Ryan Velarde

Period 4

12-12-05

Threaded Discussion Pros and Cons of Industrialization

I think that that industrial age we now live in today overshadows the darker, unintended consequences of the Industrial Revolution. If the Industrial Revolution would have never happened and we lived like they did in the olden days, then that might be just as bad as the consequences that came from the Industrial Revolution, but we have things to cancel out the bad consequences. I believe that the industrial revolution was definitely a good thing because of the way we live today. Without industrialization, life today would not be nearly as interesting as it is because we would not have the technology and opportunity to do things. Travel would not be as easy so people would not be able to see the world. Also, we would not know as much about islands, the sea, animals, and many other things that are important and fascinating. Thanks to industrialization, there are more job opportunities and more opportunity in general to live a good life. People who are not wealthy have the opportunity to become wealthy and live a good life.

Although industrialization was a good thing, there were some bad things that came along with it. Pollution is definitely one of the main consequences from industrialization. Thanks to all of the technology and gas put into the air, the world is polluted. This pollution is definitely bad, but the things that are done to make the pollution out weigh the fact that they made the pollution. Today, many different ways to prevent or decrease pollution are being thought of and put into work. Another bad thing that comes from industrialization is that the world is losing natural resources. The way I look at it is that if industrialization would not have happened, then the natural resources would not have been used so it is better to use them all up, than to not use them at all. Although there are bad things that came from industrialization, the better things outweigh it.

Industrialization Threaded Discussion

Response to Alex Harris

I definitely agree with what Alex Harris said. I also believe that industrialization and the Industrial Revolution were both good things for the people and the world. It gave the people more opportunity and a better chance to succeed in life and make it worthwhile. The Industrial Revolution brought more job opportunities and wealth to those who wanted to succeed and put their mind to it. Before the Industrial Revolution most people lived poorly and poverty and had to work hard to achieve that. Only few people had the opportunity to succeed and there were not very many people in the middle or upper class.

Alex Brings up a good point in that although people were suffering at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution it was not any worse than what it had been. Right when the Industrial Revolution was occurring people worked long hours and some even died. These were harsh conditions, but it was not any worse than what occurred before the revolution, it was just brought into perspective. Because of all the hardships new laws were made so that children and adults could not be worked to death. These people later became wealthier than before. All of the people that live well today and most of the middle class and even the upper class can thank all of the people that worked long hours and died because it was because of them that such a big middle class and wealth is available.

People had more opportunities after the Industrial Revolution; although they were not the best opportunities at least they had opportunities to succeed and to be wealthy. The Industrial Revolution and Industrialization was definitely a good thing and it was not just a waste of time.