Before I start this blog post, know that I am not a technical person, I am a comedian. Maybe some stuff listed below is actually more complicated than I realize. Feel free to let me know, I can't promise that I will be able to comprehend any of it.
I have been on this blue marble that we call Earth for over 50 years. In theory, when technology changes, it is usually for the better (i.e. the stuff gets faster, or quieter, or smaller etc.) That is not always the case. The following items are exceptions:
Vacuum cleaner's waste systems- In the 1970s and 80s there was the vacuum bag. All the dust, dirt and dead skin flakes were all in one compact, easy-to-throw-away paper bag. It wasn't perfect, you had to be vigilant about checking the fullness of the bag or the vacuum wouldn't work. Also, if you didn't have a replacement bag, you either couldn't vacuum or your would have to make a special trip to Wal-Mart (depending on the urgency of cleaning your house.) It wasn't a great system, but it was a system. Today, we have vacuums without bags, just clear containers of shame that show you immediately how filthy your house is. When these new fangled vacuums need to be cleaned out, you are burdened with placing the dirty canister over your waste basket and releasing the side trap doors. Immediately gravity takes over and all the grimy dust drops into your trash can with the residual particles flying in your mouth and nose. Call me old fashion, but I miss contained debris.
The Air Fryer- Ok, I know this is going to get real controversial. It seems like people are are strongly split down the air fryer lines. They love them or they hate them. I personally can't live without mine. I would trade all the appliances for my little machine. It (as far as I can tell) is just a small convection oven that cooks your meals via hot air rotating around the food. Now compare that with atom splitting wizardry of the microwave. I remember going to my friend's house (circa 1980) to witness this grand invention that was their brand-new microwave. The speed at which it could cook a potato was the hot selling point back then. (We were a nation that feasted on chewy potatoes for those few years.) When the air fryer made its debut, it wasn't technologically superior to the microwave at all. It did, though, answer the age old question, can you reheat leftover french fries to be just as tasty as when you first bought them? The answer is yes.
Text Messaging- this may seem just plain wrong, but hear me out. Human communication started out in its most basic form with cavemen drawing pictures on the walls of their dwellings. Eventually languages were formed and we invented words and postal systems were established so we could send letters to people all over the world. In the late 19th century, the phone was invented and we could speak to one another with our voice through a box. A little over 100 years later, text messaging gains popularity, a few more years go by and emojis were added on as an option in our messages. Now today, despite all of the scientific-knowhow that we have in our smart-phones, we just send each other emojis and GIFs via text message as a form of communication. We have gone full circle!
How about you reader? Are there any "advances" that you have seen, but recognize it as a regression? Drop a comment below and tell me what you think!
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