Trivia: Inventions that created more problems than they solved

[PTR 444]

With all the recent discussion around AI and concerns around it producing inaccurate information and increasing our dependence on technology, I'd be interested to compare it with other inventions throughout history, which with all the pros and cons added up, have proven to create more problems than they have solved, or tried to solve problems which didn't exist.

Let's take the motor car for example. Most people would agree that it has revolutionised mobility to the point where we have more convenience and freedom in where we live, work and shop. To counterbalance that however, they have been responsible for congesting our streets, polluting our atmosphere and shifting local businesses out of villages and towns. Whether one would say cars have been a net positive or negative for society is up for debate, but the decarbonisation of vehicles and their energy source should definitely swing the pendulum well within the positive side.

Driverless cars on the other hand are more likely to swing to being net-negative as they won't really solve the other two problems, and the main one which it is intended to solve (allowing those unable to drive to access personal transport), could be achieved if public transport and motability schemes were better funded by local councils or central government. They are also likely to create problems such as higher unnecessary car ownership, even more road congestion and risk of software malfunction.

Can you think of any other examples of inventions throughout history that were really "solutions looking for a problem"?

 

[Trainguy34]

Politics?

 

[Sorcerer]

I'm going to go with a rather uncontroversial answer, but online dating without a doubt. It might've seemed good at the start but today apps like Tinder, Bumble and Hinge have all built their business model on charging people premium for finding out who liked their profiles, and because they are overwhelmingly male users it leaves a lot of them struggling with loneliness and low self-esteem when they go long periods of time without a match. Said men might've even had a decent chance meeting someone in person, but on apps there is nothing to go on beyond a few pictures. Definitely a net negative on society.

 

[Acathater]

Keg beer?

 

[PTR 444]

I'm going to go with a rather uncontroversial answer, but online dating without a doubt. It might've seemed good at the start but today apps like Tinder, Bumble and Hinge have all built their business model on charging people premium for finding out who liked their profiles, and because they are overwhelmingly male users it leaves a lot of them struggling with loneliness and low self-esteem when they go long periods of time without a match. Said men might've even had a decent chance meeting someone in person, but on apps there is nothing to go on beyond a few pictures. Definitely a net negative on society.

I agree 100% with this. The other problem with online dating is that it encourages users to reveal almost everything about themselves before they have even met, which ruins the excitement of getting to know people on the date. Also the safety concerns - I wouldn’t want to be sharing almost all of my details with a stranger who might turn out to be a catfish or psychopath.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Autocorrupt.

 

[E27007]

Surely the smoking invention the nicotine cigarette! Highly addictive, Burns holes in your wallet, reduces your life expectancy, and for what, a nicotine rush.

 

[Railwaycat]

Smart phones. When you look down a carriage and every single passenger is fiddling with a phone somethings wrong somewhere.
I love my Samsung Fold, but only because it takes great geotagged photos and gives me the opportunity to showcase my uploaded photography on a device that slips in my pocket.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Jan 2026 ==

I'm going to go with a rather uncontroversial answer, but online dating without a doubt. It might've seemed good at the start but today apps like Tinder, Bumble and Hinge have all built their business model on charging people premium for finding out who liked their profiles, and because they are overwhelmingly male users it leaves a lot of them struggling with loneliness and low self-esteem when they go long periods of time without a match. Said men might've even had a decent chance meeting someone in person, but on apps there is nothing to go on beyond a few pictures. Definitely a net negative on society.

You think what came before was better?

Singles walking group, worked for me and 4 out of 5 of my friends.

 

[3141]

We probably need to consider the internal combustion engine and its various applications, and not just cars with about 4 seats.

Motor buses and motor lorries have had many positive effects.

We also need to look at different time periods. For example, about 1920, motor buses provided much better transport in urban areas than horse-drawn buses and cabs, and in rural areas which didn't have a railway. Cars were not nearly so much of a problem when most people didn't have one. But the horses may have had a different view about what was going on!

For another invention that has caused problems, how about television? Before it became widespread, there were many cinemas which provided local entertainment and were in some ways community facilities. There were dance halls and bowling alleys. With TV, people began to stay at home and many community facilities collapsed.

But so many inventions have both positive and negative sides. The world changes. Attitudes change. There were those who didn't like the day trippers that were enabled to visit seaside towns by the building of railways. I think the answer to the question in the thread will be subjective and depend on the time which one is thinking about.

 

[lookapigeon]

Payment cards on mobile phones, it's encouraged people to faff more at the underground gatelines, either they do not have their phone ready or for some reason it's not reading it, or the thing is so overloaded with whatever they're doing on said phone and have open it takes a while for it to respond. In any case it holds up the rush-hour queue and delays people.
It has also encouraged over-reliance on the device itself, with people leaving their actual card behind at home and having nothing if their device packs in/gets nicked/malfunctions etc.

