Danny Elfman said it best in his song, "The Little Things".
Lately, I have been thinking about the little things that we take for granted. Think about it, there are so many nifty inventions that have made our life easier and better for many reasons. When you ask people to think about the inventions that they couldn't live without, they will typically say things like electricity, cell phones, transportation, etc. Granted, all of these are wonderful things that have aided countless humans in their daily lives. However, I think there are some smaller inventions that often go unnoticed. Hopefully you'll appreciate this sudden epiphany that I had and maybe get a laugh or two in along the way. Enjoy :)
1. Toilet Paper: Seriously, where would we be without this handy-dandy roll of glorious paper?! Although I often complain about the price it costs for something you use to wipe your lower region, I am forever grateful for this invention. I would also not care to think about what was probably used beforehand. The day that some man said, "Hey, let's roll up some paper and put it to good use" was a fine day indeed!
2. Alarm Clocks: Have you ever wondered how people woke up before alarm clocks were invented? Did they just wait for the sun to rise, or the rooster to crow, or for the first morning grunt of their fellow caveman? I can't imagine how my life would be if I had to wake myself up...on my own...no annoying beep or delightful ringtone. Seeing as I often sleep through BOTH of the aforementioned alarms, I'm fairly certain my body would not wake up on its own. I'm pretty sure I could sleep through a nuclear explosion and a train wreck.
3. Google: I honestly can't remember what it was like before Google. I remember using it for the first time around 2001. I was in school working on a research project, and the teacher showed us how to use Google. I was so confused and bewildered at the time. Now, I use that sucker ALL THE TIME! It has aided my life in countless ways! If I want to know the score of the Ironbbowl four years ago, I Google it. If I need to know how to get from point A to point B, I Google it. If I am trying, for the life of me, to figure out what in the world Sir Elton is singing in "Benny and the Jets", I can Google it. This little website has literally changed the world. Not to mention, it has greatly helped stalkers worldwide. Within a few clicks of the mouse, a grade-A stalker can find the address, phone number, and satellite view of the house from Google Earth in order to know the whereabouts and locations of their potential victim.
4. Things that work automatically (or automation for those who wouldn't need a dictionary to know that word): Do you remember the last time you flushed your own toilet in a public place? Who knew that we would come to the day that we would no longer need to turn on a sink, flush a toilet, open a door, or even walk on our own (thanks to the lovely conveyor belts as seen at airports-honestly, I think I move faster than those things, but you get the picture!). Seriously, think about all of the things that work on their own- escalators, ice machines, engines, paper towel dispensers, etc. Maybe the next invention will be a washing machine that automatically recognizes the load and and washes it.(If that hasn't already been thought of, I'm gonna patent that sucker!)
5. Photo Tags: I am forever grateful to Facebook for their contribution of tagging photos. Considering my horrible skills in photography, I never take pictures. Whenever I'm with friends and we encounter a Kodak moment, I say, "tag me!" It feels so natural to say that even though this invention hasn't been around all that long. How cool is it that you could probably go the rest of your life without taking a single picture and would still have access to memories thanks to the loyalty of friends?!
These are just a few examples of the many little wonders that have changed our lives. After looking at these, I have come to this conclusion: we are lazy! All of these inventions were made to make our lives easier, and they have succeeded! What would we do without our toilet paper (okay, maybe we shouldn't get rid of this luxury!), alarm clocks, Google, automation,or photo tags?
What inventions do you enjoy?
Happy Friday! :)
