What modern invention/innovation do you wish had *never* been developed?

[LizzieMaine]

I'm suspicious of any place that's too dark inside to see the food you're eating.

 

[Edward]

Meh. he evils inherent in almost everything cited here go way back before 1960. On that basis, there isn't much new that I can complain about which isn't, ultimately, an old evil repackaged. (Though if you took the date pre 1960..... my first thought on seeing the thread title was the nuclear bomb).

I hate how the obnoxious, insidious influence of Rock has crept into practically everything, including country music and musical theatre. Of late even the hip hop influence has crept in to the genre.

Rock and roll is in large part directly rooted in country music (especially the emphasis on the bass. Leo Fender was a big country fan, and invented the electric bass guitar with that in mind.... in the process he also indirectly invented the "rhythm section" as we know it today). Rock isn't creeping into your country, it's coming back home.

I know this is pre-1960s but since the effects here appeared after 1960, I think it counts: the TV. It fundamentally changed the way people live and not for the better.

It has its negative side, true. I don't buy that it's inherently wrong in and of itself, though - it's not TV to blame for the way people behave with it, it's their own weakness.

Mobile phones are a great invention I think. It's all in how you use them. But what good ever came of turning families into mindless zombies staring ahead instead of interacting with each other?

Absolutely. Anyone who whines about mobiles is welcome to prise mine from my cold, dead fingers. I'm only bitter that it's not yet practical to jettison the much-hated landline altogether. Ridiculous thing, but the only practical way of having home internet for me - for now.

You guys, so surly and curmudgeonly!

Rap is definitely at the top of my list. RAP = Retards Attempting Poetry

Erm. not sure if it has a different sensibility over there, but can't we avoid unpleasant and prejudiced terms like "retard"? As to rap... it's really not my thing, but there's clearly considerable skill involved in much of it. I'd rather see the back of the dross of any genre (of which there is much) than to reject entire genres - ymmv, of course.

I definitely wish we never had useless, no-talent so called celebrities like Paris Hilton and the Kardashians...why are these people even famous?!

You'll have to go back a hell of a lot earlier than 1960 to find the genesis of the 'famous for the sake of being famous' ilk...

 

[Flicka]

Absolutely. Anyone who whines about mobiles is welcome to prise mine from my cold, dead fingers. I'm only bitter that it's not yet practical to jettison the much-hated landline altogether. Ridiculous thing, but the only practical way of having home internet for me - for now.

You should move to Sweden, where most people in multi-dwelling units at least in larger cities have cable, copper, LTE and fibre - not your measly PON variety either but real, P2P fibre - to pick from. Multiple infrastructures FTW!

As to rap... it's really not my thing, but there's clearly considerable skill involved in much of it. I'd rather see the back of the dross of any genre (of which there is much) than to reject entire genres - ymmv, of course.

I don't reject any genre, except possibly "dance mixes" if that is a genre. Spawn of the devil, they are. But rap... I mean, listen to Saul Williams. That's not "attempting" poetry. That's delivering high-class, bona fide poetry.

 

[this one guy]

Rock and roll is in large part directly rooted in country music (especially the emphasis on the bass. Leo Fender was a big country fan, and invented the electric bass guitar with that in mind.... in the process he also indirectly invented the "rhythm section" as we know it today). Rock isn't creeping into your country, it's coming back home.

It doesn't really matter what it's roots are (I hear more often that it's derived from the blues). It spun off into something separate and my own preference would be that it stays separate.

 

[countryclubjoe]

Lite beer

 

[CharleneC]

McDonald's restaurants. Technically, the proliferation of them since there were 100 in 1959. There are now over 34,000. You can add Burger King, Taco Bell, KFC etc to the list.

 

[CharleneC]

Astroturf.

 

[CharleneC]

Loyalty point cards.

 

[CharleneC]

Microwave ovens.

 

[CharleneC]

Hdtv

 

[CharleneC]

Spell checkers

 

[CharleneC]

Satellite radio

 

[Shangas]

I'm suspicious of any place that's too dark inside to see the food you're eating.

I've eaten in places like that. Can't stand them. It's supposed to be "romantic". What, so that you can have sex on the table and nobody else can see you? Lighting like that, or the lack of it, rather, just boggles me.

 

[CharleneC]

LCD screens

 

[CharleneC]

The Superbowl

 

[CharleneC]

Velcro

 

[CharleneC]

Psychic hotlines

 

[CharleneC]

Reality television

 

[CharleneC]

Voice mail

 

[CharleneC]

Bottled water/filtered water