 

[Trackman]

For another invention that has caused problems, how about television? Before it became widespread, there were many cinemas which provided local entertainment and were in some ways community facilities. There were dance halls and bowling alleys. With TV, people began to stay at home and many community facilities collapsed.

My dear old mum, god rest her soul, kept going on about TV and how it had destroyed and corrupted society.
In my upbringing, the TV wasn't on that often and completely taboo at Christmas time. We had fancy paid up colour TV sets in the early 70s, and so did my Nan, who only watched Coronation street.

Keg beer?

It was Watney's doing especially with Red Barrel which brought the downfall. Also, it spawned CAMRA. Some good videos on you-tube about this. Basically keg was a cost-cutting measure.

 

[brad465]

Protein shakes and other similar products; good intention to get protein up, but seems to draw away from a balanced diet and is an expensive fad.

 

[Railwaycat]

Payment cards on mobile phones, it's encouraged people to faff more at the underground gatelines, either they do not have their phone ready or for some reason it's not reading it, or the thing is so overloaded with whatever they're doing on said phone and have open it takes a while for it to respond. In any case it holds up the rush-hour queue and delays people.
It has also encouraged over-reliance on the device itself, with people leaving their actual card behind at home and having nothing if their device packs in/gets nicked/malfunctions etc.

Exactly, couldn't have put it better.

 

[jp4712]

Thomas Midgley Junior is the guy for this thread - he invented both leaded petrol and CFCs...

 

[stadler]

I am going to say that wireless headphones were an invention that caused more problems than they solved. Once they introduced wireless headphones they then started removing headphone sockets from phones. Plus the phones no longer came with free headphones.

As a result so many people just play videos and music out loud on the street and on trains and buses. Most people do not bother buying wireless headphones or buying special USB C wired headphones. So as a result they just play their videos and music out loud.

This was never a major issue before the wireless headphones were introduced and before headphone sockets were removed. Every smartphone came with free headphones that you could easily stick in to the headphone sockets and watch your videos or play your music and people would use them. Only very occassionally would you see someone playing videos or music out loud.

 

[The Pelican]

I think early industrialism (1800- 1850 or so) combined with continuing agricultural inventions throwing agricultural workers out of jobs probably made things worse for the average worker who made the switch- the Marxists called it "proletarianisation", but writers like Ruskin and Carlyle also realised it was bad. I think after that life improved in industrial towns, so that life there probably had the edge over rural areas by 1900!

 

[kermit]

Flags

 

[Lewisham2221]

Trains

 

[Bletchleyite]

I think it's unduly harsh to say that the car is net negative overall. I think it provides more upsides than downsides. The jet airliner similarly.

I do think the Safety bicycle (the forerunner of today's cycles) is possibly the greatest invention ever, though. It has many positives (faster than walking, health) but pretty much no downsides.

Algorithmic social media absolutely does fit though. We'd be far better without it.

 

[Howardh]

Autocorrupt.

Autocorrect?! At least, I think, that can be turned off!

Has the nuclear bomb created, or solved, issues? On a more parochial level, those darned vapes, the instant fog plus the discarded ones on pavements etc.

And....dog poo bags. The hedges on my street are littered with them, some even tied to branches. Horrible, I'd rather the mess be left by the dog on the side of the pavement, at least the weather will wash it down.

 

[Sorcerer]

You think what came before was better?

Singles walking group, worked for me and 4 out of 5 of my friends.

I would definitely argue what came before was better even if it wasn't perfect. The singles walking group actually sort of proves my point because it's a chance of meeting someone in person with the same goals in mind rather than just swiping left or right based on a few images.

I think it's unduly harsh to say that the car is net negative overall. I think it provides more upsides than downsides. The jet airliner similarly.

Even though I am critical of car-centric infrastructure I would definitely agree. Cars and planes have their place in the world, and once the environmental impact through their fuels is taken care of there won't be much of a net negative as long as the infrastructure isn't dedicated to them.

Has the nuclear bomb created, or solved, issues?

This is an interesting question that might even be worth it's own discussion. But in short, bombs are inherently designed to destroy things, so on the one hand you would think one that could turn entire cities to dust would be a net negative on society. But conversely it's the fear of such power that has somewhat enabled what is arguably the most peaceful period of human history (relatively speaking).

 

[OhNoAPacer]

Golf.
Environmentally destructive and wasted hours of my time as those who play this ridiculous game insisted on telling me about their latest game in intricate detail despite my indicating in very unsubtle ways, up to and including telling them I was completely disinterested, that I was not interested.

 

[sad1e]

Plastics.

