Welcome all to Let's talk about..., a place created to analyse different current topics of general interest.
HOMEWORK IS HARMFUL
The value of homework is gaining important value. Teachers and parents have not hesitated to express their different opinions on this issue.
One of the main arguments for doing homework is that children strengthen basic educational skills. This is illustrated by the fact that most experts argue homework helps students to expand vocabulary as well as improve mental arithmetic, calligraphy and spelling. But doing homework not only encourages children to create study habits but it is also a good way to learns to be disciplined and autonomous. Obviously, supposing children want to succeed in life, they have to learn to confront tasks after receiving the guidelines from their teachers.
Opponents of homework believe that spending time on homework does not improve children´s autonomy because they do not have enough skills. For instance, most of the students need assistance from an adult. Not to mention the fact that doing homework every evening makes impossible that children can have fun with friends, especially while they are becoming teenagers. In addition to this, it is a fact that homework is equal for all students so they do not conform to the needs of each student so as to strengthen their educational needs.
Taking everything into account, I am convinced that homework is not the absolute answer to educational skills. Nevertheless, if homework is supposed to improve children´s skills, teachers should set them their personal homework in order to find solutions to the educational needs of each student.
IS HOMEWORK HARMFUL FOR OUR CHILDREN?
Children spend a lot of time doing homework. Parents have to adapt their lives to it. Both complain about that and the issue has reached to the mass-media. Is homework really harmful or a necessary way to learn?
To start with, it is a well-known fact that knowledge is a process and each subject needs a different way to be assimilated. For instance, when children start to learn reading and writing require a lot of practice. Another example is related to History, which has to be memorized after understanding the facts. In most cases, there is not enough time for that at school.
Not only is homework necessary to learn but it is also good to get students into the habit of working. According to some experts, children that dedicate some time at doing schoolwork at home are more organized and will be independent in their future life.
In contrast, it is often argued that homework does not allowed children have free-time to play and enjoy with their families and friends. Moreover, it becomes a nightmare for their parents having to pay attention to it in their leisure time at home.
Taking everything into consideration, I am inclined to believe that students be given some tasks to improve their skills at home but it always has to be proportional to their ages and abilities.
SMOKING SHOULD BE BANNED WORLDWIDE
Nowadays most countries in the world have implemented regulations in order to restrict or even prohibit tobacco smoking with only a few exceptions. Do you consider smoking prohibitions should be extended to everybody everywhere?
First of all, individual freedom is the essence of human society. According to the Smokers Association, the states should be the guardians of the traditions and lifestyle of their own people, and it is not their duty to impose or prohibit values, cultures and beliefs.
Another drawback would be the negative impact on the economy and employment. The International Labour Organization has reported that about 100 million people work in the tobacco industry. Making redundant such number of people would be an enormous tragedy. Additionally, revenues would substantially decrease.
However, smoking is the leading cause of preventable death. The Center for Disease Control has calculated that tobacco use causes worldwide 6 million deaths per year. Moreover, for every person who dies, at least 30 smokers live with a serious smoking-related illness like cancer, heart disease, chronic bronchitis, etc.
Another advantage is environmental. A recent study of American Burn Association claims that 130000 fires start by cigarettes each year in USA. Furthermore, cigarette butts are toxic and can injure children and small animals.
To conclude, although we could feel that everybody should be free to choose what to do with their lives, I believe that the world would be a better place without cigarettes.
VIDEO GAMES CONTRIBUTE TO YOUTH VIOLENCE
Nowadays, it is widely claimed that one of the first aspects to understand youth violence is the overuse of video games from an early age. However, true reasons are not always as apparent as people do believe. So, first of all, these games should be analysed before taking their harmful consequences for granted.
One of the arguments to oppose video games is that they generate antisocial teenagers who dedicate all their lifetime only to play against a gadget. According to this point, we imagine dark basements where pallid faces of lonely kids are totally hooked on programes deprived of feelings. Obviously, this self-sufficient addiction has to provoke them psychotic effects and unavoidable violent reactions against the rest of the world. Still, far from this false reality, most parents are used to hearing their kids laughing, joking and having a funny chat with their fellows who hold on the other end of the web.
