The famous genie story where you get your wishes but there are a tone of unintended consequences as a result of those wishes, the "Monkey's Paw" story, is truly a magnificient way of explaining many modern realities. Be careful what you wish for is probably is good daily reminder. Name one recent convenience we got and it's horrific way. I'll start.

World computer operator. EthStaker contributor.

The first person who dug a hole, found oil, and figured out it had excellent energy density as a fuel.

I don’t think the unintended consequences need explaining — climate change, the hot mess that is the Middle East, widespread lead contamination and crime in the 20th century, car-centric urban design, etc.

PhD in aviation ∩ climate science | Aviator, diver, Etherean, nexialist | Host of /diving /ethfinance /eth-staker /geopolitics /science /singapore /thomas

I guess we are very bad at foreseeing the consequences of any innovation or discovery. The best we can do is adapt.

It’s also Moloch in action. There’s been plenty of occasions throughout history where the nefarious consequences were technically foreseeable or even foreseen, but they were going to be borne by other people (whether in space or in time) while the innovators / discoverers were going to benefit wildly and went ahead