten longer ever since.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Electric car windows have made opening and closing car windows way more of a hassle.

The old windows you could roll up with your hand were way better. When I'm sitting in my family car I can't open my window unless the car is on. So if I'm a passenger waiting in a parked car while the driver is away, I'm unable to open the windows which is insanely frustrating. Likewise if you park the car and then realize you forgot the roll the window up you have to start the damn car just to do that which is also inconvenient.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

More generally said, all technological advances show also quite some negative outcomes. Instead of naming them all, knives, wheels, ships, radioactivity, drones, BitCoin, ChatGPT, whatever it is, but maybe you won't find any without possible negative side-effects. If you dare, try to find and name here only one. lol

5 ( +5 / -0 )

The web dumbed everyone down by enabling social media.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

The digital suit tie, rearview sunglasses digital fitters and mono-tripods are all useless.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@Rainyday

you have to start the damn car just to do that which is also inconvenient.

Um, really? Just press the start button briefly once, and the electrical system only should come on. If you've got a metal key, just turn it one position clockwise. Maybe you drive a Russian car or something? LOL.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

have to go with the good, old internet. so much potential to learn, but you can’t trust anything to be the truth or correct. the biggest thing learned is how many truly dumb people there are out there.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Um, really? Just press the start button briefly once, and the electrical system only should come on. If you've got a metal key, just turn it one position clockwise. Maybe you drive a Russian car or something? LOL.

Having to turn the electrical system on is the pain in the ass part. We’ve got two kids who are constantly leaving their back windows down after we park at home and go inside. With manual ones we could just tell the kids to roll them up. With these electric ones we need an adult to go get the key, turn the car on and then push the button to roll them up. Its infuriating.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

but maybe you won't find any without possible negative side-effects. If you dare, try to find and name here only one. lol

I get your point, and I've being try to think of some for a few hours. Canned food perhaps?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I find the automated payment machines that so many stores have brought in in the past few years to be the opposite of progress.

Not just because they put some young or old person looking to get work experience, spending money, or social interaction out of a job, but also because of how rage-inducing they are with the horrible high-pitched mechanical voice, the fussy steps where you have to specifically press buttons to tell it whether you need a bag, how you're going to pay, the order in which change and receipts are given; each step accompanied by that voice, which will repeat itself if you go five or so seconds without doing what it says.

And the poor employees who haven't been displaced and still have jobs in the store now have to listen to these things non-stop all day!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

There are benefits of self-service registers in certain shops, but it is a cause of job loss, and a massive cause of frustration to some customers. I think we are going a backwards step when we no longer speak with human beings.

Last night I had to order my Coco Ichiban curry on a tablet computer, which was very slow and fiddly. It was so much better when I could just tell my order to the polite and friendly staff.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I get your point, and I've being try to think of some for a few hours. Canned food perhaps?

Nice try, you showed effort. But not to disappoint you, canned food was originally developed for military purposes and already used by Napoleon's war machinery. Not so completely positive, right?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@Sven,

Sorry, late reply. Thanks - I didn't know that. I thought it was developed in California. (I'm thinking of canned fish.)

I guess we might say in this case the opposite effect was good. Designed to support war, but eventually used to provide safer food for others.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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