Quantcast

What things were invented without government help?

RJ~PWCM~JLA 2012/08/18 00:38:09
Here's my back-of-the-envelope list. Please add to it!

When it's done, we'll print it out and send it to Mr. You Didn't Build That. On a laser printer. Via FedEx.

(Can't wait for the Libbys to "announce" that someone who invented something on this list once received a government dollar somewhere along the way!)

--------------------------------------------------


Air conditioning
Airplane
Braille
Cotton gin
Electricity generation
Electricity transmission
Elevator
Escalator
Film camera
Gasoline and other petroleum distillates
Gunpowder
Integrated circuit
Internal combustion engine
Kevlar
Laser
Light bulb
Liquid-fueled rocket
Mass production
Morse code
Motion pictures
Mr. Coffee
Nylon
Penicillin
Phonograph
Photographic processes
Printing press
Radio (AM)
Radio (FM)
Roll film
Steam engine
Steel making
Telegraph
Telephone
Telescope
Television
Transistor
Vacuum tube
Vulcanized rubber


You!
Add Photos & Videos

Top Opinion

Sort By
  • Most Raves
  • Least Raves
  • Oldest
  • Newest
Opinions

  • Jack Sprat Htcbm1 2012/08/19 03:45:40
    Jack Sprat
    +4
    Well said, thank you.
  • zeldamaster17 2012/08/18 16:12:56
    zeldamaster17
    +1
    UGH WHEN WILL YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THE TERM LIBERAL MEANS?!?!?!? Anyway, let's see, the TV was stolen by the government and sold to the germans- Oh, that's a conspiracy? Bleh, whatever...
  • kudabux zeldama... 2012/08/19 01:03:31
    kudabux
    +1
    So now you cons rewrite history? The first electromagnetic transmission (TV) was invented and patented by a German. Period. End of story.
  • zeldama... kudabux 2012/08/19 01:34:28
    zeldamaster17
    Well if you wanna get technical... Nevermind, we're just not gonna go down the road of discussing Nikola Tesla. That always gets peoples' panties in a bunch when you question that rip off Edison.
  • kudabux zeldama... 2012/08/19 14:39:02
    kudabux
    Technical? Truth!
  • RG kudabux 2012/08/19 04:26:11
    RG
    +3
    Who cares - it wasn't the government!

    Wine presses
    Olive presses
    Arrow heads
  • RJ~PWCM... RG 2012/08/19 12:35:25
    RJ~PWCM~JLA
    +4
    Good ones, thanks! Helped me think of some more:


    The winemaking process
    The champagne process
    The beermaking process
    Distillation
    Glassmaking
    Corks
    Agriculture
    Glue / adhesives
  • RG RJ~PWCM... 2012/08/19 15:43:00
    RG
    +3
    Coffee mill
    Pepper mill
    Salt and Pepper shakers
    Needle
    Sewing machine
    Crochet hook
    Knitting needles
    Washing machine
    Clothes pins
    Gas stove
    Wood stove
    Soap
    Spinning wheel
    Autoclave
    Surgical instraments
    Bunson burner
    Test tubes
    Xray machine
    Axe
    Shovel
    Crow bar
    Garden tools
    Paper
    Ink
    Fountain pens
    Printing press
    Augar
    Block and tackle
    Rope
    Harnesses
    Milking machine
    Milk Separator
    Hair clippers and combs, toothbrush, dental floss, mirror

    ========================
    RJ: You will need a lot of paper to compile the list. This is a great, fun post you started! Incredible----where was the government------you mean people were self sufficient at one time?
    Ice tongs
    Old fashion ice tongs
  • RJ~PWCM... RG 2012/08/19 15:46:00
    RJ~PWCM~JLA
    +1
    Great additions, thanks! And thanks for the compliment!
  • RG RJ~PWCM... 2012/08/19 15:54:03
    RG
    +1
    You are welcome.
  • SW RG 2012/08/20 12:35:08
    SW
    Hahah ok Rocks... dirt... um... the wheel.... So what? Even in those times there were smaller city states which helped all of those things. Before that the "government" was the extended family. People found they could do more if they worked together... but all that progress is lost on todays "I did it all by myself on an island in a vacuum..." libatariards.
  • Allbiz - PWCM - JLA 2012/08/18 13:26:47
    Allbiz - PWCM - JLA
    +13
    The wheel.

    the wheel
  • RJ~PWCM... Allbiz ... 2012/08/18 19:24:10
  • RENEGAD... Allbiz ... 2012/08/18 19:27:00
    RENEGADE 34
    +8
    Great, first al gore now we will have obama saying he invented the car. See that guy had help too, someone built that hammer and chisel,
  • Allbiz ... RENEGAD... 2012/08/18 19:54:32
    Allbiz - PWCM - JLA
    +6
    He bought those with his welfare check.
  • SW RENEGAD... 2012/08/19 00:14:34
    SW
    +1
    When did he say that? BTW Al Gore never said he invented the internet. Nor did Obama say people didn't build their own businesses. Funny how all the criticisms from right-wingers tend to involve putting words in peoples mouths.
  • Red Branch SW 2012/08/19 02:44:21
    Red Branch
    +6
    Oh yes he did,
  • SW Red Branch 2012/08/20 12:35:54
    SW
    Got a clip or a transcript of him saying that? Didn't think so.
  • Jack Sprat SW 2012/08/19 03:51:28
    Jack Sprat
    +6
    No, actually aL Gors only said he didn't say that, and to not let our lying ears make us believe that what we heard, he didn't say, oddly being a known liar, he is easy to believe, like the ocean "rising 22ft" because of MMGW he made $100 million on.
  • RENEGAD... SW 2012/08/19 04:30:56
    RENEGADE 34
    +4
    Bend it the way you want, Guess you do like the doorknob, Read the rules before you try.
  • Barefoo... SW 2012/08/19 12:58:41
    Barefooted Nana ∞ijm♥∞AFCL
    +5
    Funny how y'all turn a deaf ear......... Al Gore "During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet."