A further point against these “devil's appliances” is that playing violent games incites our children to be aggressive. Therefore, according to this theory, they would need to keep on wounding people when they go outdoors. This argument could appear logical, but, if it were true, likewise my whole generation would have become overweight after those non stop weekends playing the out-rated “pac-man”.
Taking everything into account, I therefore conclude that a hurried and light thought may blame video games of most problems in current society. Nonetheless, broadly speaking, we should avoid using this stereotype if we are looking for the true reasons of so hostile youth.....if it is so.
WAR IS NEVER AN OPTION FOR SOLVING INTERNATIONAL DISPUTES
Nobody seems to desire war, and, currently, you can find, at least, twelve ongoing wars which have caused plenty of violent deaths. If the development of the human rights is a fact, aren’t there any other options for solving international disputes?
One of the main arguments to defend war is that it could be the real only option. At which point is it? According to many people there are times when war is justified. It is supposed that war should only be used in very rare situations, when all the other solutions, such as political negotiations, have failed. Furthermore, governments are thought to repel any unfair military attack. Nonetheless, the answer ought to be to keep in mind all the international regulations.
On the other hand it is considered that war is not the solution. The point of having your leg cut off, is always negative, despite the fact that this saves your life. The consequences are not only the loss of lives, but the destruction of basic infrastructures. In addition, food shortages appears as a result of it, just like the problem with refugees, the ecological damage, or even the indebtedness of the countries.
All things considered, wars would be avoidable if everyone truly wished it. War creates sorrow, bitterness and anger, not to mention the price paid with all the innocent blood spilt. As John Steinbeck said: “War is a symptom of man’s failure as a thinking animal”.
USING ANIMALS IN MEDICAL RESEARCH HELPS PEOPLE
Currently, using animals in medical research, from the fruit fly to the mouse, is a usual procedure. You may feel this is cruel , or even immoral for poor animals. However, others suppot the view that it is a need in order to increase the knowledge about human biology and develop new treatments.
One drawback of using animals is the fact that it is widely believed that it is a cruel alternative, when there are sophisticated computer systems and mathematical models able to show us what happens to our bodies while you are sick without bringing about suffering and pain. A further common criticism is that animals have rights as we do.
Nevertheless, others oppse this viewpoint. Scientist are convinced that investigation involves the use of animals since they are similar to humans and have short-life cycles, so they can easily be studied throughout their whole life. Besides, legally, all drugs have to be tested on animls before they can be used so as to assure the safety of new medical treatments. The greatest advantage seems to be the development of new treatments for heart disease, cancer or bacterial infections, thanks to animals.
Taking everything into consideration, it must be said that, while using animals in medical research could be harmful, without it we slow down the medical progress or, would you like to live in a word without antibiotics?
SMOKING SHOULD BE BANNED WORLDWIDE
Smoking is a controversial issue depending upon whether or not you smoke will most usually determine whether you would vote for a ban to smoking worldwide. But, a person who does not smoke, may want to uphold the rights of the individual who wants to smoke. What do you think, is it fair to restrict the rights of some people in order to promote the rights of others?
Indeed, smoking is the primary cause of preventable illness and premature death. There is also concern today about passive smoking. A further issue is that smoking costs governments a lot of money because of the large number of people who need treatment in hospitals for smoking related problems.
In contrast, it is demonstrated that it can be helpful for people with pathological diseases, such as Alzheimer, Parkinson.... A recent study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute of USA found no statistically significant relationship between lung cancer and being exposed to passive smoking, though. Furthermore, contrary to popular belief, economists in many countries have discovered that high taxes paid by smokers overcome their medical costs.
All in all, I am convinced that banning is not the solution. There is the example of Buthan, the first country free-smoke from 2010. But it does not seem to work as expected. "We think that the smoking level in Bhutan is higher than you might expect. It is just that everybody's not doing it legally," says Jeffrey Drope from the American Cancer Society. Indeed, awareness is the key to success.
WE ARE BECOMING TOO DEPENDANT ON COMPUTERS
We all are surrounded by all kinds of computers in our technological
society. It is a fact that we use these saving-time devices not only in our work, but also for the majority of our daily private lives. Now, think a moment. Could you imagine your life without them?
