hi people. please gimme ur comments on the folwing topic and my esay on it. --Nish
003) "It is more important to allocate money for immediate, existing social problems than to spend it on long-term research that might help future generations."
The issue that money should be allocated for immediately existing social problems rather than to spend it on long-term research is a controversial one. On the one hand, where socialists might agree that it should be spend on the former , on the other hand , scientists and researchers might argue that it should be spend on the latter. However, I support the view that although , both are important, immediately existing social problems should be given a preference over other activities.
Man is a social animal. Most of his activities fall under the social realm. All cultural, religious or political activities have originated due to the social nature of man. So the social problems will have a direct impact on these activities as well.
Today , we are faced with many social evils. In India, and elsewhere , too there are problems related to basic necessities like food, clothing shelter, education, shelter for the old and unprivileged, and for the orphans. Social evils like atrocities against women, child marriage, prostitution are still prevalent and nothing is being done about them.
The well-being of a society has to be ascertained first by solving immediately existing social problems . Because such problems can lead to unrest in the minds of the people and if a society is not mentally healthy and receptive , then there is no use of spending money on research . Since, such a society that lacks social coherence and stability will not accept any results from such research , however good it may be.
A simple example can be cited with respect to research in the field of genetic engineering. Research in this field has led to mind-blowing possibilities. Like pest resistant plants, recombinant and hybrid vegetables and fruits. But , since proper knowledge and education regarding the recombinant products are lacking , people have not been very receptive of these ideas. The purpose of research, whatever it may be, cannot be effective and practical until and unless a society is free of the social evils .
Today , social problems have reached a level where people are ready to slay their own fellowmen. Moreover, today research has been suspected to be used to make biological weapons that could lead to the damnation of mankind. We still remember how even the opening of an innocuous looking envelope used to bring with it the scare of anthrax spores in the USA and elsewhere.
It might be possible that some research will yield good fruits after a long time, but if mankind, itself faces , extinction , due to social problems , it might not live to see the results of these painstaking research. Thus , I believe that if there is a choice between spending on research whose results will take a long time to come, and spending on rooting out immediately existing social problems , the latter should be given preference.
Nish---