Assess the view that unpaid voluntary work benefits the participants more than it benefits the people the participants are trying to help.
• assess the role of voluntary workers, their aims and contribution to society
• explore the benefits of voluntary work to the participants and wider society
• make a judgement, based on consideration of the evidence and argument
• voluntary work being for a charity, cause or pressure group
• young volunteers gaining experience and making contacts in sectors of interest to them, improving their future employment prospects
• retired people gaining a renewed sense of purpose from their voluntary activities and from contact with younger people
• participants acquiring a broad range of valuable personal and interpersonal skills
• the chosen group gaining a great deal from the services provided
• charities, in particular, relying on voluntary workers to reduce costs to maximise their potential efficiency and effectiveness
• volunteers not being properly vetted or supervised, possibly resulting in inappropriate behaviour
• volunteers being motivated by religious or other ideological interests, compromising the independence of those they are helping.
Is technology the solution to the problem of global poverty?
Technology is often viewed as a solution to all of humanity’s problems. Afterall technology has opened up many avenues for mankind. From medicines that can cure diseases to software that can crunch and compute vital information, technology has provided endless solutions. It is no surprise then that many people believe that technology can provide solutions to the global problem of poverty. Technology has successfully alleviated poverty in multiple ways in the form of food production, microfinancing and education. However, global poverty is a complex issue and requires a multifaceted approach, that is why technology is only part of the solution to the problem of global poverty.
Technology can help and remove people from the cycle of poverty through access to genetically modified crops. According to the United Nations, around 1.4 billion people rely on agriculture for their daily subsistence. Technology can help these communities by introducing better farming techniques and growing higher yield crops. Most of the times extreme weather conditions destroy the crops for the poor, in such condition technology can prove as a helpful tool. For example, farmers throughout the Global South are turning to SMS-based services for technical support that allows them more easily to adopt new crops and growing techniques. Technology thus provides people with benefits for both natural resources and household income and nutrition. Technology is responsible for the development of ‘high-yielding’ crops like wheat and corn through advances in molecular genetics. However, technology also has a flip side, these technologies meant to help poor farmers often are expensive and end up helping richer businesses, which in turn drives farmers towards poverty. Moreover, even if the poor farmers have access to these technologies, they might lack the technological know-how, which might make such technologies of little use. Thus, while technology has the potential to aid the poor by increasing access to basic necessities, it is unfortunately hampered by several other factors, preventing its effects to be maximised.
Technology, in the form of new media, has contributed significantly to combating poverty. Social media is a prominent tool for spreading knowledge and awareness. It also has the power to influence people to take actions and measures to tackle the issue of poverty. social media, to educate and transform how people engage with reducing poverty. Social media can help in solving the issue of poverty by sharing information to raise public awareness and involvement. An example of this was seen recently, where The Junior League of Savannah participated in the Little Black Dress Initiative where women wore the same black dress for five days. Through the initiative, they tried to illustrate how poverty affects women. Through the initiative, they invited to dialogue about poverty. The influence of social media also encourages people to volunteer and donate to causes that can reduce poverty. An example of this is the Red Nose campaign which has successfully raised $200 million and positively impacted the lives of nearly 25 million children. Many Non-Governmental Organisations around the world employ social media for fundraising and awareness. Thus, technology in the form of social media helps in improving the conditions of the poor and also garner attention towards the issue of poverty.
However, technology cannot help in situations where governments are corrupt and lack governance skills. It is often seen that countries with poor leadership face a greater degree of poverty. Many times, governments fail to manage funds and the mismanagement aggravates the situations. Brazil, Venezuela, and even countries like India are often unable to use technology to better the lives of people, simply due to poor leadership and corruption. Therefore, technology cannot solve the problem of inefficient and corrupt governments.
In conclusion, technology has been an instrumental tool in tackling the issue of poverty to some extent. However, poverty is a complex issue which requires better approaches than just technology. Technology needs to be used in efficient ways with a combination of government efforts and international organisations. Therefore, a better approach is required to tackle the issue of global poverty.
