TOPIC # 37 Do you agree or disagree that progress is always good?

Human is too ambitious to give up on progress. Progress in different fields has had many benefits for man, however these always have been along with some afterwards, which themselves demand more progress. So man has always been wandering in this endless circle of progress. I believe progress is not always good. This is because it has taken our clean air, health, and safety away from us.

First, air pollution is one of the most obvious results of the advancement in technology and industries. While maintaining use of coal fuels, our cars and factories continuously pomp their harmful emissions into the air imposing health risks on everyone. Meanwhile, these poisonous substances also rise into the atmosphere and compound the greenhouse effect which is responsible for the high temperature on the earth, and following glaciers meltdown and water bodies’ elevation. In fact, air pollution is an excessive price to pay for so-called progress.

Second, immobility is another impact of technology. Automation, cars, elevators, even remote controls, and so forth have made our lifestyle less active and more sedentary. We walk less and sit more. For instance, today, we barely walk to the local market and do shopping, we either get in the car to go to the market or order a home delivery. Or we hardly use steps to go lower floors. Technology has made everything easy for us. However, it is leading us toward obesity, and other subsequent troubles such as heart attack.

Third, the more car industries develop, the more fatalities ensue. Nowadays, car industry is one of the leading industries. Different major companies compete with each other in introducing the newest progresses in this area. However, as they increase the speed and the acceleration, the traffic-related accidents and fatalities increase, too. There is not a single day not to hear about car crashes and casualties in the news reports.

Overall, I think advancement has brought us many troubles in addition to convenience and comfort. This is because it has made our air polluted, our bodies overweight, and it has also caused many deaths and disabilities. I hope these problems can be solved by more progress.