The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology: Division of Humanities/Center for Language Education
HUMA 1000: Cultures and Values: Cover sheet for final essay
Full name | Kan Wing Hei Timothy |
Student ID | 20271083 |
Writing workshop section number | T3P |
Writing workshop instructor | YIK, Ping Chui |
Title of essay (please copy and paste from the document on Canvas) | 1. Technology is inherently good for the development of individualism, bringing the prospect of living a good and fulfilling life. ” |
Declaration: The attached essay represents my own work. I have read and understood the University’s policies on academic honesty and I confirm that the attached work conforms to these policies.
Please type your name: Kan Wing Hei Timothy
Response to feedback: note here the comments from your instructor you have responded to (you can copy these from your feedback sheet).
Firstly, my instructor asked me to prevent using some wordings such as “your”, “our” and “I”. In the essay, I prevent using these wordings to prevent the informal style of this essay. Secondly, my instructor asked me to show more connections to individuals rather than general public. In the essay, I have changed my ideas to link into individuals rather than public/citizens. For example, previously, I talk about public right to know when I discuss self-interest, after revising, I focus more on individuals knowing right. Thirdly, my instructor said that I did not refer to course materials appropriately in body paragraph 1 and 2. So at the end of paragraph 1 and 2, I linked the paragraph to the lecture notes and required readings |
In this era, individuals are closely linked with technology that we, human, can hardly survive without it. Technology - the purposeful applications of information in design, production, and utilization of goods and services, as well as those in the organization of human activities - can ease our lives. However, some may doubt that the development of technology would hinder the development of individualism since technology connects individuals all around the world. This essay will argue that technology is inherently good for the development of individualism in the aspect of utilitarian, due to the fact that it increases the chance of maximizing one’s self-interest. The definition of utilitarian is that every individual is living to maximize own self-interest (Robert Bellah1996), which includes a wide range of components, such as materialistic items, money, status and reputation, as well as personal items, not to mention privacy and civil rights. In the following paragraphs, the opportunities provided by technology for individuals to maximize self-interest easier, together with the ways of technology facilitating individuals to fight for own civil rights, will be explained.
First of all, technology is beneficial to the development of utilitarian because it opens up more opportunities for individuals to maximize self-interest in the aspect of materialism. Facilitated by the advancement of technology, methods for individuals maximizing own self-interest has increased. Money is a major component in materialism since it can fulfill most of individuals needs and wants on material base. In the past, the majority could gain more income only by working harder, whereas a minority of individuals having connections with the officers could run a success business with ease. However, nowadays, thanks to the development of various kinds of technology, such as the Internet, over-the-counter stock market and social media, multiple ways for individuals to maximizing ones’ interest have become available. For example, concerning the Internet, individuals could set up/establish online stores (e.g. Instagram shop) at a very low cost to start ones’ business. Additionally, together with the efforts of the Internet and the stock market, every individual could make a fortune by investing in the online stock market. Moreover, with regard to the social media, individuals could advertise their business or ideas through networking platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. At present, all we need to do to enhance our self-interest is just a few clicks or dials, which is much simpler when compared to the days without technology assistance. Meanwhile, operating an online store or investing online stock market requires individuals to bear risks and responsibilities for themselves (Self reliance, Ralph Waldo Emerson). Such example shows that the development of information technology, including the Internet and social media, can lower the threshold of operating a business to acquire individual interests. Therefore, in terms of convenience and opportunities, technology can promote the development of utilitarian individualism.