Strong religious belief can be both beneficial and damaging. Discuss.
• assess the benefits of religious beliefs to people and societies
• consider to what extent religious beliefs are damaging
• make a judgement, based on the consideration of the evidence and argument put forward.
• religious belief strengthen positive values; condemn those which are harmful
• the unifying qualities of religion creating a sense of community
• religious belief giving many people a sense of order, meaning and purpose to life
• belief and faith explaining mysteries and giving people an outlet to stress and anger
• the emergence of extreme cults and belief systems having a harmful impact on vulnerable people
• religious belief taking up time that would be better spent on other things
• religious belief resulting in war, death and harm to many groups of people
• the view that having a strong religious belief is ridiculous and unscientific.
How can national identity be fostered in a society like Singapore?
The racial issue has always been one that arouses passion and often, animosity amongst rival races. Indeed, since time immemorial, conflicts have been waged by people of different racial backgrounds. The prospect of further racial confrontations was greatly enhanced after the Second World War, in which many multi-racial countries were hastily carved out of the ruins by the victors. The rifts between the peoples of different races often run deep and take centuries to heal. Hence, in a multi-ethnic society like Singapore, the importance of fostering a national identity cannot be overemphasised
What is national identity? How does it heal the deeply entrenched animosity between two ethnic cultures? The importance of national identity lies in its ability to help integrate peoples of various backgrounds by creating a mindset focussed on the national, rather than racial unity
By seeking to bridge the centuries old racial gap, individuals are encouraged to regard themselves as citizens of a nation instead of members of a race, and to gradually discard the suspicions of old
In most countries, the inculcation of a symbol of the nation’s uniqueness is a long, arduous process. The most basic, fundamental step is the creation of the pillars of the national constitution. This includes the national flag, anthem, language, pledge and constitution. The Singapore national anthem, Majulah Singapura and pledge, aptly represents the ideals of the Malay forefathers who had founded the nation. The daily enunciation of such ideals, though criticised as a subtle form of brainwashing is essential to the development of national pride and unity.
Try writing using the below points:
- Hosting the Youth Olympic games.
- National education in Singapore.
- Racial Harmony Day and Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act.
An effective leader needs to be a good listener. Evaluate this statement.
• discuss what makes an effective leader
• the extent to which listening to others is an important quality in an effective leader
• make a judgement, based on the consideration of the evidence and argument put forward.
• leaders being successful if they understand the mood of the country
• the need for negotiation and discussion in leadership roles meaning careful listening is often required
• effective leaders often picking up on details that others miss
• poor leaders who refuse to heed or acknowledge important voices of dissent
• giving undue weight to the opinions of lackeys or cronies can be damaging
• an over-emphasis on listening leading to delay or inaction
• leaders sometimes having to make unpopular and immediate decisions and listening is often not helpful in such situations
• the dangers of relying on consultants and advisers and the negative impact this can have on management decisions.
Morals cannot be taught. Do you agree?
The statement “morals cannot be taught” suggests an intrinsic knowledge in every person of the rights and wrongs of society. It is based on the idea of an instinctive leaning in everyone toward either good or bad and a complete absence of any change as a result of external influence.
Morals exist as a definition of society. Society has dictated the correctness, the desirability of honesty, integrity – good behaviour. It is, thus, difficult to imagine societal conventions as instinctive. The concept of right and wrong is a matter of learning, and acquisition of knowledge. Thus, morals can be taught, and have to be, to a child.
A human baby is absolutely helpless and altogether undeveloped: its brain will more than double in size in its first year of life. he complexity of human behaviour has to be taught to these impressionable infants.
Because humans exist in such a complicated society, necessary social skills are definitely not present in such young minds. Babies and young children rarely behave correctly: they do not compromise and insist on asserting individual rights. Embarrassed parents are often observed ushering misbehaving children out of public places – the adults know full well their child is engaging in undesirable behaviour, but the child is often completely unaware of this.
