Compilations of Essays (religion, media, sports)

Gp essay topics

Religion:

What is man without religion? JJC 2010

‘The world would be a better place if religion did not exist.’  What is

your view? NYJC

To what extent is religious extremism the greatest threat to the world today? NJC 2009

Science and religion will always conflict. Discuss. N2002

Discuss the importance of religion in society today. N2004

Can a belief in the supernatural be sustained in our modern world? N2007

“The more science advances, the more religion will decline”. To what extent do you agree? N2008

How far should religion influence political decisions? N2009

Sports:

‘Sport provides the true heroes of our age.’ Do you agree?

Is sport too closely linked to politics?  NYJC 2009

“Sports stars are paid too much money for their talent.” Do you agree? RI 2009

Mixing business and sport is lethal. To what extent do you agree? VJC 2009

To what extent should the government be responsible for promoting sports among its people?

Far too much attention is given to the glamour of sport, rather than real achievement. Do you agree?

”Hosting major sporting events creates more problems than benefits’. Do you agree? N2005

Does sport merit the vast sums of money that are spent on it? N2010

Media:

Assess the impact of the mass media on the culture of your society. JJC2010

To what extent is the media playing a destructive role in society today? MJC 2010

How important is the role of advertising in today’s economy? JJC 2010

Do you agree with the criticism that most people have been so brainwashed by
advertising that they are unable to appreciate true beauty. HCI 2010

‘The media works best when it gives the masses exactly what they want.’ Discuss. RI 2010

“The mass media is nothing but a profit-making machine.” Evaluate this claim.  CJC 2010

Is it true that the social media has created more problems than benefits?  SAJC 2010

‘Advertisements hinder us from making good decisions.’ Discuss.  SAJC 2010

‘Far too much attention is given to celebrities today.’ Do you agree?  DHS 2009

Is censorship self-defeating?

How important are films today? SAJC 2009

To what extent does the media influence how we perceive world events?

To what extent do the new media promote democratic ideals? ACJC 2009

Can the media be relied upon to convey the truth? N2003

Advertising encourages a desire for products which people do not actually need. Discuss. N2004

How far do magazines or television programmes aimed at young people inSingaporehave a positive effect? N2005

To what extent do the newspapers and magazines that you real deal with what is trivial, rather than with what is important? N2006

Advertisements are often entertaining, but they rarely affect consumer choice.’ Is this your experience? N2007

Assess the impact of foreign films or foreign TV programmes on the culture of your society. N2009

In the digital age do the newspapers still have a role in the society? N2011

Effectiveness of prision

Crime and Punishment

Prisons are used by governments for the following purposes:

1. to prevent a person accused of a crime escaping before trial,
2. to prevent a violent person from causing harm,
3. to prevent people from committing crime because of fear of prison,
4. to punish a person who was convicted of a crime,
5. to re-educate convicted criminals.

Prisons are ineffective for some groups of people…

-Some crimes are committed by people who, although normally are afraid of prison, at the time of the commission of the crime lose that fear. This could be due to alcoholic intoxication, excessive emotions, or a belief that they will not be “caught”.

-Crimes of passion are crimes when strong emotions, like anger, make a person lose his self-control and commit acts which he would not have committed in a normal state.

-There are also people whose behaviour is abnormal in the sense of having abnormal desires. It is determined by the peculiarities of their warped personalities.

-Another set of people who are not deterred by the fear of prison, are “habitual criminals”. Such people see prison as a normal part of their life style. (recidivism)

-Such habitual criminals are part of the “criminal world” (or “underworld”), which has its own culture and moral values. To be in jail is not seen by such people as something to be “ashamed” of, but as something to be “proud” of. The more years such people spend in jail, the higher status they have in their “society”. Often youngsters who are drawn to “the criminal world” look forward to “going in”, knowing that, once they are “out”, they will have a higher status and greater respect among their “mates”.

Evaluation: Once a crime is committed, the usefulness of prison as a deterrent has failed. The only usefulness of prison that remains in such cases is that, if a prisoner is dangerous, he is prevented from causing further harm.

The same is true of “habitual criminals” who see themselves as part of the “criminal world” and are proud of it. In stead of being re-educated or “corrected” in prison, they come out as hardened (or toughened) criminals. For such people prison is not a “corrective institution”, but a “school of crime”.

Thus, we see that prison has different effects for different people. It works in some cases, and is a total failure or even counter-productive in others.

