ACT

October 2nd, 2019

Link to Prompt!

With the rapid development of the technology world today, there is a debate brewing whether the increasing presence of machines is truly beneficial to society. Some say that machines have stolen part of our humanity and that we no longer are required to respect and tolerance for other people, while others push the idea that machines have stolen jobs from many. Clearly, the benefits of machines, when used properly by humans, allows life to be efficient, helps deal with the world’s problems, and leads to a better life. 

Although the benefits of using advanced machines outweigh the costs, there are still times when machines can bring harm to our society. One of the most common examples would be machines replacing basic jobs. Perspective two mentions that machines are good at low skill repetitive jobs, and so nowadays, many companies or industries use automation. This has resulted in millions of job losses across the world in the last ten years, affecting the lives of numerous families. In addition, perspective one mentions that machines have caused us to lose the need to respect, tolerate, and have basic courtesy for one another on daily encounters. This is true among teenage society today in which statistics show that because of the rapid use of smartphones, one of the world’s most common yet powerful machines, bullying rates have risen from social media use, family relationships have declined, and teenagers now prefer texting one another as compared to actually talking with their friends in person. However, these harms only come when the machines are not used properly. When used in the right, machines actually help push and develop our society.

The development of machines has made life much easier and efficient for millions. With the invention of cars and planes, people can now travel anywhere in the world under a day. A five-hour walk becomes a 30-minute drive. A month in the sea becomes 12 hours in the air. More advanced machines like smartphones, when used with self-control, are actually very useful. Not only do they allow people to communicate from far distances, but they also provide different services and apps like maps, calculators, and planners. It allows a person to store everything they need in one small place. This makes traveling, communicating, and other daily tasks much more efficient. Perspective 3 highlights that machines have pushed humans to unimagined possibilities. This is best seen in the scientific world. With technologically advanced machines developed like the particle accelerator, strong microscopes, and precise medical equipment, scientists are able to learn and discover more, further expanding our knowledge of this world. The knowledge gained can then be used to help create a better world. For example, developing highly advanced machines allow scientists to discover certain genetic codings, CRISPR, in the human body and other animals. Using this knowledge, genetical diseases can be studied, prevented, and possibly even cured. 

In conclusion, there are definitely ways in which machines are a demerit to human society. However,  the merits that these sophisticated machines can bring far surpasses the harm that these machines may cause, making life on Earth better. 

Reflection: This was probably the essay I struggled with the most. Not only was their a very short 40 minute timer, but I also had to come up with my own ideas. For this essay, I tried to approach it in a more simplified way where I could write less due to the time constraint. Instead of a normal five paragraph writing, I went with a four paragraph essay that included a concession and argumentative paragraph. Reading the essay again, I believe that this structure has its potential as it makes my whole essay sound like a debtate and it allows me to rebuttal opposing arguments. This structure could definitely be explored as I write more ACT Essays.