The effect of familial influence on the morals of offspring is a widely accepted fact – the morals are obviously taught. The neglected young with no positive influence develop into adults with no clear sense of morals – a scenario often presented and shockingly true. Crime rates are linked to poverty levels – struggling parents are too exhausted or too benumbed to care what their young do for money, and with no one to correct their wrong behaviour, these people continue to err.
The behaviour of one’s parents, or any person of guiding influence, dictates the behaviour of oneself. A dishonest person, who thinks nothing of keeping for himself property lost by others, breeds children with the same pattern of thought, simply because the child would receive no message that such an act is wrong. Other examples abound, of similar evidence: an overwhelming 92% of pre-school age children surveyed in London last year displayed patterns of thought almost exactly similar to that of their parents.
The traditions of one’s culture also dictate one’s morals. For example, bigamy is frowned upon by many societies, for being morally reprehensible and violating the rights of women. However, other societies permit this, for example, Muslim men can have up to four wives, and harems were common among Eastern kings in history. Clearly, the established “morals” of monogamy are not instinctive: Muslim men who practice polygamy certainly are not repulsed by the idea of their many wives; polygamous men brought up to believe in monogamy will suffer feelings of guilt at having done wrong.
That morals are taught can be examined in a more interesting fashion, by observing people brought up outside the human community. In the early 1970s, an Indian researcher rescued a girl of eight, who had been brought up by a pack of wolves. While she cowered in his presence, she once leapt at a sleeping baby and snapped at its neck. She was clearly displaying wolf-like behaviour, of healthy respect for bigger animals, but the ruthless killing of weaker ones for food. The killing of a baby is seen as being wrong only by people taught that it is wrong.
The laws of society, and punishment for the violation of these laws, again refute the idea that morals cannot be taught. By reinforcing the established conventions of society’s morals, and inflicting punishment if wrong is done, the system seeks to inculcate moral values in the people, first by detailing what is wrong, then by a clear message that such wrongdoing will be punished.
Indeed, if morals cannot be taught, then what of the numerous campaigns launched by the government? These work by reiterating values as correct, so constantly and repetitively they become accepted as morals. Again, these exist as a reinforcement to those established by society.
Perhaps certain mentally limited individuals cannot be taught morals; certainly insanity is a valid plea in courts of law, admitting that such criminals are incapable of distinguishing between right and wrong. However, in the majority of the population, morals can be taught. Indeed, morals exist only because they are taught – by the family, by religious texts, by society. Morals are established by the society, for we decide what to believe is right or wrong, and have to teach our young accordingly.
With the rise of the Internet, has conventional media become obsolete?
Despite the pervasive influence of the Internet, traditional media still has a growing role. Conventional media continues to stay very popular and important in the daily lives of citizens. Many individuals still listen to the radio while driving to work, read the newspapers on their commute and of course, watch TV while cooking or during dinner with their family. But, over the last 20 years, the Internet and its ecosystem have taken up an important part within our society. This is particularly prominent amongst Generation Y and Z consumers. It would be a stretch to say that conventional media is obsolete. It may be perhaps a tad underused.
Interestingly, the number of hours spent watching television has gone up even in the age of the Internet. Cable TV has exploded with the number of programme offerings and reality TV shows that have captivated audiences for over 20 seasons. While it can be argued that Netflix and Amazon Prime have an increasing following, but these entertainment channels do not offer news, travel and other current affairs programmes. That said, most people prefer to watch Netflix on a large TV screen rather than a tablet or smartphone.
The Internet has changed direct mail quite significantly. Various service providers can provide targeted advertising online and payment only is made when a potential consumer clicks through. There are more avenues to track advertisements through built-in tools that track demographics, location and even the type of device through which the advertisement was seen. Brands are specifically targeting their ideal buyer rather selecting a broad market to bombard with their message. These brands are building relationships with these ideal buyers through increasingly powerful marketing strategies that foster trust in their product or service.
