Is progress necessarily beneficial for society? Comment.

My stand is, progress is beneficial to the society. Before I slammed a whole chunk of words on you, let me share a hilarious thought. You would not be reading my post now on a flat screen if not for progress. Well, I liked to start with reminding you that the Computer was part of progress. :)

Let me just take the most recent event for example. Swine Flu. Without progress in medical knowledge we might not be able to produce medicine that could cure Swine flu. Without progress in basic hygiene knowledge we would not be able to decelerate the rapid spreading of Swine Flu. Without progress in technology, we might not be able to continue learning behind our computer screens if we were to be quarantined.

Just imagine if we were to be in the 1960s. The era when medical knowledge was not that advanced, personal hygiene was not always practiced and computers were not in Singapore yet. Could we fight Swine Flu that way?

On the other hand, because of progression, cars and air-conditioners were made. They cause pollution but its also because of progress that we created better cars and better air-conditioners which are more environmentally-friendly. Imagine cars were not created, we will be riding bicycles to work and school. The sick and injured would be lying down on a trishaw on their way to the A & E Unit. Ridiculous. Movie-goers exasperatingly fanning themselves while watching a movie. Haha. Elderly and young shivering while bathing without a water heater on a cold, rainy day.

I hope you all find my examples humorous but at the same time think about how progress is beneficial to the society.