Anyone can change the world. What’s harder is changing the world for the better. Because sometimes, people make new discoveries or come up with new inventions and all it does is make things worse. Want to see what we mean? We’ve gathered examples from around the web of inventions that backfired miserably, unintentionally making the world a worse place than it was when they started. From toxic building materials to social media that makes us feel more alone, these examples prove that sometimes, what looks like progress is actually a step backward.
#1: A Not-So-Social Media
You may or may not be old enough to remember this, but there was a day when social media was new and shiny and seemed like it was going to be magical. It was a way to connect with people from far away (and, let’s be honest, to meet cute guys/girls).
Well, things have gotten a little out of hand since then. Social media still has an incredible power to bring people together. But it also tends to magnify people’s worst inclinations, leading to vitriol, divisiveness, and a dip in the civility with which we treat each other. Also, that one aunt everyone seems to have who loves to post Minions memes.