Blogs such as Daily Kos and The Huffington Post have gained credibility and large readerships over the past decade, forcing traditional journalists to blog and tweet in order to keep pace with the flow of the story. Traditional newspapers are also losing out to news aggregators such as Google News, which profit from providing links to journalists’ stories at major newspapers without offering financial compensation to either the journalists or the news organizations. Many newspapers have adapted to the Internet out of necessity, fighting falling circulation figures and slumping advertising sales by offering websites, blogs, and podcasts. The relative success of new media companies such as Vice, Buzzfeed, and Vox – and the fact that some of their largest backers are from the old guard.
The power and influence of conventional media is slowing waning. But a lot of work needs to be put in place to ensure that new media can eclipse old media and create a shining pathway for governments, businesses and consumers. One vital aspect is ensuring proper laws are in place to prevent fake news and to protect free speech. Secondly, censorship and regulation of content has to be more acceptable as a way of producing quality content that helps society grow. While these issues may create some set-backs for new media, it is nevertheless increasing in popularity and accessibility by leaps and bounds.
The efforts to save the environment is the responsibility of developed nations. Discuss.
The destructive bushfires of Australia in 2019 gained widespread media attention. Many discussions and debates talked about various causes which led to the disaster. One recurring theme in all these debates was man-made climate change. Environmental damage can also be seen in the arctic, where melting snow has led to the death of polar bears. It is estimated that polar bears will go extinct in ten years if nothing is done to help preserve their environment. These incidents prove that the efforts to save the environment have not materialised into reality yet. One of the reasons for this is that many believe that developed nations should shoulder the responsibility of conserving the environment as they are better equipped to do so. From a practical perspective, developed nations should shoulder the efforts to save the environment as they have been the main culprits in its destruction.
Developed nations should conserve the environment because they have better resources financially and technologically. Many developed countries have already taken steps to mitigate environmental problems in multiple ways. One of the ways developed nations have adopted is the construction of buildings with ample of green spaces. An example of this can be seen in Singapore, throughout its architecture it encourages the inclusion of plants and trees. Private buildings like Oasia Hotel in downtown Singapore is coated in greenery. The Singapore government is also focusing on planting new trees and preserving mature ones to make housing estates greener, sustainable and more liveable. Similarly, in Chicago, the City Hall Roof which is practically a garden boasts of various flowering plants and bushes. The roof was made to serve as an example for other buildings in the state. It also was made in an attempt to combat rising temperature and improve air quality. The Chicago green roof fulfilled all these goals which is evident from the fact that more than 400 green rooftops are constructed since then. Thus, developed nations are better equipped to save the environment because they have the technology and finances to assist them in this endeavour which many countries do not possess.
Developed nations are primary contributors to environmental damage due to their large-scale industrial activity. Apart from that, the per capita consumption patterns are also very high in the developed world. Thus, these developed countries should take ownership and mitigate the effects of environmental damage. There are companies in the developed world that are taking measures to prevent environmental damage. An example, of this, can be Coco-Cola company that has adopted environmental-friendly practices like conservation of freshwater rivers and sourcing their ingredients from sustainable sources. The company is also set to make changes to its packaging by introducing recyclable plastic bottles. Similarly, IKEA, a furniture company, through its Live Lagom project, encouraged its customers and employee live in a more sustainable way by sourcing sustainable products and only adding furniture to their home when it’s truly beneficial. These efforts by international companies help in making the world a greener and better place. Thus, developed nations have to play a larger role in promoting the efforts to save the environment.
However, it should be noted that developing countries today are mainly responsible for environmental damage as they are undergoing industrial developments. In the future too, it is the current rapidly developing nations that will be the primary contributors to global warming. However, developing nations too could undertake efforts to mitigate environmental damage. An example of this can be the North African country of Morocco, that has successfully shown the will to mitigate climate change by committing to produce electricity through renewable energy sources by 2020. Another country, Brazil has developed innovative products like plastic made from sustainable materials like sugar cane ethanol. This plastic is considered to help in reducing emissions and minimising environmental damage. Similarly, developing countries are also focusing on ecotourism to protect the environment. An example of this is the country of Belize, which is focusing on eco-tourism and is protecting and preserving its natural environments and exotic wildlife. The Belize Barrier Reef is conserved and protected and is an important place which promotes biodiversity. Thus, developing countries can also take efforts and play a part in environmental conservation.