To start with, it is widely maintained that these labour- saving tools make our lives easier and more productive, for instance doing arduous and unsafe jobs in factories or helping accountants in their offices. Secondly, most people feel that thanks to computers, this is the first time in the history of mankind that we are connected to each other, regardless of geography. Consequently, they encourage human interaction, which is a beautiful point to be considered.
In contrast, some people point out that computers are like an artificial extension of our self. That is to say, they are similar to having an extra “brain” since we are used to doing any cerebral or many daily activities using them. Moreover, it is a fact that some people create a much richer virtual life inside their PCs than their real life is. Furthermore, due to the huge amount of useful information stored inside them, when computers break down, they often cause disastrous problems, especially at work, apart from a sense of helplessness or even social isolation.
All in all, despite it is evident that with the help of computers our lives are easier, these devices have affected us in some worryingly dependant ways.
MARRIAGE IS OUTDATED
Many young people believe that marriage is outdated. It is often claimed that there is no worth in marriage nowadays, therefore, it is a useless step in life. Is it really is like this?
To start with, the wedding usually involves spending a considerable amount of money on such items like wedding dress, suit, restaurant and so on. For this reason, many young couples decide to have a domestic partner. This way they do not only save a lot of money, but also they stand in similar positions because, from the point of view of civil rights, both options are similar. In addition to this, there are many divorces held the first years of marriage due to the fact that couples as such last a lot less. Consequently, it is much easier to undo the union when what has been established is a domestic partnership.
In contrast, many people believe that marriage is a harder and greater commitment. When people decide to get married it is because they are convinced that the other person is their best lifetime choice and they would like to share one of the most important moments in their lives with those who are close such as family and friends. They get married for love. The fact that you love your partner, makes you want to see the best in each other and try to do your best for the other person.
All things considered, I must say that marriage is a very important step in your life that must be thoroughly thought because it should be a lifetime choice to be together with the person you love: in sickness and in health, for better and for worse, with no restrictions at all, which is not always easy.
IS SOFTWARE PIRACY REALLY A CRIME?
Over the last 15 years, the extensive advance in technology has brought up new ways of evading the law, and what is more, new kinds of crime. The rates of illegal downloads have increased exponentially, but are these downloads really a crime?
Many people maintain that as far as you are not depriving the original owner of their property, such us in a carjacking, it shouldn’t be consider a robbery. According to them, piracy is not taking away the copyright from the owner just a copy of the software. One more convincing point in favour of piracy is related to the price of the applications, which are considered so expensive that are regarded as a theft.
Nevertheless, in spite of being intangible, software is the result of months of analysing, codes and tests, it is the product of developers’ work, as it is a car from a car factory.
In addition, the fact that the Free Software Community has become even more important than the commercial one gives us access to a whole range of free high quality software, and on top of that, to a support community to help us.
Taking everything into account, I reckon that we should consider the value of our own work, before taking somebody’s work without paying for it. As Bob Ranking, technology consultant and writer, said “Software piracy is theft, plain and simple. Dressing it up in the pseudo-romantic connotations of "piracy" doesn't change that fact.”
WOMEN WILL NEVER BE EQUAL TO MEN IN THE WORKPLACE
Women had been working outdoors for decades. But still now, in any developed country, the topic is a hot issue, because it seems that women will never be equal to men in the workplace.
First of all, the sad true is that even today, a considerable amount of employers consider pregnancy as a disability, despite the fact that governments implement measures helping small and medium –sized enterprises so that women of childbearing age cannot be discriminated against men.
In addition to this, it is often believed that a woman put ahead her family over her work. Consequently, employers widely believe that women have a propensity to stay at home to care for “an ill child”, for instance, over men. Most critics point out that women earn lower salaries in comparison with men because the part-time work. Women choose them to look after their families and homes.
Opposed to these viewpoints, other employers believe that motherhood is not a handicap, even more it is a value added. While it is true to say that women look after their families first, the less time they have for work, the more they make the most of it. Furthermore, many studies show that women have valuable attributes for working, such as empathy, resolution capacity and leadership skills.
All things considered, it is important to avoid generalizations and stereotypes. Some brilliant Curriculum Vitae would not to be overshadowed by whether the applicant is a man or a woman. Choose the best person, forget gender.