[hyko]

The evilest inventions of the XXI century are not “better” guns, bombs, […] The cruellest and the most inhuman creations are infinite scroll and push-notifications.

Comparing push notifications to the human toll inflicted by guns and bombs is asinine beyond belief.

In the grand scheme of things, nobody gives a shit that someone had the audacity to try and distract you. It’s not super important.

[johnhellion]

The original sentence contained more examples than just guns and bombs obviously making the comparison not serious.

Guns and bombs have been with us for centuries. The effect of them is known and it always same - it kills. We are already good at killing, invented the deadliest weapons and we don't really need to go "deadlier".

However, mental health issues, attention span, distractions, Dopamine feedback loop, etc. are also issues and they are something new for humanity. These things might kill slowly, and not exactly in a physical sense. The effect of them isn't visible yet but I believe we will see it in a few generations.

Cheers, John

[hyko]

Thanks for taking the time to reply to my obnoxious rant John.

I guess when we talk about destructive power, this topped out in the 1950s with fusion weapons. It’s unclear if that technology will represent the apex of deadliness forever, or whether we’ll discover and develop something more powerful in the future. As you say, even ordinary munitions are plenty deadly and are causing misery ever single day.

However, if we talk about evil weapons, they are very much in active development; there’s seemingly no limit to the cruel and unusual ways we’re willing to fuck other people up. Technological development on those has not ceased.

I’m actually in agreement that the economic incentives mixed with technology (and a lack of scruples) has led to a vastly degraded information landscape; where we differ is that I think the comparison–even as a literary device–weakens the argument and makes the concerns seem trivial.

[elzbardico]

It is called a hyperbole, a literary device where you deliberately use an obvious exaggeration to make your point.