Since the advent of humanity, civilization has been a core part of our transition from one generation to another via development in various aspects. The importance of civilization can never be overemphasized, even though it has its downside. Its impact on our livelihood can't just be played down, and today I'll love to talk about my perspective on the pros and cons of civilization.
It's worthy of note that civilization is the driving force of development and advancement in the various fields around the globe; without it, humanity would be in the same state; without development, there would be no improvement in technology and related aspects, so in a nutshell, if you see a nation advancing, that shows they've given room for improvement in order to attract civilization.
Pros of Civilization
- Technology: To start with, civilization has had a wonderful impact on our technological development over the years. Prior to the more civilized world we have today, in ancient times people had to walk miles from one location to another, and those who were much wealthier could resort to animals such as horses and camels as a means of transportation. But with the advent of civilization, a revolution has taken place in technology, and now we can travel long distances with cars, planes, jets, and the like, to mention but a few.
Also, in aspects of technological advancements as pros of civilization, communication has been made easier. Unlike in the past, when you had to walk a huge distance to convey a message, burn bushes, or use animals like birds to transport your information, in our model world, which is a taste of technology, we've come to have swift communication mediums such as the phone, internet, mass media channels, and the like, to mention but a few.
- Freedom: In ancient days before the world became this civilized, there was little to no freedom in speech or the right to do things, and there was more of a dictatorial style of leadership, unlike when civilization brought about freedom. In various aspects of life, although these haven't spread to all parts of the world, the part that opens its arms to embrace civilization has enjoyed the benefits in this regard.
Still, in regards to freedom, in time past there used to be a high volume of racism and slavery in the world, and these led to one region not having regard for the other, but in the modern world, all thanks to civilization, all have come to agree that such acts are inhumane, and we've come to have different human rights agencies around the globe that are working around the clock to curb a form of slavery or inhuman act still going on in our world today.
The pros of civilization are still many, and I can go on and on touching on aspects like medicine, governance, globalization, and the like, but I'll bring this to a close for now while I dive into the cons of civilization.
Cons of Civilization
- HEALTH ISSUES: Despite how amazing and positively impactful civilization has been on our world, it still has its cons, and one of them is disease and sickness. While this might not have been the aim of civilization, it's still one of its side effects. Take, for instance, modern food, which has been preserved with so many chemical substances that have negative effects on our health in the long run, and that's one of the ways rare illnesses that didn't exist in the past emanate from it.
In the aspect of health issues, the body creams, perfumes, and other stuff we use for beautification have been one of the leading causes of cancer, killing loads of people on a daily basis. This also draws back to the toxic chemicals like carbon released into the community via big factory waste, car exhaust, and the like.
- Tradition/Cultural Longevity:** While civilization seems great and has an impact on lives, it has had a negative impact on different cultures and traditions. Take, for instance, the fact that people would rather dress cooperatively than put on their cultural attire that helps promote and uphold their values. The same is true when it comes to the important norms of the people. Civilization has had a way of making other things more relevant in a way that many people hardly pay attention to our norms as a people, and when such norms aren't transferred to the current generation, such norms or traditions are dead.
My Take and Ways of Dealing with Civilization
But the pros and cons of civilization have had their impact on my life just as they have had on other people's lives. I'm grateful for the pros of it because I just can't imagine myself walking a long distance daily or doing all sorts of ridiculous activities just to communicate with someone in a faraway place when we now have phones and vehicles all thanks to civilization, but the cons I'm aware of of its impact on the transfer of knowledge and norms of culture and traditions are ones I wish I could learn more about. Unfortunately, civilization has made our elders, who had this knowledge, prioritize other things and thereby forget to pass it on to us, the new generation.
Recognizing its pros and cons has a way of helping me manage things thoroughly and be more careful with its negative impact that could jeopardize my health or well-being. I've also used the pros, such as technology, to ease my way of life, cut costs, and live a better life. All in all, almost everything has its positive and negative aspects, and the ability to decipher both is the first step towards living a good life despite all the flaws of civilization.
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That's about all for now, thanks so much for your time, stay bless.