I am more inclined towards Ridley’s view as I think that Lundberg’s view is too one-sided and pessimiistic while Ridley’s view is more balance.
It is true that as Passage 2 (paragraph 8, Line 40) mentioned that many ‘are fed such a strong diet of news about how bad things are’, such as the possibility of biological warfare with the terrorists and the increasing level of unemployment of people who do not have the high end skills that many employers in a knowledge based economy are looking for. This is why people, with their increasing fear and insecurity about the unforeseen future, shifted all the balance to technology, as was the case for Lundberg from passage 1. He keeps pouring about the doom and gloom that technology will bring, like the eventual fate of Earth turning ‘into a Venusian hell’ (passage 1, paragraph 5, Line 42). Lundberg forgets that people enhance technology as it does bring about benefits. For example, the constant research on hydrogen fuels and other alternative cleaner fuels to fossil fuels are helping to ease the problem of global warming and its effects. Thus, we should not just dispute technology as something undesirable.
As Ridley has mentioned, ‘self knowledge about the causes of our behaviour will liberate people to make choices’. Technology enables us to better understand ourselves by making information just a click or a phone call away. Science explains phenomenon that have piqued human curiosity, allowing man to search for solutions to their problems.
The holocaust during the Second World War happened a result of the Germans being too gullible and accepting of Hitler’s claims that the Germans were superior to every other race. Hitler even claimed that it was Nature which dictated the survival of the superior race and the extermination of the inferior, and this is simply bad biology. Due to the people’s ignorance, the Jews were made to suffer a most tragic fate. Thus, I believe that science and technology, with continual advancement and when applied in the appropriate ways, will benefit people more as they will then be equipped with the knowledge to clear their misconceptions, empowering them to make better, more informed decisions.
In Singapore, I think technology has improved the quality of life in general. Indeed, Singaporeans are ‘healthier, wealthier and wiser than before’. (passage 2, line 45). From a small, newly independent nation which many initially doubted would thrive, Singapore has braved the storms these 41 years to blossom into a vibrant, global city, bustling with trade and boasting impressive economic growth records today. Technology has played a tremendous part in aiding Singapore in its rapid development and improving the quality of life of many Singaporeans. It has improved the efficiency of the labour force, with the incorporation of advanced devices such as video conferencing facilities and high tech machinery. It has also enabled the building of impressive infrastructure such as a reliable telecommunications network to attract the setting up of many multinational corporations. Without technology, Singapore would not have been able to progress so quickly into a business hub teeming with life and potential. It has made the lives of many Singaporeans more convenient and through the achievement of greater economic growth, has helped to boost the average household’s income significantly. Thus, I believe that it has improved the quality of life for a great many people.
excuse me :X
1:45 AM
Sunday, August 6
Mention the term ‘computer gaming’ and in most people, what leaps to mind is the image of a young boy staring, fixated, at his computer screen, enthralled by the grotesque splattering of enemy blood under his skilful navigation. Incidents of the obsession with computer gaming have sullied the reputation which computer gaming, over its short history of thirty years, has created for itself. However, as farfetched as it may appear, I do believe that computer gaming should be considered a healthy pursuit because of the various benefits it can confer to the individual.
Playing computer games keeps the mind sharp and alert by honing one’s reflexes. It trains the mind to be more aware of its surroundings and enables the individual to respond as quickly as possible to changes in his environment. Engaging in games such as ‘warcraft’ and ‘counterstrike’ requires players to be on the alert at all times, detecting their enemies and finishing them off before they themselves are spotted first. An experiment conducted by ‘Child of our time’ showed that children exposed to computed games had faster reaction times than those who did not. This shows that computer gaming does promote the development of sharp reflexes, therefore contributing to a healthy and sharp mind.
Furthermore, many computer games today encourage teamwork among players. In various multiplayer online games, the more popular choices being ‘Maple Story’ and ‘Nukezone’, players organize themselves into teams and work together to bring about the defeat of other teams in order to emerge the proud victors. In these games, teamwork and cooperation are indispensable ingredients in the broth of ultimate success and through playing such games, players, in particular the young, are taught the importance and usefulness of copperating well with others to the progress of the entire team. A study conducted by multimedia giant ‘Electronic Arts’ revealed that after playing multiplayer games for a period of two months, right in ten children ages five to twelve were better able than before to work with other children to complete tasks, proving that individuals can pick up life skills such as teamwork through computer games.
With the spotlight increasingly being focused on creative thinking and critical problem solving skills in society today, it is comforting to know that computer gaming can also stimulate one’s mind to think out of the box and explore various methods of liberating oneself from the same dilemma. Not all computer games involve physical mutilation of opponents. Some require players to crack bewildering puzzles and baffling codes to successfully advance to the next level. Such tasks are certainly no child’s play and players are forces to put their intelligence quotas to this grueling test and source for possible solutions. Through such games, players’ minds will be trained to look at problems from different angles, promoting the development of a creative, versatile mind. One pristine example is “Archimedes’ Lab Puzzle”, where players are bombarded with a barrage of complex mathematical sums and are required to solve them in a stipulated time before progressing to the next level. Through such mind boggling computer games, players can develop a healthy, creative mind.
However, excessive computer gaming can also be addictive for those who lack discipline. With the overwhelming urge to progress to a higher level, some would neglect all other responsibilities and the opportunity costs of whiling away precious time playing computer games. In a recent article published in ‘The Straits Times’, a father, when interviewed, lamented that his teenage son became so obsessed with completing a computer game that he would lock himself in his room every day after school, bent on fuelling this unhealthy obsession, and was nonchalant about his plummeting grades.
Also, excessive exposure to computer game violence can translate into players exhibiting such forms of violence in real life. A Swedish newspaper once reported that after the game ‘Doom’ had been introduced into the country, the rate of juvenile crime had, and not by mere coincidence, witnessed a considerable increase. Such games portray violence to be an acceptable means of solving problems, requiring players to stab, punch or put a bullet through their opponents to render them innocuous to their advance to a higher level. Children and younger teenagers are especially vulnerable to this irresponsible and reprehensible depiction of violence, thus it is understandable that in this respect, computer gaming cannot be considered a healthy pursuit.
It is hard to dispel the notion that computer gaming necessarily leads to failing grades and blatant neglect for all other duties and life, as evidence has shown. However, this is only true in extreme cases. Computer gaming, the phenomenon which has captured the world by storm, is not merely about decapitating three-headed dragons or slaying humongous in a nauseating fashion. It can indeed promote a healthy mind, and thus constituting a healthy body. The danger lies only when computer gaming becomes an obsession. Like everything else in life, computer gaming will be healthy if consumed in moderation and where one finds it impossible to extricate himself from the excitement and exhilaration of the game, discipline and willpower must come into play before entertainment morphs into obsession.
