Surely, the Lowest Point in Human History Was....

[North Star]

It scares me that it was completely embraced by society at the time and marketed in this fashion. Granted that protection against malaria was an important aspects in parts of the world, but it makes me wonder what inventions/gadgets/chemicals/techniques we embrace today that will be looked at by future generations as a menace to mankind and the environment?

https://www.youtube.com/v/YSWIhBO7Jc4

[Mirror Image]

I would say the lowest points in human history are Hitler and Stalin. 'Nuff said.

[Ken B]

Well, this is a good nomination. 
I first saw this in an environmental chemistry class. Still cracks me up, and certainly helps to understand all the paranoia towards food and medical industries in the US.

DDT is less damaging than the banners claimed, and malaria more dangerous. Banning DDT might have made the rich temperate nations marginally healthier, but it has been quite bad for poor humid ones.

[Moonfish]

DDT is less damaging than the banners claimed, and malaria more dangerous. Banning DDT might have made the rich temperate nations marginally healthier, but it has been quite bad for poor humid ones.

Do you refer to human health or environmental health? DDT is still being used when deemed necessary, but it is illegal in many nations for obvious reasons. Are you suggesting that the compound should be freely used as back in the 1950s?

http://www.panna.org/issues/persistent-poisons/the-ddt-story

https://www.youtube.com/v/mX6fQLrueW0

[Florestan]

China is planning to expand Beijing to a 130 million metropolis. Just think about the amount of feces generated by such a city...

Don't worry! The Party will decree that, under the penalty of death, no Chinese shall defecate more than once a week, more than 1 oz a week.

But there is something that indeed worries me no end: first cars, then vacuum cleaners and now the Chinese drowning the planet in a deluge of poop --- with all these calamities around, do you still manage to sleep over night?

[Moonfish]

Don't worry! The Party will decree that, under the penalty of death, no Chinese shall defecate more than once a week, more than 1 oz a week.

But there is something that indeed worries me no end: first cars, then vacuum cleaners and now the Chinese drowning the planet in a deluge of poop --- with all these calamities around, do you still manage to sleep over night?

No, I stay up all night sorting my Stockhausen cds while drinking laxative teas...

[Moonfish]

.
https://www.youtube.com/v/8I3Z05lC9i8

[The new erato]

No, I stay up all night sorting my Stockhausen cds while drinking laxative teas...

I somehow knew that Stockhausen and Hitler were going to come up in this thread eventually.

[Karl Henning]

I somehow knew that Stockhausen and Hitler were going to come up in this thread eventually.

[Karl Henning]

In that case, the answer to your question is the early 70s. To whit:

Sarge wins!

[mc ukrneal]

Sarge wins!

Yeah - I find it hard to believe that even events connected to the survival of the human race could displace those monstrosities of fashion. Gotta be careful lighting a match around them too...

[Karl Henning]

snypsss didn't start the thread with The Problems of the World in mind.  Going all Idi Amin is contrary to the OP's intent . . . .

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

Despite the grand measure of atrocities, environmental degradation, and lapses in taste, we can all rest assured that the best (worst) is yet to...

[Karl Henning]

No one ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public.

[San Antone]

[North Star]

So, what you're saying is that the lowest point hasn't yet been reached, or that we can always go even lower, and simultaneously make the pie higher.  0:)

[Moonfish]

snypsss didn't start the thread with The Problems of the World in mind.  Going all Idi Amin is contrary to the OP's intent . . . .

How do you know? Can you read his mind? Perhaps Snypsss is stressed?

[Mirror Image]

I heard about this story and it absolutely infuriates me. Such cruelty and he's got a special place in hell.

[Florestan]

I heard about this story and it absolutely infuriates me. Such cruelty and he's got a special place in hell.

What´s the story behind that picture?

[Mirror Image]

What´s the story behind that picture?

Here's one of many articles:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/07/28/minnesota-dentist-walter-james-palmer-cecil-lion-africa/30785881/