In conclusion, there is no denying that developed countries are better off financially and technologically in mitigating issues related to the environment. However, it is unfair to expect that all the efforts to save the environment should be taken by the developed countries. This is because the task is a Herculean one which requires efforts from all countries and stakeholders. Therefore, everyone is instrumental in preventing environmental degradation. Therefore, while the efforts to save the environment lies in the hands of all the stakeholders, developed countries should shoulder the main responsibility.
To what extent does social media pose a challenge for the government?
Social media is being used in unprecedented ways today. While it has helped people to communicate from across the world. It is also an important tool in influencing thoughts and ideas of people. People today can use social media to share all sorts of information to a larger and wider audience. While that is beneficial in some instances, from a governmental perspective, it can pose a challenge. This is because social media can spread misinformation that can lead to social discord. Thus, it can be said that social media poses serious challenges for governments because the government has little control over social media platforms.
Social media is an unregulated platform with widespread reach which is a serious challenge for the governments. Today, billions of people use the internet and have access to social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. All these platforms display information that can influence people to a large extent. Currently, there are no laws that are meant to regulate these platforms. Governments believe these platforms are very popular and have a massive outreach which directly influences people. For example, during the Arab Spring social media played an instrumental role in spreading awareness. Recently, a US teenager’s TikTok video went viral about the Muslims being put under concentration camps, the video raised awareness about the treatment of Uighur Muslims. Though social media in these instances has often exposed the role of authoritarian governments. There is no denying that governments of these countries have faced immense challenges in controlling these platforms. This is evident from the fact that even after placing bans on Facebook and Instagram in countries like China, people have found workarounds and use Virtual Private Networks (VPN) to access these platforms. Thus, social media poses a serious challenge for governments who want to establish dominance over its people.
Social media use does not lead to mass revolt, but it could still pose a challenge as an arena in which dangerous ideas circulate. Social media has been used by various terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda and Lashkar-E-Taiba in the past. In recent times, ISIS is fighting an online cyberwar, with the use of violent videos, online messages of hate and aim to radicalise and create a new generation of cyber jihadists. Similarly, the Christchurch shootings were orchestrated for the media and spread the message of fear among the masses. Apart from terrorist activities, social media poses a challenge in the form of international governments who try to intervene on internal matters of a country. An example of this is China, which used platforms like LinkedIn to recruit spies in the US. Similarly, Pakistan is known to use social media against India in multiple instances. Leading media houses uncovered propaganda run by Pakistan on social media against PM Modi hours before his crucial meeting with Chinese premier Xi Jinping. All these examples illustrate how social media can be misused to spread misinformation and messages of violence. Therefore, unregulated social media poses a huge challenge for governments as dangerous information circulates widely.
However, in rare instances, social media can also be beneficial to governments which minimise the challenges posed. Social media can be used by governments to interact with people directly during a crisis. An example of this can be the recent outbreak of coronavirus, where governments have tried to use social media to try and reduce panic and mitigate misinformation. Effective use of social media was seen by Singapore, where anxiety and panic of citizens were reduced by updating citizens regularly via social media. When the disease level was raised to orange and citizens began hoarding groceries, the government was quick in trying to reassure and calm citizens. However, despite the attempts, people have not stopped panicking or believing rumours. This is evident from the fact that citizens have used social media to express veiled criticism of government mismanagement and lack of government accountability. Social media now acts as a check and balance against the government. With the use of social media even honest and genuine efforts by the governments can be undermined. Therefore, social media ultimately poses a challenge and is largely a necessary evil that has to be managed.
In conclusion, social media is largely a challenge to the government because it cannot be easily regulated. While laws and policies exist to manage social media, enforcement is often impossible due to anonymity as well as how quickly messages are spread. Though the benefits of social media cannot be denied, from a governmental perspective social media poses serious challenges and is a threat to the government bodies.