Luddite memes

When we're 40+, new tech is dangerous and unnatural.
When we're 20+, new tech is a potential advantage to embrace.
When we're 10+, new tech is exciting.
When we're 10-, new tech has always been part of the world and we take it for granted.

This thread is for "new thing will ruin us" memes, especially when the complaint is from previous generations decrying stuff new to them that doesn't even rate now.

One of my faves is "bicycle face," since it gets carted out every generation under a new name.

Some late-19th-century doctors warned that — especially for women — using the newfangled contraption could lead to a terrifying medical condition: bicycle face.
"Over-exertion, the upright position on the wheel, and the unconscious effort to maintain one's balance tend to produce a wearied and exhausted 'bicycle face,'" noted the Literary Digest in 1895. It went on to describe the condition: "usually flushed, but sometimes pale, often with lips more or less drawn, and the beginning of dark shadows under the eyes, and always with an expression of weariness." Elsewhere, others said the condition was "characterized by a hard, clenched jaw and bulging eyes."
In general, they argued, bicycling was an excessively taxing activity, unsuitable for women. It would lead to not only bicycle face, but also exhaustion, insomnia, heart palpitations, headaches, and depression. ... Cyclists were believed to be prone to uterine displacement, mal-menstruation, inflamed fallopian tubes, infertility and even chronic onanism through the aid of bicycle seats.

That last list of symptoms reminds me of what Imams in Saudi Arabia warn will happen to women if they drive cars.

The modern version is what I've heard about smartphones: tired-looking eyes, hunched posture, palid skin...

"Smartphone face is a rapid sagging of the face, caused by your smartphone. Interestingly, smartphone face has nothing to do with radiation," Dr Lohia tells us. "It occurs because of posture. With the advent of smartphones, people keep their heads bent down and forward for hours to look at their phones and tablets." ... "The kinds of remedies range from non-invasive to invasive," Dr Lohia says, telling us we can try "face yoga, or facial exercises to increase the tone of the muscles in your face so that the sagging will reduce," warning us that "while this theoretically can be helpful, it will likely take an extremely long time to see even a small result. ... At Lumiere Dermatology, we have an amazing lifting and tightening facial known as the Instalift, which uses instant tightening MegaHertz technology..."

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published in Life Magazine in 1925... what they thought the far-off future of 1950 would be like.

published in Life Magazine in 1925... what they thought the far-off future of 1950 would be like.

Wow cool, imagine if congress used zoom calls

Quote from: Mozai on June 15, 2021, 08:17:11 am

published in Life Magazine in 1925... what they thought the far-off future of 1950 would be like.

Wow cool, imagine if congress used zoom calls

I wonder how much tax payer money that would save considering officials get extra pay when they actually have to go to congress meetings and I think they also get fancy hotels and per diem

i think the biggest reason they don't zoom call is a lot of deal happening is off the floor, having physical closeness of offices for undocumented meetings and making themselves accessible to lobbyists is more important than actually getting work done.

that is, the real work is done off the floor and outside of committee, its the work of sociopaths sizing each other up, and that can only be done face to face.

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