Originally Invented as an environmentally sustainable alternative to Ivory , Meanwhile plastic in it's modern form is one of the least sustainable , most polluting and wasteful substances to ever grace the planet. Just look at the amount of single use plastics around any shop or household and you can see how disastrous it is when every single piece of it takes hundreds or even thousands of years to biodegrade.

There really should be some kind of government lead incentive to encourage companies to use more sustainable packaging such as Glass or Paper. Glass bottles were much nicer to use than any plastic bottle.

 

[DarloRich]

Dynamite
Nuclear fission
Smart phones
Plastics
Asbestos
CFC's ( & Chelsea Football Club!)

Protein shakes and other similar products; good intention to get protein up, but seems to draw away from a balanced diet and is an expensive fad.

and consumed by whoppers with thier silly little plastic cups

 

[Railwaycat]

I would definitely argue what came before was better even if it wasn't perfect. The singles walking group actually sort of proves my point because it's a chance of meeting someone in person with the same goals in mind rather than just swiping left or right based on a few images.


This is an interesting question that might even be worth it's own discussion. But in short, bombs are inherently designed to destroy things, so on the one hand you would think one that could turn entire cities to dust would be a net negative on society. But conversely it's the fear of such power that has somewhat enabled what is arguably the most peaceful period of human history (relatively speaking).

It's the rip off agencies I'm thinking of, where you have an interview and then they match you up with someone they think is suitable...a friend paid a 4 figure sum to join one and only had a couple of introductions - he met his future partner on the walking group.
The walking group was simply for single people with an interest in decent length walks - you had to phone the chairman for a programme, and he made it quite plain that "we are not a dating agency", a fair number of members were newly divorced or widowed and not looking for anyone else)

As for the bomb, yes fear has worked so far - the problem is that I'm afraid that we have now entered a period were bluff is being called (Ukraine).

 

[norbitonflyer]

For another invention that has caused problems, how about television? Before it became widespread, there were many cinemas which provided local entertainment and were in some ways community facilities. There were dance halls and bowling alleys. With TV, people began to stay at home and many community facilities collapsed.

But so many inventions have both positive and negative sides. The world changes. Attitudes change. There were those who didn't like the day trippers that were enabled to visit seaside towns by the building of railways. I think the answer to the question in the thread will be subjective and depend on the time which one is thinking about.

Arthur C Clarke had an interesting take on this way back in 1963 ("Profiles of the Future"). he observed that instantaneous travel would make telecommunications redundant, whereas perfect telecommunications would make travel redundant. As it is, there is a virtuous spiral, as for example the invention of the steam train and steam ship made travel easier, but the electric telegraph then allowed almost uinstantaneous messaging where the only previous alternative had been a transatlantic, or transcontinental, journey of several days, buit then air travel made meeting up for a face to face conversation much easier than having to rely only on the limitations of the telegraph, and so on.

Television has made it possible for millions to appreciate the wonders of the world without the financial, environmental, and ergonomic costs of getting there. But a Zoom call to the other side of the world is not the same as actually holding a new grandchild in your arms.

 

[AM9]

There really should be some kind of government lead incentive

I rarely pick on spelling/grammar errors here, but in the context of this thread and the comments about plastics, a "government lead incentive" is the last thing that we need, - it's taken decades to remove as much lead as possible from the environment, so bringing it back would be insane.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I rarely pick on spelling/grammar errors here, but in the context of this thread and the comments about plastics, a "government lead incentive" is the last thing that we need, - it's taken decades to remove as much lead as possible from the environment, so bringing it back would be insane.

I sometimes wonder how many typos are a result of speech to text software instead of people typing their messages out? The increasing number of rogue apostrophes recently and instances like the one you highlight involving similar sounding words with different spellings would seem to indicate that.

This technology can cause some amusement at home when my wife uses it on WhatsApp, especially if she's doing it on a train and an announcement starts up, or if the TV is on and she's close to it... or even if she lets out a naughty word or two while attempting to create the message...

 

[Purple Train]

I sometimes wonder how many typos are a result of speech to text software instead of people typing their messages out? The increasing number of rouge apostrophes recently and instances like the one you highlight involving similar sounding words with different spellings would seem to indicate that.

This technology can cause some amusement at home when my wife uses it on WhatsApp, especially if she's doing it on a train and an announcement starts up, or if the TV is on and she's close to it... or even if she lets out a naughty word or two while attempting to create the message...

Given the context of the discussion I had to giggle at this

Someone I used to know was a big fan of "swipe typing". I tried it, but after a few too many doses of complete nonsense (caused by me not swiping in the correct manner or whatever) I reverted to type.

Back on topic, may I suggest reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Given the context of the discussion I had to giggle at this

Damn - I thought I'd spotted all the typos!!! Corrected now...

One thing I find myself increasingly doing, and I don't know why, is typing "teh" instead of "the" of "taht" instead of "that". Which infuriates me, but at least I can't blame technology for that...