Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Break Down Which Inventions Have Done More Harm Than Good

People Break Down Which Inventions Have Done More Harm Than Good
Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay

Not all inventions vastly improve our lives.

They can complicate things. Technological advances, for example, have increased rapidly and made our lives so much easier.


The internet and smartphones are incredible inventions, and we can't imagine life without them. But they do come with complications.

When we rely so much on virtual transactions and something goes wrong, I always lament about how interacting and communicating with a person is more reliable for finding solutions.

Advanced tech – sometimes we can't live with them, but we definitely can't live without them.

But there are other inventions that have raised concerns. To find out more Redditor idc_aboutusernames asked:

"What invention has done more harm than good?"

Whoever thought these enhancements in life were a good idea were very shortsighted.

It's Over Our Heads

"Popcorn ceiling"

fleekyfreaky

"Some of the older ones have asbestos in it too! So keep that in mind if you have a roof leak or ceiling damage."

Raveynfyre

Economy Flush

"Those low flow toilets that result in you wasting more water because you have to flush it multiple times to get it to take a log down."

"Best solution I've seen is a toilet with two buttons, one for a half flush, and one for a full flush."

Privateaccount84

Perpetual News

"The 24-hour news cycle."

BSH72

"At a certain point reporting facts stopped being the primary goal of such channels, instead they report whatever will keep viewers watching."

"Works ok for a 30min news segment, but with 24 hrs that ends up over sensationalizing every little story."

kdeff

These inventions proved to be more harmful or insufficient than benefiting society.

The Time And Money Sucker

"Slot Machines. Once you get a taste of winning some money back, it gets eaten up in no time. You might think you can beat the system, but that's how they suck you in and take you for all you are worth. These things are rigged to payout when a lot of money has been fed into them so you have to be extremely lucky to get the big jackpot."

– Missrcl

Bad Brew

"Coffee pods. Even the creator deeply regrets his invention and the environmental impact it has had."

– Lasting_Wonder

Google Docs - create and edit documents online, for free.

Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

"Frankenstein's Monster"

"Polygraph test. Even its inventor, John Larson, regrets his invention upon realizing how law enforcement would exploit the average citizen with it."

Arctic_Cobra71

Tap Tap Tap

"Lobotomy. Worst Nobel Prize winner ever."

Maaniker

"It's such a f'ked up thing that so many people AT THE TIME knew was f'ked up."

"I mean, it was essentially a way to make people with diseases easier to take care of by rendering them half dead. There was barely a pretense of it *actually* treating an illness. Monstrous."

jebedia

Google Docs - create and edit documents online, for free.

Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

Toxic

"Leaded fuel, CFC... uhm basically anything Thomas Midgley was involved with."

Satures

"Agreed, lead poisoning was a well known thing at the time. CFC's punching holes in the ozone layer would be an understandable miss."

canucklurker

How Sneaky

"Data mining and ad delivery services disguised as social media."

– sev1nk

Its Effect On Us Is Anything But Sweet

"High fructose corn syrup."

– [deleted]

"Well they did need something to make food better after they stripped all the fat and nutrients out of our food supply. We had an exchange student from France one year and his for question was 'why is all of your food so sweet?'"

– Aert_is_Life

It Just Looks Pretty

"Individually packaged foods and snacks."

"I work at a grocery store and it's abhorrent to me how much crap there is and how well it sells. I mean, Christ, yesterday I stocked 'Nutella to go' packs that are... Nutella with pretzel sticks. They're tiny and come in small plastic tubs. Or those large bags of Reese's cups that come individually wrapped, or these ridiculous 1oz bags of freeze dried fruit that we sell which are absurdly popular, especially for how relatively expensive they are at $3 a bag."

"I get that plastic itself isn't bad, but this is egregious to me, especially with how much my generation (I'm 34) has had overuse of landfills drilled into our skulls."

– drlavkian

Bad Habit

"Cigarettes. Those things ruined my life. I don’t smoke them anymore and have had to resource to other things. Peer pressure and wanting to fit in is an a**hole"

– Sam_in_peas

These inventions are just obstacles preventing us from getting the things we see but can't get.

