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Genre: Fiction
Word Count: 100
INNOVATIONS
Millie Levy loved to learn about inventors. Famous or obscure. It didn’t matter.
“I wonder what Alexander Graham Bell would say about the iPhone.” She mused. “Or what Edison would think about LED lights.”
Millie’s brother Eli rolled his eyes. “Who cares?”
“I do. Get this. Maria Beasley invented a barrel-making machine in 1878. And J.F. Glidden was first to patent barbed wire in 1874. He made a fortune off cattle ranchers and farmers.”
Grandma Rachel pointed to the tattooed numbers on her arm. “I wonder what Mr. Glidden would say if he knew how Hitler used his precious invention.”
***
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
Yes, such a true sadness that many inventions have been used in evil ways. The invention of the rocket was used to deliver bombs before being used for space travel and putting satellites into space.
Best regards,
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Dear James,
Sadly what the inventors meant for good was used for evil. Thank you
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Mr Gliddens may also not have intended to spark the range wars between the cattle ranchers who wanted their herds to roam free and the sodbusters who wanted to protect their crops.
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Dear Neil,
Nope. Mr. Gliddens couldn’t be held responsible for the actions of others, could he?
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thats a very cool mini-beastie! Looks like a spotted lantern fly.
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Glad you like the photo, Mason. Hope you liked my story as well. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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No worries, Rochelle.
I haven’t read the story as yet. I always have a reading session including all your and the others in the afternoon.
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Ah, I see a pattern here…no problemo. 😉
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The problem with science of any kind is thst something intended for good can also advance the cause of evil. You capture that here, together with the innocence of your child character.
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Dear Jen,
All too often good intentions went awry, didn’t they? Thank you for your kind words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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That’s an ingenious take on the prompt, Rochelle.
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Thank you so much, Penny. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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So very true. I think some equally obnoxious uses were found for other substances at that time. Nicely done, Rochelle.
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Dear Sandra,
It’s sad when what was invented for good is used for evil. So many instances, so few words. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Well done. I think anything that is created can be misused for ill, and often the shift between that good and evil is only a tiny one.
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Dear Trent,
So very true. All it takes is an evil mind to corrupt a good invention. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Invention the key to success and destruction in equal measure. Good story, Rochelle. I must say that woman leaning her child against the barbed wire needs to be more careful!
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Dear Mason,
Considering the time and place the photo was taken, leaning her child against the barbed wire was the least of her worries. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thats a good point.
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How inventors would react to innovations on their inventions is an interesting thought. An iPhone would be completely unfathomable to Bell. I think most misusage of inventions was unfathomable as well. A very thought-provoking take, Rochelle.
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Such a gut punch at the end. A reminder that technology is good, but knowing what to do with it is far more important. And that’s why we must never, ever forget. No matter what else to do.
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Dear Anne,
Technology is good until it isn’t. Thank you for your kind words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
How sad when inventions are used for evil purposes. Thanks for this story.
Shalom,
Adele
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Dear Adele,
I agree. So sad. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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With each invention comes risks, but only when they are placed in the pathway of evil individuals.
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Dear Michael,
Just like people, innovations have the potential for good or evil, don’t they Thank you
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Unfortunately, about everything invented or new, winds up having two sides to the use. Good story. My first thought of the little bug on the wire was “Don’t jump”. Lol
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Dear Jan,
Just about everything has the potential to be used for good or evil, doesn’t it? “I’m talking Tina…” Thanks m’luv.
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Your story’s engaging from the start, as always, and quite thought-provoking. Yet another ingenious invention that was used for evil purposes. It’s mind-numbingly sad how humans have the propensity for such atrocities against each other. Thanks for sharing the story, Rochelle!
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Dear Brenda,
Sadly, Hitler’s not the only one who’s used barbed wire to cage people. At any rate, thank you for your kind words re my story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Yes, unfortunately so. The Khmer Rouge comes to mind, and a genocide museum I visited in Cambodia. The inhumanity of man. Heavy sigh.
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Still feeling rather nasty after 2nd vac shot. Might sit out this week. Great story…
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Thank you, Bear. Feel better soon.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks. Slowly getting back. Can’t shake this cough or constant exhaustion.
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Technology__a boon or bane? Your story captures that dillemma quite poignantly. The tattoed numbers on granny’s arm further that tale, Yet another historical fiction very well written, Rochelle,
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Dear Neel,
It’s sad that things meant for good also have the potential for evil. Thank you for your kind words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Ah, how sad, and how true that we must always be cognizant of the reality of how inventions can be abused for bad, even if they might’ve been invented for good. Fireworks turned weapons of war. Medical science turned into bio-weapons. Social media used to spread deliberate misinformation. It is the how thing are used that is often the issue. Thank you for portraying that here.
Left my contribution of a far lighter (ahem) interpretation …
Na’ama
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Na’ama Y’karah,
Sadly the list can go on and on, can’t it? Thank you for your comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Sigh. Indeed. xoxo
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How could anyone do that to human beings?
Well, first you need to understand that Hitler et. al. did not consider them to BE human.
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Dear Linda,
And I certainly don’t consider Hitler or his henchmen to have been remotely human. Appalling.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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So true. Animals, beasts, who enjoyed the suffering of their victims.