Three reasons why people do not commit crimes:

1. understanding that it is not in their interest to do so,
2. aversion to crime,
3. fear of being punished for committing crime.

So, in order to protect its citizens from crime within its area of governance the government needs to create conditions so that the people would (a) understand that crime is not in their interests, (b) feel aversion to crime, and (c) whenever these two factors are not sufficient to deter them from committing crimes, be afraid to commit crimes because of fear of punishment.

So, we need to find a more effective means of crime prevention then prison, and which, unlike capital punishment and mutilations, can be reversed, if the convicted person is subsequently proved to be innocent.

On the other hand “boring” virtues, like honesty, respect for property, sobriety, chastity before marriage, faithfulness in marriage, thrift, self-reliance should be presented in a positive light, as the only acceptable forms of human behaviour.

This promotion of virtues and suppression of vices needs to be the backbone of education of children from the earliest age. Skills and sciences can be learnt at any age. Values are acquired in early childhood and maintained throughout the whole life.

In the end, it is the values that determine human behaviour, and it is the values that determine whether people commit or do not commit crimes. Prevention of crimes through fear of punishment becomes necessary only when the values have failed to prevent crime.

 

The Guardian (British) Jailing one young criminal costs the taxpayer as much as £140,000 a year, a report says today. Locking up young offenders makes them more likely to commit further crimes and be unemployed later in life, the New Economics Foundation says.

The think tank calls for drastic cuts in the use of youth custody. Budgets to pay for it should be given to councils and the money reinvested in rehabilitation programmes, the report says.

Many children who are not a threat to public safety are put behind bars. Community measures have been shown to reduce offending much more effectively.

 

Last year (2009) we also committed £8.4 million towards effective resettlement and rehabilitation services for young people leaving prison so they can turn their backs on crime. Now over 100 areas are receiving funding specifically for this purpose

Four guilty of Danish plot over Muhammad cartoon

The trial of the four men took place in Glostrup, outside the capital

Four men have been found guilty by a Danish court of planning a terrorist attack on the offices of the Jyllands-Posten newspaper in Copenhagen.

The court heard the men wanted to kill a large number of people in revenge for the paper’s publication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad in 2005.

The four were all Muslims resident in Sweden. Police said they were arrested just hours before the foiled attack.

The men, who had denied charges of terrorism, face up to 16 years in jail.

Jyllands-Posten’s publication of the cartoons of Muhammad sparked protests in Muslim countries.

Target

Munir Awad, Omar Abdallah Aboelazm and Munir Ben Mohamed Dhahri, a Tunisian citizen, were picked up by police on 29 December 2010 at a flat near Copenhagen.

Sabhi Ben Mohamed Zalouti was arrested a day later after crossing into Sweden, then extradited back to Denmark.

Swedish and Danish intelligence officials tracked the men – who all lived in Sweden but were either born or had parents born in Tunisia, Egypt and Lebanon – for a number of months ahead of the arrests.

A machine-gun with a silencer, a pistol and 108 bullets, and rolls of duct tape were among items found in the men’s possession when they were arrested.

The indictment said the men had deliberately planned to frighten the population of Denmark.

Prosecutors said that they had intended to kill “an unknown number” of people during the attack, which had been due to take place on the same day as a sporting award ceremony attended by Crown Prince Frederik.

Denmark remains a target for Islamist militants almost seven years since Jyllands-Posten published 12 cartoons showing the Prophet Muhammad in a variety of humorous or satirical situations.

One showed Muhammad carrying a lit bomb on his head decorated with the Muslim declaration of faith instead of a turban.

Many Muslims said the cartoons were extremely and deliberately offensive. Some also saw them as an attack on their faith and culture designed to sow hatred. Islamic tradition prohibits images of God, Muhammad and all major figures of the Christian and Jewish traditions.

At the time, Danish flags were burned and embassies were attacked.

Jyllands-Posten eventually apologised but that did not stop a number of attacks in connection with the cartoons.

One man broke into the house of one of the cartoonists and tried to kill him with an axe, while another bungled an attempt to bomb the newspaper’s offices.

To what extent do the newspapers and magazines that you read deal with what is trivial, rather than with what is important? (Nov 2006)

Stand: Newspapers and magazines that young people like us read mostly deal with important issues of current affairs and the likes, rather than trivialities which would be for entertainment.

