Issue88 by zephyrqq

zephyrqqUID: 2260290

ISSUE88 - "Technologies not only influence but actually determine social customs and ethics."
字数：390   594       用时：01:00:00   加了29分钟     日期：2008-2-21 15:59:00

With the rapid development of science and technology, there is a growing concern on the influence that technologies have exerted on social customs and ethics. Does the progress of technologies greatly impact or even change our traditional habits and moral standards? If I were asked by someone to response to this question, I would answer it in affirmative for the following reasons.

To begin with, it is obvious that modern technologies have influenced our society in all almost aspects, including customs and ethic. The technology of electronic communication affect people's habit of exchanging messages. When people found they can send email in the Internet conveniently and economically, a considerable number of those who can get access to a computer tend to give up writing traditional letters, which is a time-consuming and comparatively expensive way. This typical case throw light on the point that technology can make some differences on some conventions. In addition, technologies also have something to do with social ethic. The performance of euthanasia arouse drastic moral debate between people from different groups, so does the technology of cloning a human being. Both of these technological problems crash with traditional moral standards and set people on ethical reflection. In a word, technologies indeed have a undeniable influence on customs and ethics in modern world.


Furthermore, believe it or not, Technology, which could be defined as the appliance of science in practical world,  can even determine some of our customs. Take the method of  writing in China for example. History tells us  that in ancient China people used to write by carving their characters on pieces of bamboo and therefore the so-call the books of the time was extremely heavy and inconvenient to carry. They also wrote important things on silk, which was slight but rather expensive. However, these means of writing disappeared with the invention of paper--a ideal medium not only light but also fairly cheap. In today's China nobody carve a bamboo for the purpose of writing any more, except artists who do that as a form of traditional artistical work, or experts who focus on the research of ancient culture. This change of writing habit illustrates the fact that technology can lead fundamental changes to social habit and even shaped our daily life.

When it comes to social ethical issue, it is the same. Something seems moral acceptable or even favorable have become immoral as a result of the development of technology. People's opinion towards cousin marriage serves as a good case. Our ancestors, who  thought nothing of cousin marriages, even viewed this kind of marriage as a agreeable thing witch possess wonderful power to enhance the relationship within their family. However, modern technology enabled the further research of genetics, which indicated that marriages between near blood relatives actully significantly increase the risk of genetic diseases. According to scientific theory, children from cousin marriages often have serious congenital illnesses, which inevitably lead tragedies to their families and the whole society. In the fear of  these unfortunate consequences, most societies view cousin marriage as immoral nowadays, and in many countries governments even make laws which set a ban to this sort of inappropriate marriage. In this case, we can see clearly how technology that promote the research of genetics changed and reestablish social ethical notion towards marriage.


For all these foregoing reasons,  I generally agree that Technologies influence our social customs and ethics so much that they actually have played a decisive role  to some degree. Actually, there is no reason for us to neglect this power of technology.

[ 本帖最后由 zephyrqq 于 2008-3-6 19:23 编辑 ]

zephyrqqUID: 2260290

ISSUE208 - "The way people look, dress, and act reveals their attitudes and interests. You can tell much about a society's ideas and values by observing the appearance and behavior of its people."
字数：481       今天重写了一遍

Does the way people look, dress, and act reflects their attitudes and interests as the title statement points out? If it does or does not, can we understand the ideas and values of a society according to our observation of its people's appearances and behaviors? As far as I am concerned, under most circumstances, look, dress and action could reveal the attitudes and interests of people as well as the values of their society.

To begin with, the actions of people are often revealing their will and value. Everyone of human being is born to be a social member, and their act and value are influenced or even shaped by the culture of their society and these ideas would impact on their action. Thus, the customs and life styles of the people in a society of reveal it value system and cultural preference. For example, a society whose members prefer to lead their lives at a rapid pace might place more value on efficiency while lay less value on leisure. Similarly, a society whose members always choose their food carefully to keep a healthy diet and do exercises frequently might attach great value to health. In these cases, people’s act tell us something about the ideas and values of their own society.

When it comes to look and dress, it is quite similar. Actually, to some degree, these two aspects  have some relevant to act. When we see groups of people, especially women, always dress in a way which trying to exposure as less as their body as possible, this might informs us that they might come from a conservative society which might place less value on freedom and being open. Thus, it is possible for us to get some information about the values and ideas of a society by observing the dress and look of its members.

Admittedly, sometimes people's behaviors might contradict with their attitudes, and they use these behavior to conceal their real attitude to avoid hurting the feelings of other people or protect themselves. And sometimes they dress themselves in a special style, which extremely distinct with their usual and normal one, just for fun. In addition, sometimes people’s dress and look just reflect their ethnical (white people looks quite different from a black one), or the climate of where they live (people live in areas with a hot climate tend to dress less clothes than those who live in districts which are rather cold.) However, on most occasions, their behaviors, look and dress would convey something of ideas and values of their society, at least to some extent.

For all these reason, we could see that people's attitudes and interests often determine the way their look, dress and behavior, and therefore the latter could reveal the former. And people’s behavior could also serve as a mirror that reflect the ideas and values of their own society.

justinweiUID: 2234137

占个座先，不知道lz会不会回拍？

zephyrqqUID: 2260290

有要求可以回拍

justinweiUID: 2234137

那楼主先回拍一下我昨天的拍文

zephyrqqUID: 2260290

恩，你三月3号拍的我今天才看到，不好意思，明天会回拍你~今天实在没有时间了