MUET TASK 2 ESSAY SESSION 1/2022 : "MODERNISATION HAS ROBBED US OF OUR PEACE OF MIND"- SAMPLE ESSAY/SAMPLE ANSWER/DISAGREE

 

 REMINDER: 
PLEASE DO NOT PLAGIARISE THIS ESSAY. 
PLAGIARISM IS A SERIOUS ACADEMIC  OFFENSE!

You have been asked by the school editorial board to write for the school bulletin. You have decided to write on the following topic:

 Modernisation has robbed us of our peace of mind

 Write an essay stating your opinion on the above statement. Write at least 250 words.

 

The world is becoming more modern each day. We would hear of so many modern items, equipment or technology being produced, advertised or even launched daily. The most recent would be the launching of the MEASAT satellite that would provide our country with the 5G Internet coverage.  Would you believe then that modernisation has robbed us of our peace of mind? I, for one, would not believe that and so disagree with the statement as I feel modernisation makes life easier for us, it gives us many options and it widens our horizons.

 

First and foremost, modernisation makes life easier for us. As we can see now, there are so many errands that can be done just by using the phone or laptop without having to go out of our house. For example, to do some banking transactions like transferring money to one’s parents or children, he or she can just access the bank’s e-banking platform and send the money to the receiver just by pressing some buttons on the phone or laptop keypad. Another example would be shopping. Nowadays, we could buy almost all necessary items like clothes, cleaning detergents or stationeries online through platforms like Lazada or Shopee without having to go out to the actual stores or shops. All this is made possible by the advancement of technology and the Internet, in other words, modernisation. Before, we might have to dress up, drive our vehicles, find a parking space, get into a queue to approach a bank counter or an Auto Teller Machine (ATM) to transfer money. Then, we would perhaps have to drive to another spot or shopping area, find a parking space again before patronising 3 shops should we after that want to buy clothes, detergents and stationeries. However, with modernisation now, we do not even need to get into our vehicles to go to the town to complete these errands. Everything can be done from the comfort of our home with just some clicks on the phone or laptop keypad. Subsequently, we could then have not only more time at home but also more ease and peace of mind to complete other chores or just to enjoy life and quality time with our family. It is in this way that I truly believe modernisation has made our life easier and so has not robbed us of our peace of mind.

 

Secondly, modernisation has brought to us a lot of options. We could take the field of communication as an example. Today, there are various channels, avenues and methods for us to communicate with each other. First, there is the phone either a mobile or the one with a land line. Next, if there is a need for us to see each other’s’ faces as we communicate, we could opt for a Google Meet session, Face Time, video call and other similar camera-included ways of communication. At times when we would only prefer texts messages, there are apps for such communication like WhatsApp, Telegram and WeChat. In times when land or mobile phone lines fail to connect us, there are also WhatsApp and Telegram calls that could be made. For those who love writing long messages, the e-mail is always accessible and available as a channel to communicate. If that is not enough, the social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are readily available for our posts, comments and tags to ease communication among us. This is what modernisation has provided us with. To view a situation in which we might not be able to use the landline phone, there are other various ways we could utilize to connect with someone as Internet coverage is also widely available now. We would not run out of alternatives as so many are available, and thus would not lose our calm and peace of mind. If we take a step into the past when it was not very modern, not technologically-advanced and of course, no Internet, we would be able to see that there was not much being offered for communications – only landline phones, telegrams and post mails, which if they fail to function, we would be left without any alternative to communicate. Hence, as modernisation has provided us with so many options and alternatives., I do not believe that it has robbed us of our peace of mind.

 

Last of all, modernisation widens our horizons. It is not apt not to link the Internet with modernisation. With the Internet, came other opportunities and possibilities, for example, the world is linked and wired up. Therefore, we could be connecting, talking, communicating with people from different parts and regions of the world. They could also be promoting and advertising something that would also reach us, although we are thousands of miles away from them. For work, especially, some companies could be promoting or advertising vacancies in their countries or other areas that in the past could only be available to their countrymen or neighbouring nations. With the use of the Internet, several platforms like Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, and websites like Indeed.com or Jobstreet.com; almost everyone all over world would have equal chances to apply and get hired. Those in countries with low economic status like Bangladesh and Nepal could then apply to work overseas than just to rely on the scarcely-available and lowly-paid jobs back home.  From this perspective, our horizons are widened. There is still light at the end of the dark tunnel. Some could still be getting jobs to sustain themselves and their families should they not get hired in their own country. In addition, with modernisation and technology that brought faster vehicles which reduce travel time like the speed train, one could still work elsewhere but travel from home or return home more frequently than perhaps a decade ago, thus opening more opportunities of working in a distant land, in some cases without the necessity of migrating. With all these possibilities, there could be no loss of peace of mind especially regarding one’s sustenance and survival to continue life. One could still get a job although none is available around him. With this widening of our horizons, especially in the employment and work sector, I am confident that modernisation has not robbed us of our peace of mind.

 

As a conclusion, modernisation definitely has not robbed us of our peace of mind as it actually makes our life easier, it brings us many options and it truly widens our horizons. Modernisation is also about the disappearance of physical borders, the acceptance of things foreign, the display of traits hidden or obscure before, and the establishment of connections that were perhaps not in existence before. Park Won-soon, the former mayor of Seoul, has aptly suggested this through his words when he commented on the “Psy” phenomenon: “…now as we have reached modernisation . . . many citizens can display their potential for arts and culture and I believe that’s why Psy has become so popular.”

