Introduction
The objective of this paper is to look into modernity and establish whether modernity is positive or negative. Modernity is a term used to denote cultural variance relative to time. To be modern, often means that an individual or something is up to standards as per current transformations and changes.
People tend to embrace modernity because they believe that these changes in environment or setting as enabled by modernizing forces are good; the changes bring with them power and adventure. Modernity is embraced because it is understood to represent progressive change. To be modern is good; however, in some ways modernity seems to be a threat to human survival, individual comfort and the world at large.
According to Berman (1983, p. 38) modernity has exposed human beings and the world at large to danger; it has destroyed what we have, what we know, and all that we are in one way or the other. Many things have changed due to modernity and what we have today is not what we had in the past. In some instances what we have today is an improvement on what had in the past while in other cases, what we have is real disaster.
Modern technology
Modernity is characterized by changes in technology. Modern technology is faster, effective and efficiently. Modern technology has enabled the production of goods and services that are otherwise hard to produce manually (Giddens & Griffiths, 2006, 922). Technological improvement has led to innovation of many gadgets in the world we live.
Examples of innovation include car models, mobile phones, computers, televisions, microwaves and internet. In the current world, people can not envisage a life without the technological objects or gadgets that come in all sorts of models. With modern technology, we are able to save money and time. Introduction of machines has made life easier because people don’t have to do work manually. Computers have improved communication through internet.
People communicate through email and this saves a lot of time because emails are delivered immediately. In addition, internet is much cheaper than other means of communication. There are machines which have helped people save a lot of money and time e.g. the washing machines. They save time because they work fast and there is no need of employing many people, thus these machines help people save money. All these technological advancement have brought joy and made our world grow.
Regardless of all these advantages, there are disadvantages which come with these technologies. While other people are benefiting from the development of machines, others are losing their jobs. This is because machines are continually being used to substitute people at the workplace.
People who lose their jobs have no source of income anymore and this causes life to get hard for them. Another disadvantage is that machines break down often and thus bring in extra costs. When computers fail, people lose a lot of important data they had stored in the computers. Machines require a professional to repair and sometimes when they break down; these people are not available, which causes work to stall.
Industrial revolution
Modernity is often used to mean the age of enlightenment. Historically, enlightenment or modernity is known to have precipitated into the industrial revolution. The industrial revolution of the renaissance age continues to this age. Industries are constantly transforming in tandem with changed societal characteristics (Woodward, 2003, p. 56).
Improved technology, inventions in communication and improvement of transportation means and modes has led to a sustained revolution in the industrial sector. Changes in agriculture have also contributed to a sustained industrial evolution.
Growth of industries and factories led to the growth of modern towns, which is a positive development. However, the growth of towns has in turn led to many people migrating from the rural areas to the cities in search of jobs in the factories and industries (Wagner, 1994, 125).
Rural to urban migration has led to a population upsurge in the urban centers of the world. The massive populations in the world urban centers increasingly remain a headache for many city planners. The available social amenities can not support the ever increasing numbers.
Another effect of industrial revolution on many people is increase in individual wealth. Many people who own and work in the factories and industries have been able to make their lives better because they have a source of income. However, industrial growth and related growth in individual wealth has had negative effects on many people socially (Woodward, 2003, p. 79).
Due to modernity craze, the world has witnessed an increase in child labor in many countries. Because of rise in population especially in some Third World countries, and lack of education opportunities, children have been forced to work to take care for their poor families. Industrialization due to modernity has led to many social, political and economic changes. The way of working, family life and migration from rural areas to urban areas have all been caused by modernization (Barker, 2008, p. 442).
Liberalism
Modernity in the world of today is characterized by a movement towards liberalism. Different people’s traditional cultures; way of life and traditions have adversely changed as a result of modernization (Baum, 1980, p.38). Due to people from different cultures integrating, other people have lost their cultural identities. Although globalization has led to loss of cultural identities, it is also beneficial because many a people have been liberated from cultural practices which were not life affirming.
Human behavior
Modernity has caused a change in human behavior. In the past or traditional societies, people trusted each other and everyone was a friend. People encouraged the spirit of collectiveness and they came together in case of personal, community or family crisis. Even when it came to lending a neighbor something, they did it without fearing or expecting anything in return.
Modernity has led to an increase in population and a rise in crime. People no longer trust others; especially those from outside their nuclear family unit. Modernity has also caused changes in family life. The extended family is no longer considered important but as a unit that is there to misuse the nuclear family.
Education
Modernity is fueled by education or development in learning schemes and programs. In the modern world, basic education is equally important and open to everyone. This is a positive effect of modernity because in the pre-modern world, education was viewed as a privilege and only for a particular people especially the rich.
In the modern world all individuals have a right to some basic education (Sullivan, 2007, p.56). In addition to basic education, people are pursuing higher education and it doesn’t matter whether they are rich or poor. This has given rise to many schools, colleges and universities all over the world.
Conclusion
Modernity has caused changes in many areas of people’s lives. The traditional way of life has been transformed completely and many villages are continuing to grow into big towns and cities. Furthermore, people continue to move to big cities; some continue to migrate to more developed countries in search of greener pastures. To be modern is good but society needs to rethink modernity. This is because; alongside the positive developments and transformations that characterize modernity are some negative effects.
The negative effects are profound, the more reason why some modern sociologists are alarmed. The modern world is liberal in attitude and does not accommodate much of the traditional values (Rex, 1973, p. 69). Loss of traditional innocence and values is posited as one of the major causes of self alienation in modern society. People no longer find happiness in being who they are in the world. Unless checked, such like developments are a grave danger to the survival of society.
Reference List
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