Fads

[vandorssen]

I was talking to a friend last night, and some how or another the conversation turned to some new gee-whiz combination metal detector/cell phone/camera/mp3 player/plasma TV, or other such nonsense. He was terribly excited, proclaiming it to be the best thing since those key-chain pets (Muffy died when her battery went buh-bye :rip: ). I of course was more reserved seeing this thing for what it was. Suddenly it struck me: I was certain we (or myself and someone else) had this discussion before. Then I realized I had. Just about some other gee-whiz useless device, or popular diet, or game, etc.

 

So I thought to myself “How does the unwary public differentiate between a mere fad and real advancement?” :huh: Hmm. DIVX video (not the DivX codec) = fad. DVD = real advancement. Cold Fusion research = fad. Hydrogen Cell research = real advancement. Gadzooks! Look to the past! Those who do not learn from it are doomed to repeat it.

 

What were some fads that ended up having real staying power (VHS), or something that had true potential, but fell by the wayside (Beta)? Or the best or worst fad of all time?

[Osiris]

No, we will never learn. EVER

 

The worst fad i can think of on the spot is by far the wacky 'in' hairstyles of the early 90s/late 80s. They make me laugh just thinking about them * :lol: laughs :lol: * *again*

 

I think silly putty has been around since the 40s and kids still play with that stuff. Thats quite a while, especially for a fad, if you can call that a fad.

 

Heh, I saw an informercial the other day for one of those combine alot of crap contraptions. It was something like a payfone/ATM/movie rental/potato chopper/right shoe... :mellow: I don't remember exactly but it was ridiculous and i got a laugh out of it. But people actually buy that kind of stuff. Heh, the lady selling it was so serious, but the product was so... :blink: :ph34r: :wacko: :sick:

 

Just some thoughts... :huh:

 

I personally think this whole civilization thing is just a fad. It'll die away like PokeMon one day...

[m_gobes]

fads move in and out like "new words" do they're cool then when you hear your little brother say them they're out. basically fads are just something to tell non-individualistic people what to do.

 

Personally I do what I want to when I want to do it whether it is "in" or not. I don't really pay attention to the fads unless it is something that I'm already interested in.

[Adrian Laguna]

Hydrogen Cell research = real advancement.

At its current stage it is actually more a fad than a real advancement, though I hope the situation will change. Basically the vehicle operation emissions in hydrogen fuel cells are zero, but the fuel cycle and vehicle manufacturing emissions add up to almost the same as the vehicle operation, manufacturing, and fuel cycle emissions of a well designed gasoline-electric hybrid car. For the moment hybrids are better since they total to about the same emissions but have better performance. Though hydrogen fuel cells should still be researched so that eventually emissions become considerably lower than those of hybrids. (Source: Discover Magazine)

 

As for fads, the gaming worlds gets lots of them. For example the "Tycoon" fad: the only good tycoon games are the orginal, Railroad Tycoon (plus sequels) and Rollercoaster Tycoon (plus expansions). Then there is the WWII fad, there are so many that any more WWII games are beating a dead horse. The last good WWII games: Hearts of Iron (strategy), Call of Duty (FPS), and Battlefield 1942 (multiplayer + vehicle combat). An old fad that I believe has recently died out (thank Gamus Maximus, God of Gaming) were RTS clones, I forget who was cloning who, but the point is that they where all the same.

[m_gobes]

one current fad is the whole Medievil thing every game designer is making somthing like that. or futuristic. why not make some present day game? (I know some people do) but people are just there to make money that really isn't all there is to life. why not make something the way it is. rather than looking back or looking to what hasn't yet come. why not just be satisfied with the way things are. People always want to have the newest things, the fastest things, all they can get. why it's just material. it's nothing to waste your life on. err *kicks myself* ( I guess I could consider playing MW in excess note: I said IN EXCESS could be a waste of time) I say this only because it does not promote life. or yeah I should stop here so I don't write pointless stuff.