Written by,

  mzsa MUET

Twitter@ MzsaMUET

MUET TASK 2 ESSAY SESSION 1 2022: "MODERNISATION HAS ROBBED US OF OUR PEACE OF MIND" - Sample Essay (Answer/AGREE)

   REMINDER: 
PLEASE DO NOT PLAGIARISE THIS ESSAY. 
PLAGIARISM IS A SERIOUS ACADEMIC  OFFENSE!

You have been asked by the school editorial board to write for the school bulletin. You have decided to write on the following topic:

 Modernisation has robbed us of our peace of mind

 Write an essay stating your opinion on the above statement. Write at least 250 words.

 

The world is becoming more modern day by day. There are numerous modern items, concepts, ways of doing things that emerge as time passes, which sometimes could affect not only the tranquility of our life and mind but also our finances. Is it true that modernisation has robbed us of our peace of mind? In my opinion, I agree with the statement because the process of modernisation requires the acquisition of new knowledge, it demands the use of some tools and traditions could be forgotten.

 

First of all, modernisation would require new knowledge. After a long time of living with the knowledge that most of us already have, modernisation might require or even force most of us to take up new knowledge. For example, for those among us who are around 50 years old and above, they are more familiar with the “old” system of banking: that is to go to the bank and carry out almost all banking transactions at the bank counter. However, with the modern way of banking now, these same people might have to conduct their transactions via e-banking on the Internet. They would then have to acquire some new knowledge, for instance to learn how to use the computer or laptop, to surf the Internet and also to utilize the bank’s e-banking platform. For a person of 50 years old and above, acquiring technological knowledge like this could be difficult, especially when they would have to do it on their own. This is due to a person’s abilities to learn new skills would be diminishing as one gets old and older. Yet, not learning this required new knowledge could be troublesome too as they might not be able to withdraw money or might have to ask for assistance, which then could lead to more risks. So, to move together with this modern time, these people would have to force themselves to learn and relearn these new skills and knowledge, and later could be experiencing negative effects like stress, fear of the devices or anxiety of making mistakes online thus losing their peace of mind. In short, modernisation has robbed us of our peace of mind could be a true fact.

 

Next, modernisation could rob us of our peace of mind as it demands the use of some tools. Sometimes, to access some modern facilities, we would have to own a particular tool such as the mobile phone. Let’s take the pandemic period as an example. During the Covid-19 attack, the Ministry of Health had come up with an app – MySejahtera - to track one’s movement as an effort to restrict the spread of the virus. Almost all shopping venues, eateries and outlets then made the use of MySejahtera compulsory for their customers. This app would need to be downloaded into each citizen’s mobile phone, and every person was required to scan a QR code in order to enter a facility or building. In other words, if you do not own a mobile phone, you could not enter some premises. Although mobile phones could be considered a necessity nowadays, some people might still not own one. Contrary to the times before the pandemic, an individual could just freely enter any shop; and if he forgets to bring his phone or does not own one, he could still access the stores of his choice. There was no worry of not being able to purchase goods or to carry out some errands had that been the case. However, as of during the pandemic , if one does not own a mobile phone, forgets to bring it with him or even if it runs out of battery, he would find himself not able to buy things, have a meal or a drink or even board a public transport as he could not scan the QR code for entrance. In this light, there is so much to worry when one goes out of his home – whether he has his phone, brings it with him or the phone has enough battery. This episode of the pandemic could show us how modernisation has robbed us of our peace of mind as we always need to have some tools, like a functioning mobile phone, with us all the time when we are outside our homes.

 

Finally, modernisation could cause the loss of traditions. Some traditions have been the practice of our society and communities for decades, if not years. Let us take the example of the tradition of sending Hari Raya cards or those of other festivals to family members and friends. This tradition has been existing in our society for a long time. Yet, with today’s advancement of technology that brought the mobile phones and the Internet, a modern style of wishing for these festivals has emerged -by sending online greeting cards. As we struggle and learn to use our mobile phones and Internet-linked devices optimally, many among us are pulled into the waves of this new trend and then start sending the online greeting cards instead of the printed versions. The trend is so strong and perhaps has accumulated a lot of followers that the printed greeting cards are very difficult to be found now. This can be said as one tradition lost. Perhaps, as the world turns more modern, more traditions could be lost, resulting in worry and the loss of our peace of mind. Some of us, especially the elderly, might be feeling that the foundations of our societies, the very things that make us who we are and the practices of our culture could be disappearing due to our need to adapt to the modern items and the trends that they brought with them. They might no longer feel as secured and grounded in their traditions and cultural identity as before; and in fact might feel threatened with the disappearance or diminishing traditional beliefs and customs. In short, it is in this way that modernisation has robbed us of our peace of mind.

 In a nutshell, it is undeniable that modernisation has robbed us of our peace of mind as it requires the acquisition of new knowledge, it demands the use of some tools and our valuable traditions could be lost.  As most of us are praising modernisation for the ease and technology it brings us, it is hoped that we could also realise that modernisation is not always good; as once commented by a wise man: “We thought modernisation would make us better but in some cases, it has made us even worse. We became emotionless as if our emotions [are] transferred into those emojis”.

        

Written by,

MUET Mzsa

Twitter@MzsaMUET