Listosaurus Rex

What inventions have most swayed human history, are “most consequential to who we are today?”  A columnist for the MSN Encarta encyclopedia named Tamim Ansary has compiled a list of his ten picks, backed with some pretty solid reasoning.  Of course, you’ll probably disagree with him, he notes, but isn’t that the point of any top ten list?  To start a good argument?

Here are his picks:

1. The mechanical clock
2. The toilet and modern plumbing
3. The printing press
4. Immunization and antibiotics
5. The telephone
6. The electrical grid
7. The automobile
8. The television
9. The computer
10. Something new

By “something new” he means some invention whose effects are only starting to be understood and ripple through society.  He tosses out birth control, the Internet, and virtual reality as possible picks here.

I agree, with exceptions.  I would have tossed television out and included the gun.  Meanwhile, I would have placed the electrical grid higher, as our instant, easy access to electricity drives so much of how we spend our time nowadays.  However, the list is arranged generally chronologically, so I’m not sure he means for the ten to be ranked.

Overall, his reasoning is pretty solid, though.  It really makes you think how different our lives are from the people who lived a thousand years ago.  Can you imagine not having any of these things?

Check out his original list if you want to read more.

If you are like me, then stumbling across well-made and well-written lists stirs in you a desire to make a similar list of your own. AFI’s 100 Greatest Movies, Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs, FilmCritic.com’s 50 Greatest Movie Endings, EGM’s 100 Best Video Games… It’s happened to me many times. I read the list, and I’m captivated, and want to delve into the presented material myself, and prove them wrong or very that they’re right.

So, for me, it’s highly inspirational to read people’s ranked lists of life goals. That’s exactly what 43things.com is: any user can join and assemble a list of life goals. The site has gone through each member’s list and presented their users’ cumulative top ten life goals:

1. lose weight
2. stop procrastinating
3. fall in love
4. write a book
5. be happy
6. get a tattoo
7. drink more water
8. go on a roadtrip with no predetermined destination
9. get married
10. travel the world

I think this taps into human nature’s most intrinsic desires: expression and individuality (4, 6), adventure (8, 10), romance (3, 9), health (1, 7), productivity (2), and, of course, overall contentment (5). Nothing about wealth, nor fame, just private happiness. I like that. I think we all could learn a lesson from this marvelous site and its broad base.

Do yourself a favor: give it a look. Maybe you’ll like it, like I did, or maybe you’ll scoff at it as idealistic. But you never know what might be a spark to lead you to being a lot happier in life.

Thanks, Tessa, for the suggestion to spotlight this site! If any other readers have ideas on lists or web-sites for me to spotlight, send me an e-mail at listosaurusrex@gmail.com.