Argumentative Essay_SAT Prompt 4

    A popular belief that affects the majority of population is that technological innovations have diminished leisure time by breeding greater expectations and creating more competitive working environment than the past. In fact, many workers use their additional free time for work to meet their demands for production. The argument might sound compelling at first; however, a closer scrutiny of the statement reveals that technological innovations have rather increased people‘s efficiency and afforded human beings more leisure time. We need look no further than the development in agricultural technologies and IT technologies to confirm that technology has lessened our burdens in our everyday lives.

    The development of agricultural technologies during the Green Revolution suggests that enhanced agricultural technologies have lightened the burden of the humanity. Between the 1940s and the late 1970s, scientists held a series of research, development and technology to increase agriculture production according to the increase in the population. They developed high-yielding grains, modernized management techniques and distributed hybridized seeds, synthetic fertilizers and pesticides to farmers. Thanks to efficient farming technologies, people more easily access to crops not native to their areas, store them for a longer time, and prepare meals in less procedures. If agricultural technologies had not been developed, both farmers and consumers have suffered from inefficient processes of crop growing and accessing. In short, such technological innovations greatly contributed to the increased efficiency of daily lives.

    The development of IT technologies further reinforces the idea that innovative technologies have afforded people more leisure time. As more advanced versions of portable devices such as smart phones and MP3 players are released, people became more capable of making use of their little time to rest their brains and do something entertaining. As is easily observed in buses and subways, many people use their smart phones and iPods to play games, read books and listen to music. New features for entertainment are invented and developed everyday in hopes of relieving stress and burden from hard work just for a few minutes. If such IT technologies had not been developed, many distressed workers could not have spent the awkward time in such entertaining ways. In other words, technological developments have allowed people use their time more leisurely.

    It is tempting to believe that technologies have made our lives harsher and busier. However, the developments in agricultural technologies and IT technologies suggests otherwise. Of course, it would be problematic if technologies overwhelm people dominate their lives. Though, what we can know for sure is that much of the time technologies increase time efficiency and allow people enjoy their leisure time.