I like to divide the modern living arrangement into three broad categories I’ve wisely named the 21st century, 20th century, and 19th century.
When 21st century inventions go down, I can’t watch AI slop videos or catch up on the freshest t-porn. Life goes on. Don’t care in the slightest. Because the 20th century inventions are still there.
When 20th century inventions go down, I can’t cook food easily and I need to start burning things for light. Hot water will only last a day or two. Food in the freezer will have to start to go. But as long as 19th century inventions are there it’s livable.
When 19th century inventions go down, it’s pretty much the end of civilization.
Whilst the industrial revolution started with mechanical power; the harnessing of steam essentially. The modern world owes everything to the mastery of the electron and the photon, and more generally the exquisite control of electromagnetism.
The manipulation of electrons enables the iPhone; touted as the possible pinnacle of achievement; basically every industrial process on the planet is monitored and controlled by electromagnetic means.
Our true highest achievement is the ongoing development of the control of electromagnetic phenomena; we bend electrons and photons to our will, manipulate matter on the smallest scales using these forces, measure the bending of the fabric of reality, and probe the secrets of the universe. The iPhone is but one small aspect of this continuum of knowledge.
iPhone. ? Really. Not antibiotics? Vaccines? modern medicine ?
The fucking iPhone?
Shows how small minded these losers are.
Really? How about modern sewage, water treatment, garbage removal, electrification?
I mean yeah. Sewage removal is definitely a big one. Indoor plumbing.
Definitely on a top 10 list.
I like to divide the modern living arrangement into three broad categories I’ve wisely named the 21st century, 20th century, and 19th century.
When 21st century inventions go down, I can’t watch AI slop videos or catch up on the freshest t-porn. Life goes on. Don’t care in the slightest. Because the 20th century inventions are still there.
When 20th century inventions go down, I can’t cook food easily and I need to start burning things for light. Hot water will only last a day or two. Food in the freezer will have to start to go. But as long as 19th century inventions are there it’s livable.
When 19th century inventions go down, it’s pretty much the end of civilization.
Whilst the industrial revolution started with mechanical power; the harnessing of steam essentially. The modern world owes everything to the mastery of the electron and the photon, and more generally the exquisite control of electromagnetism.
The manipulation of electrons enables the iPhone; touted as the possible pinnacle of achievement; basically every industrial process on the planet is monitored and controlled by electromagnetic means.
Our true highest achievement is the ongoing development of the control of electromagnetic phenomena; we bend electrons and photons to our will, manipulate matter on the smallest scales using these forces, measure the bending of the fabric of reality, and probe the secrets of the universe. The iPhone is but one small aspect of this continuum of knowledge.
To be fair. The conquering of fire is considered top human achievement in some mythos.
We may not agree on the top human achievement. But at least we both agree the iPhone wasn’t it. Not even close.
Fire, the wheel and the printing press, would be my top three.
But the modern world is all about the manipulation of electromagnetism.