6. Technology is making it possible to stay at home and work. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this and present your opinion on this issue.
There is a revolution going on in the developed world whereby the work-from-home dream is becoming more and more of a reality for millions of workers wishing to save time, see their families more, and achieve overall work-life equilibrium. This is made possible for many by advances in information and communications technology, namely with the advent of the Internet and mobile telecommunications such as broadband phone connections.
In the following paragraphs I will examine both the potential benefits and downsides of this new phenomenon which allows high-speed transmission of data from your personal computer at home to your clients and work colleagues in different locales.
It is true that computers these days have greater processing power than they did just a few years ago, but working from home is not just an issue of cost-saving. People are tired of commuting and the time spent on trains and subways is a precious commodity that could be spent more effectively on work. In many cases working from home is not actually a choice for most business executives who are accountable for business transactions around the clock.
For those people with young children, working from home has many incentives. Indeed, one could argue that a lot of flexi-working has evolved around parents’ child-rearing responsibilities. However, those parents who are working from home are now experiencing new pressures in the work-from-home setting. In spite of the paybacks from less travel and more flexibility, there is downside with increased working hours. The reality is that all home workers with children feel that balancing home and work responsibilities is easier said than done.
To make one final point, it is important when considering this growing trend in working from home that we do not see it as an easy option.
7. With the development of modern science and technology, some aspects of traditional culture being lost, and some people now believe that traditional cultures will eventually be replaced by modern science and technology such as computers and the Internet. What is your opinion on this matter?
Digital information technologies are symbolic of the dominant global culture that is currently taking our world by storm. Due to developments in modern science and technology, traditional ways of earning a living, learning something new and even that of existing are rapidly transforming. This transformation in the way we communicate and live is as significant as the invention of writing which altered the course of ancient cultures before us.
Nevertheless, up-to-the-minute technologies have the capacity to preserve many aspects of traditional culture. Indeed, if we are to employ information and communications technologies effectively, traditional values and ethics can help us make decisions for the proper use of these new technologies, In this essay I will explore how the negative impact of the Internet on traditional cultures and values can be lessened through awareness-raising exchanges and education.
In most parts of the world governments authorities reacted to the introduction of the World Wide Web by prohibiting unlimited access to all Internet sites. They argued that some content found on the Internet would jeopardize traditional cultural and religious values. In the last few years, however, although this issue is still hotly debated among the powers that be, we are now seeing bans lifted on Internet access in all corners of the world.
The Internet is changing traditional cultures by offering users new means for voicing their opinions about everything, including politics, religion, and love. For example, in the United Arab Emirates where the two sexes are firmly segregated, the Internet is enabling men and women to communicate in new ways that were not permissible before. Additionally, as a communications medium the Internet is allowing traditional values to be heard alongside more unconventional values as users face up to different ideas and hear other people’s opinions.
The networking and awareness-raising potential offered by computers and the Internet about different cultures and values is unlimited. Now that we have people from more traditional cultures communicating online it is almost assured that their values and beliefs will be more readily heard and respected by the all-encompassing global Internet community.
8. Does modern technology make life more convenient, or was life better when technology was simpler? What is your opinion?
It is difficult to think how we managed our lives before the widespread use of everyday technologies such as the Internet and mobile phones which we now take for granted. Despite this, how often do we stop to question ourselves, before going online to check our email accounts, whether modern technology has really made our lives more convenient? Some people may actually answer to the contrary, that modern technology has made their lives more complicated and even more difficult.
The obvious advantages of modern-day technologies are many. For example, if I do not want to go home and wash my laundry and wait for the weather to clear so I can hang it outside to dry, I simply invest in a machine that can both wash and dry my clothes. In addition, I would feel safer in the knowledge that because my clothes are not hanging up outside the possibility of them being stolen is greatly reduced.
Inventors throughout the ages have thought of practically every device imaginable to assist humans in conducting their everyday affairs, from baby strollers to life-support machines. In fact, we are inundated with technological contraptions in this modern world and there is no sign of a reversal in this trend occurring.
Imagine for a moment, if there were no television or computers. How would you know who had won the latest soccer match? Or what was going on in the news? What would the weather be like tomorrow? The problem with modern technology is not the unlimited choices in gadgetry now made available to us; but instead, it is our increasing inability to tune out from an overload in information and our growing reliance on machines that perform midless taskes which we could simply do for ourselves.
The use of modern technology does inspire inventors, designers and engineers to speculate on what technology will be like in the future and how it could further mankind’s survival and development. However, before we turn around and say technology is the best thing that ever happened to us, it is vital that we remember who is in control of technology in order for it not to take over our lives completely.
