The image of society: how it has changed over time and what caused it?
By Rebecca Neale
As you grow older, it’s easy for the world to change and grow up right along with you, but as you look back on how it once was, you notice the big changes that have taken place. In the past, society used to have an image of simplicity and purity. The kids had freedoms and the adults had jobs. People weren’t judged based on their race, religion, looks, or anything else. As I look at what kind of world I have grown up in, I always find myself noticing how little freedom kids had, how parents were fired and became unemployed so easily, and this is still happening. I see kids who check the mirror five different times in one day to make sure they look okay, and kids who have no friends because they’re different. Our society has become a cruel place and it’s not easy to grow up in.
We can blame this change on the thing that is hurt the most, the people themselves. New technologies make it easier to be bully kids. The economy has been bad and parents find themselves in hard situations without jobs. Society has changed because of the human race itself. No longer are some things acceptable that were in years past. Although it may seem the image of society has changed in bad ways, we make these changes for the better, not knowing the side effects. We may not live in a simple and pure place today, but it was our own doing.
By Ms. Allen
Society is continually changing because the values of people in society keep changing. What is acceptable now was unheard of when I was young, and what was acceptable when I was young, was unheard of when my mother was young. As society moves forward, a shift from family to an emphasis on the individual has occurred. As members of society, we have a responsibility to do what is best for society as a whole. It appears we have forgotten this responsibility as we are more focused on individual rights. Individual rights are important but must be balanced with respect and responsibility.
Technology has been a key factor in the change of society over time. Technology has assisted the speed of communication and news. We are connected quicker to events as they happen. While this ability allows society to react quicker to disaster, it also creates a shock factor. Today it seems the goal is to be more outrageous than the person before you. The more familiar events are in our memories the more acceptable and common they become in society. The shock factor disappears and a new norm is created causing a shift in society’s views. As technology continues to evolve and become more accessible, we need to take responsibility for the impact of the technology and handle it appropriately for the good of society.