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Dear Rochelle,
With a little digging we do find some ugly stuff that was not the inventor’s original intention, that is for sure. Brutal (in a good way) take on the prompt, my friend.
Shalom and lotsa love without binds,
Dale
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Dear Dale,
I couldn’t help where I went. Whenever I see barbed wire, my head just goes there. (Although I don’t think it’s barbed wire in the photo). Thank you for your encouraging words.
Shalom and lotsa unbarbed hugs,
Rochelle
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I love the child’s enthusiasm for finding out about inventions. You really capture that. Sad that so many neutral inventions intended to help humankind can be turned against us, and you show at the end of your story.
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Dear Jenne,
The inventions aren’t in themselves evil, but when evil people use them…Thank you so much for your affirming comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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What a story! Was not expecting that gut-punch ending. Masterfully written, Rochelle.
Shalom!
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Many thanks, Susan. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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good question. but like other inventions, it could be put to good or bad use depnding on the user’s intentions.
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Dear Plaridel,
That is definitely the point of my story. The invention wasn’t bad, but when evil people used it…well we all know how that story goes. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A thought-provoking piece Rochelle. It’s got me thinking about other inventions that have been used for purposes other than their original intention.
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Dear Keith,
The inventions themselves aren’t bad, it’s what evil people do with them. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Excellent story, Rochelle. That last line really bites. And that’s the fate of all action, I’m afraid. The reaction isn’t always what’s intended. I can’t think of an example where a torture instrument was used for good purposes though…
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Dear Gabi,
Thank you for your affirming words. Evil people can use good inventions for their wicked purposes. We see it every day, don’t we?
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Sadly yes…
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Barbed wire, like many inventions, has a variety of uses 😦
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That’s true, Alis. Thanks for coming by.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Good story. Humans can do good or evil with any invention but too often choose the latter.
Shalom,
Ronda
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Dear Ronda,
It’s appalling what humans are capable of, isn’t it? Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Great story!
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Thank you, Susan. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I’m sure that many inventors feel a certain degree of guilt for how humans have used their inventions… I’m remembering some writings I read about Oppenheimer and the splitting of the atom. Great story, and very sad. Feeling a wee better today, so far.
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Dear Bear,
We’ve been given a choice, haven’t we? Good or evil. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Indeed. Every day, in every decision we make. We rarely can see far enough ahead of our decisions to know how the world will destroy it.
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Rochelle,
Evil isn’t very creative finally. It takes the good and mangles it, as your story shows in such an unexpected way.
Shalom,
Dora
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Exactly, Dora! It seems that is the way it goes, evil studies good to see how it can be corrupted. So much good was twisted to do evil in the case of the Holocaust.
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Dear Dora and Lisa,
What a wonderful world it would be without evil minds perverting good inventions. Thank you for your kind words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Love this! The ending spoke to me. My mom always reads a lot of WW2 fiction, so I’ve grown up around many stories surrounding the horrors of the holocaust. These stories are so important to tell! Great work!
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Dear Mae,
I grew up under the shadow of the then recent Holocaust. I agree, the stories must be kept alive. One of my missions in life. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Curlylocks W(T)F,
Seems like every invention gets miss-used or perverted by some sicko. If Mr. Bell is probably getting telemarketer calls in his coffin today, and Henry Ford is being harassed because the extended warranty on his car has expired. What’s next, closed captioning at mime performances? Lord, I hope not.
Marcel Say-it-isn’t-So
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Dear Marcel Say-it-isn’t-So,
I wonder if Steve Jobs being hacked? Thank you for visiting. I’ll be sure to print off your comment and store it in my invisible box.
Shalom,
Curlylocks W(T)F
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Interesting connection there and a thought-provoking story. The Nazis put so many discoveries to evil use. I was reading about German scientist Fritz Haber, winner of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry who also invented poison gas during World War I. He continued to work in that field, creating Zyklon B, intended for pest control but later used by the Nazis in World War II to gas Jews to death. He died after being driven out of his job in 1934 and members of his extended family died in concentration camps.
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Dear Subroto,
I went and did some reading about Fritz Haber. I’m afraid his halo wasn’t all that tight. He was instrumental in creating chemical warfare and was estranged from his daughter as a result. As for Zyklon, B…I question his motives, given his involvement in the latter. It is sad that he had family perish in the camps.
Thank you re my story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You raise a difficult issue in your story, Rochelle, about the inventions which help people, some created by forward thinking individuals, and how their use is then governed. Sure there’s a debate to be had about that.
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Dear Francine,
Many inventions do seem to be a two-edged swords, don’t they? Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Purpose and intent. I doubt inventors think about the ways their products can be used. For good or ill. Well told Rochelle, it gets one thinking
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Dear Laurie,
I’m sure most inventors have progress and good in mind. They can’t control what evil people do with them. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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How does one look at barbed wire without the sight raising some sort of emotion? I work in a building that was recently surrounded with barb wire-topped metal fences in Minneapolis and passing through the locked gate was difficult. It might be nice to live in a world that had no need of fences. I ♥ Grandma Rachel.
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Dear Michael,
I understand. I can’t look at barbed wife without the same emotion. You and I’ve known a few Grandma Rachels haven’t we? Their stories mustn’t die with them.
Good to see you here. Thank you for your comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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