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What's the piece of technology that has impacted the modern world the most? (lemm.ee)

submitted 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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If you ask me? Mobile/WiFi internet... The way and amount of time we use our phones had changed A LOT since their diffusion. I guess the release of the iPhone changed our idea of what a phone is too

Edit: when I say modern world I'm referring to the last 50 years. So stuff like "the electricity" or "the telephone" doesn't count.

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[–] [email protected] 43 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (2 children)

Chemical fertilizer. World population would probably be half the size without it and starvation rates much higher.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 4 months ago (1 children)

One of the guys who invented the process for large scale production was Fritz Haber, to make explosives and chemical weapons. He's also responsible for using chlorine gas on the battlefield in WW1. His wife was a chemist and an activist, who shot herself in the heart after learning about his involvement. Haber left within days for the Eastern Front to oversee gas release against the Russian Army.

He ended up saving more lives than he destroyed, but what a story.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

There's a really good section on him in the book, How to hide an empire - a history of the greater united states.

[–] ryannathans -5 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I don't believe this, is there a convincing argument to be made or does it hinge on destroying the environment to reduce cost to the consumer?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

What a wild question.

[–] ryannathans -1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Why? They are extremely damaging. The runoff destroys entire ecosystems like the wetlands where I used to live. Now filled with toxic microorganisms feeding on the fertiliser accumulating there

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

You are making a red-herring argument.

The post's question is: "What technology made the most impact in modern times?"

A poster says "Chemical fertilizers" and detailed the reasons.

And then you come in and say "NU-UH, IT DESTROYS THE PLANET!!!" an argument that has nothing to do with the question.

[–] ryannathans 1 points 4 months ago (2 children)

If your interpretation is that "impact" includes negative sentiment and mine did not then sure

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

Impact
noun
a marked effect or influence.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

My interpretation of impact includes both positive and negative sentiments.

Whereas you are saying that a negative thing doesn't count as impact.