    Apparently you are a product of his improvements in our educational system.

    And yes no matter how obama tries to back spin it and of course I will also acknowledge the help from his little minions like yourself it there...it was both seen and heard...he said it.
  • SW Barefoo... 2012/08/20 12:37:00
    SW
    Did he say "Invented?" No. He helped with the funding for the original ARPnet. He didn't say he "invented the internet." But conservatives like to twist the words of liberals around because they can't argue with their actual words.
  • Jack Sprat RENEGAD... 2012/08/19 03:49:25
    Jack Sprat
    +4
    Oddly of $800 billion to "fix" their bridges, he only let them have $80 billion 40% of which was lost to government red tape. Hey, there's an invention only the Gov could come up with, well them and robbers.
  • Jack Sprat Allbiz ... 2012/08/19 03:47:26
    Jack Sprat
    +6
    I presume these are liberal members of government confiscating someone's invention.
  • Pedro Doller ~POTL-PWCM~JLA 2012/08/18 07:33:33
    Pedro Doller ~POTL-PWCM~JLA
    +8
    Reading
    writing
    arithmetic
    alphabets
    peanut butter
    pornography
    prostitution
    ski jumping
    water skiing
    first airplane
    Oprah Winfrey (I think)
    obesity
    barbecue
    baseball
    golf
    lawn mower
    snow shovel
    sun glasses
    mouth wash
    Chlorine bleach
    neck tie
    zipper
  • RJ~PWCM... Pedro D... 2012/08/18 10:32:51
    RJ~PWCM~JLA
    +3
    great, thanks!
  • SW Pedro D... 2012/08/20 12:40:15
    SW
    Reading... actually government has a LOT to do with the standardization of Language which helped reading (which is taught primarily at public schools nowadays). The Oxford English Dictionary is a government funded project and has been for ever. --same with writing.

    Arithmitic --really? Public universities and schools never helped out with that ever? hahaha!

    Yes also masturbating (which is what is list is really) was invented before government too. So what.
  • Red Branch SW 2012/08/20 14:00:17
    Red Branch
    +1
    You really are clueless.
    The govt did not invent any of those 3. It perpetuates them in schools, locally funded schools, like the school districts, but it did not invent them.

    However, applying the same logic to your onanism habit, Clinton's surgeon general advocated masturbation, some state legislatures have introduced legislation that requires teaching kids about oral sex to reduce teen pregnancies.
  • bpf 2012/08/18 04:48:34
    bpf
    +8
    A.C. motor would take days to put everything down that was invented without the help of the government
  • AL 2012/08/18 03:45:34 (edited)
    AL
    +10
    LOL! THE GOVERNMENT DIDN'T DO THAT! It was really the TAX PAYERS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR (THAT FUNDED THE GAVERNMENT) that did everyone of THOSE THINGS INSTEAD
  • RJ~PWCM... AL 2012/08/18 10:33:14
  • ☆GrayBear☆ (Ursus Americanus) 2012/08/18 03:39:20
    ☆GrayBear☆ (Ursus Americanus)
    +12
    I see you put up the short list...... LOL!

    Government doesn't invent anything except more ways to separate you from your money and to control what you do.
  • AL ☆GrayBe... 2012/08/18 07:49:13
    AL
    +8
    How many Green energy Companies has Obama wasted our tax money on now?
  • ☆GrayBe... AL 2012/08/18 12:44:07
    ☆GrayBear☆ (Ursus Americanus)
    +7
    We only know about the ones that have failed spectacularly, there's no telling how many others.
  • AL ☆GrayBe... 2012/08/18 19:27:57
    AL
    +5
    Do you think it odd that all the ones we all know about, gave money to Obama to run for office then as well?
  • ☆GrayBe... AL 2012/08/18 20:45:21
    ☆GrayBear☆ (Ursus Americanus)
    +4
    No, not odd at all, it's just the Chicago Way......
  • AL ☆GrayBe... 2012/08/18 20:51:08 (edited)
    AL
    +3
    You bet! The good old, I'll fill your pockets-If you kick back some to me in return! Only the way Obama did it, it all looks legal at first sight anyway! In other words its very hard to prove in any court of law!
  • ☆GrayBe... AL 2012/08/18 20:53:07
    ☆GrayBear☆ (Ursus Americanus)
    +2
    He learned from the best.
  • AL ☆GrayBe... 2012/08/20 19:35:22
    AL
    +2
    You would think Romney and Ryan would get a clue and start making that waste public about now as well
  • ☆GrayBe... AL 2012/08/21 07:35:59
    ☆GrayBear☆ (Ursus Americanus)
    +2
    Yeah, he needs to take a tougher line. I'm waiting for the October surprise, maybe even compliments of Sheriff Joe..... Wouldn't that be killer?!

News & Politics

2013/05/21 02:06:00

Hot Questions on SodaHead
More Hot Questions

More Community More Originals