9. Modern technology has had a great influence on people’s entertainment choices, making them less creative. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
There exist many different types of entertainment technologies which cause us to behave in a variety of ways. Television, for example, only requires passive viewing and listening and can be looked upon as a form of entertainment which dulls the mind. The Internet, on the other hand, requires users to be interactive through the employment of, for example, different motoring skills i.e. clicking, selecting text etc. , to more challenging tasks such as searching, emailing, chatting, and the uploading/downloading of software. A lot of people are still choosing television as their preferred entertainment for relaxing after a hard day’s work, but even more people are getting excited about the on-line world as they discover what it can do for them.
The irony of this essay question is that without creativity we could not have the modern technology that we use today. We would not have television or the Internet. Similarly, we would not have MP3 players or DVDs. Every invention known to mankind has always resulted from creative thinking. Arguably, creativity is our most important asset; and information is an inestimable tool. With no electronic databases, PCs, and other supportive networking technology, we would be hard pressed to organize all of our information efficiently and effectively.
However, if we examine the example of the Internet closer, we can also discern that the quantity of information on-line is escalating at a staggering rate. This means that it is difficult for individuals to remain up-to-date in their chosen fields. This means that it is difficult for individuals to remain up-to-date in their chosen fields. Due to this increasing pressure in the working world, it is therefore necessary for people to band together, to work collaboratively, and to think creatively and imaginatively to thrive and even to survive.
In conclusion, I would like to add that the days of choosing modern technology purely for entertainment purposes are diminishing. It is no longer enough to merely own modern gadgetry. Instead, you must be able to show that you can manipulate technology creatively to suit your every purpose.
10. What differentiates one country from another is becoming increasingly difficult to define in today’s world. Nowadays, it is not uncommon for people to have the same consumer products and to experience the same media the world over. To what extent do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
Globalization certainly has the potential to bring about great advances for humankind. On a daily basis, we are eyewitnesses to how borders of time and space that once separated countries and the activities therein appear to be diminishing.
In industrialized areas of the developing world we can observe a growing international trend in leisure time pursuits. Chinese youths wearing Nike sneakers in Shanghai hang out in Starbucks over a cup of coffee in much the same way that their American counterparts do in New York. In particular, younger generations the world over who can afford access to media technologies like cable television and the Internet often encounter the same media such as advertisements, films, TV channels, popular brands and so on.
However, it is not presently guaranteed that these advances are equally shared by all members of the global community. The truth lies somewhere closer to the fact that global market forces often have negative effects on the distribution of public goods such as social, a clean environment, or diverse cultural expression.
Many argue that the costs of globalization are too high and that differences between countries and communities need to be maintained before we quickly and completely lose all sense of who we are, where we came from and what choices are still available to us.
Therefore, it is necessary for the global community to place greater emphasis on the impact of globalization on human welfare. In order to achieve a just and equal distribution of the benefits of economic globalization, its negative side effects need to be counteracted by reforms in government at the international, regional and local levels. Only by further developing the way in which we manage our societies can we make sure that those currently not in control of globalization can make their voices heard in the political processes affecting the range of their own personal choices.
11. Technology can bring many benefits, but it can also cause social and environmental problems In relation to new technology, the primary duty of governments should be to focus on potential problems, rather than benefits. Please discuss the issues raised here and offer your opinion.
It is true that new technologies can create serious social and environmental problems. The question is whether governments should focus on these problems when they are formulating policies related to new technology.
Some people would argue that governments have an important watchdog role to play and that they should attempt to establish whether a proposed technology is likely to have any harmful effects. This is seen as an aspect of government looking after public interests and showing concern for the welfare of its citizens. These are the same people who have invested the government with the power to veto the introduction of certain technologies.
The problem with this approach, however, is that it is very difficult to know in advance what the full effects of any new technology will be. The history of science and technology has many fascinating examples of unexpected developments. Sometimes a technological advance in one area can lead to a surprising breakthrough in another, seemingly unrelated area. For example, technology which originated from the US space program has been further developed and applied in many other areas of life. And one certainly cannot depend on government bureaucracies to make accurate assessments about these matters.
Another problem is that, where one government might decide to ban the use of a new technology, another country may well go ahead with its introduction. In an increasingly competitive global economy, the first country may severely disadvantage itself by such inaction.
New technology is essential for a country’s economic development. The best approach is to positively encourage the development of new technologies and to focus on their benefits. Any problems that may arise can be dealt with after implementation.
