Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Robert Owen (Zack Johnson)
A mother holds her newborn in her arms. His eyes are closed and he lies curled in a peaceful ball. The love by his mother seems to soak into his soul and plaster a content smile permanently on his face. Most people could agree that in this moment the child is truly innocent. His closed eyes have seen nothing of the world and his brain contains nothing but warm feelings associated with proximity to his mother. Yet as this child grows up, this innocence is slowly shattered. With each horrid experience that he is forced to endure, another piece of the protective shell that he once lived under disappears. Soon, this shell is completely obliterated. Society is completely to blame. Had this child’s surroundings been one of complete happiness and acceptance, this shell would not have burst. Instead, the child is forced to live in a world of harshness and cruelty. The shell stands no chance. The industrial revolution possessed the ability to change this environment. The boom in the economy helped parents find stable jobs. The new innovations improved the quality of life and work for thousands. Indeed, with these advances, a select few were able to preserve the shell of innocence for those living under their command. For instance, I created a compound where people could live and work in harmony while enjoying a good quality of life and a good education. However, the rest fell prey to the greed of the powerful. The creators of many of the factories were solely driven by a desire for profit. To maximize these profits, they forced their workers to work ridiculous hours under atrocious conditions. The workers were given no education and very little pay. Almost daily, weavers would lose their fingers to the loom. All of these factors contributed to the acceleration of the obliteration of the shell of innocence as well as any happiness they had before going to work. Thus, even though it helped some, it is impossible to say that Europe’s Industrial Revolution positively impacted all of its citizens.
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Julian Wu (Adam Smith)
ReplyDeleteIt is not impossible to say that Europe's Industrial Revolution positively impacted all of its citizens. First of all, EVERYONE suddenly achieved a higher standard of living. It does not matter how many hours of long tiresome work people put in. It was still better than their lives before the Industrial Revolution. Although many factories were solely driven by desire for profit, it still benefited the economy. The mass production of such products will not only achieve great profit but also help improve the country as a whole. Yes, workers are worked long hours under bad conditions, but that is the small picture compared to the great increase of the well-being of the country. The workers given little education and pay were still better off with their lives compared to what they had before the Industrial Revolution. Although some of the changes of the Industrial Revolution may not be big, it still positively impacted all of Europe's citizens.
Robert Owen
ReplyDeleteMr. Smith, you make a valid point: the standard of living did go up with the industrial revolution. However, you miss a key distinction: the difference between standard of living and quality of life. It is my opinion that quality of life greatly outweighs standard of living. Standard of living relates to monetary profits and one's wealth. Quality of life refers to one's happiness. I believe in happiness. I can live in a mansion with innumerable servants and the finest foods, but if I am terminally ill I will not be able to enjoy these luxuries. My quality of life would suffer. Money is only a tool of order. Thus, while the Industrial Revolution benefited the economy and raised the standard of living, it did not positively impact all. The negative impact that the long hours and the horrible conditions had on the quality of life held priority over any positive impact.
great thread here...
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