Not A Toy

"Those plastic containers that are like crimp plastic stitch welded around the entire edge and it's super thick plastic that will slice your sh*t open."

RacingboomThePleb

"Wrap rage, also called package rage, is the common name for heightened levels of anger and frustration resulting from the inability to open packaging, particularly some heat-sealed plastic blister packs and clamshells."

Squigglificated

The Claw

"Rigged claw machines. Like seriously, f'k you i just want my squidward plush."

tunaforme

claw machine GIFGiphy

Online Nuissance

"Pop-up ads."

"Think of all the malware and viruses that people have fallen victim to because of pop-up ads, plus they are just annoying. Even the inventor of them apologized for creating them."

– -eDgAR-

While they are convenient, I think Keurig machines cluttering offices are not necessary for the home. Besides, K-cups are harmful to the environment as they wind up in landfills due to their difficulty of being recycled.

I much prefer taking the time to grind coffee beans and brew my coffee with my Cuisinart coffee maker.

Not only is a fresh pot of coffee noticeably more bold and delicious, making your own potted coffee is a lot cheaper than spending loads on replenishing your K-cup supply.

I'd much rather save my money and the environment.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Cynthia Erivo; Jonathan Bailey; Jeff Goldblum
@wickedmovie/Twitter (X); Taylor Hill/WireImage/Getty Images; @wickedmovie/Twitter (X)

Jonathan Bailey's 'Wicked' Castmates Congratulate Him On Being Named 'Sexiest Man Alive' With Sweet Video

Hear ye, hear ye! People magazine has spoken, and Wicked star Jonathan Bailey made history on Monday as the first openly gay man to be named their "Sexiest Man Alive" for 2025.

Whether he's the charming Fiyero destined to become a scarecrow in Wicked: For Good or wooing maidens as the eldest Bridgerton brother, Jonathan Bailey is nothing short of a rare find, much like an antidote straight out of Jurassic World: Rebirth.

Keep ReadingShow less
Nancy Mace
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Nancy Mace Ripped After Throwing Massive Tantrum Over Lack Of Police Protection At Airport

South Carolina Republican Representative Nancy Mace is facing heated criticism after she threw a tantrum and accused airport police in Charleston, South Carolina, of not showing up to protect her ahead of an early morning flight after she allegedly arrived late and at the wrong gate.

Airport police had arranged for Mace, who is also a Republican candidate in the South Carolina governor’s race, to be escorted to her flight upon arrival. However, a mix-up over which vehicle she was traveling in led to confusion, according to an incident report. Officers later found Mace attempting to enter through a doorway typically reserved for flight crew at a TSA security checkpoint.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from Katie Morgan's Instagram video
@dontburndinner/Instagram

Doorbell Cam Hilariously Captures Mom Desperately Trying To Stop Massive Inflatable Pumpkin From Blowing Away

2025 may not have been Kate Morgan's best Halloween, but it definitely had to be one of the funniest for the mom of two.

This year, the Morgan family's front yard boasted a massive, 20-foot inflatable pumpkin that even the residents of Halloweentown would envy.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kash Patel
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Kash Patel Lashes Out At Critics After Reports He Used Government Jet To Go Watch Girlfriend Sing

FBI Director Kash Patel lashed out at the "pathetic reports" that he used a government jet to fly to watch his 26-year-old girlfriend, country singer Alexis Wilkins, perform at a wrestling event, saying that "going after the people doing great work, my personal life, or those around me is a total disgrace."

Patel insisted the reports were an attempt to smear the “rock-solid conservative” Wilkins, whom he referred to as "a patriot." However, as a community note below his post on X also pointed out, the crux of the scandal is his use of government funds rather than his own to attend Wilkins' performances.

Keep ReadingShow less
Lynda Carter; Sabrina Carpenter
John Nacion/WireImage; Dia Dipasupil/FilmMagic

Lynda Carter Speaks Out To Defend Sabrina Carpenter's Blonde Wonder Woman Halloween Costume

Wonder Woman is a character that has spanned generations of fans, and she's a perennial choice for a Halloween costume every year, as the outfit is iconic enough to purchase or create by yourself.

Every year, you can see Wonder Women of all ages and backgrounds, including dog or cats.

Keep ReadingShow less