1. Young people read entertainment magazines for leisure reading, thus giving the impression that magazines they read deal with trivial and unimportant things. (Edit: Different perspectives of what is trivial can also be taken into account. Things trivial to adults could be important to young people)
2. Newspapers have different sections that appeal to different groups of young people therefore each section would hold some importance to particular groups of people. (Sports, Business, Lifestyle sections)
3. Both the newspapers and magazines that young people come across would deal with significant global events and home current affairs. (Newsweek, Time, Economist, local newspapers)
4. The newspapers and magazines would also have opinion pieces on both trivial and important things, but young people can learn from these and gain broader perspectives on issues.

Alana

Can the media ever be relied upon to convey the truth? (Nov 2003)

Stand: Some forms of media can be relied upon to convey the truth as the aims of each type of media differs.

1. Entertainment news will not always convey the truth as their aim is to sensationalise celebrity news to attract viewership.
2. News providers are responsible for providing accurate news reports to the audience as their credentials and reputation are at stake.
3. Documentaries and other educational types of media will convey proper facts to expound knowledge.
4. Radio talk shows’ main purpose is to entertain people on-the-go but they play a role of providing live information to listeners as well.

Alana

How far do magazines or television programmes aimed at young people in Singapore have a positive effect? (Nov 2005)

Stand: Magazines and television programmes aimed at young people in Singapore largely have a positive effect.

1. Some people say that magazines targeted at young people in Singapore are frivolous and are not beneficial for their development.
2. However, magazines are a form of entertainment and relaxation for young people.
3. There are educational magazines and television programmes that broaden young people’s perspectives and general knowledge.
4. Despite critics devaluing television programmes aimed at young Singaporeans, most programmes imparts moral values to them in an informal way.

Alana

“A weapon of the masses.” To what extent do the media empower the people? (CJC Prelims 2009)

Stand: Although the media gives the people some degree power of control over the matters in some instances, it does not always empower them.

• The advent of social networking as a form of new media has given the people some degree of authority to take control over the matter or to organize mass events simply by spreading the information to other like-minded individuals.

• Also, the media can be used as a bridge between the people and the government to voice out their concern and to call upon for protection of their rights.

• Nevertheless, the media does not always empower the people, as the control over it is placed in the hands of the government authorities, which makes it difficult for the masses to get access to the media in order to make it a “weapon”.
• In many instances, instead of beig empowered by the media, people are in fact manipulated by it as a result of the government who utilises the media to spread their own ideologies and propaganda.

• Moreover, the media does not always empower the people, as it can be used as a weapon by the individuals or groups of people to cause havoc and cause severe repercussion to the society.

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To what extent does the media influence how we perceive world events? (NJC Prelims 2009)

Stand: In a modern world, our views and opinions on the world events are largely shaped and influenced by the media.

• The news media has the potential to exert immense influence over how we perceive the information we receive in the news, as it is able to place priority on certain sections of the news and omit the others, which ultimately shape our views and even emotions regarding the world event. (http://suite101.com/article/a-fourth-estate-the-role-of-the-news-media-in-shaping-reality-a364589)

• The advent of social networking platform as a form of new media allows numerous points of view and discussions of the major global event by many individuals to be transmitted across the boundaries, thus influencing our own opinion on event.

• The media has the ability to influence our view on the world event by using specific images and photo coverage which evoke certain set of emotions and attitudes of the viewers of the event.

• Despite this, the media is not the only medium which shapes our perspective on the world event. The surrounding environment and the people do contribute to the way we perceive the major event.

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“Style without substance.” How far is this true of television programmes today? (RI Prelims 2009)

Stand: Although some television programmes tend to show “style” in form of distorted facts and heavy emphasis on physical appearance, many still convey to us the “substance” in form of true facts and important content.

• Some television programmes, especially of entertaining nature, place a heavy emphasis on style rather than substance, in form of sensationalized facts and glitzy content. (Advertisements, TV series, movies, soap operas)

• However, it would be rather hasty to claim that all the television programmes are solely based on style. Many television programmes, which serve an informative purpose, place a heavy emphasis on the content and facts rather than style. (News broadcasting, live coverage of the events)

• Moreover, many reality television shows which serve an entertaining purpose, often convey to us not only style, but more of the true images and live content. (The Biggest Loser, the Survivor, Amazing Race)

• Lastly Moreover, many television programmes, which are knowledge-intensive and fact-based, do not place too much stress on the appearance and style but rather on the content being conveyed to the public do use style to differentiate themselves from other programmes, but at the same time placing heavy emphasis on the actual content being conveyed to the public. (Who wants to be a Millionaire, documentaries, knowledge contests)

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Poverty tourism is on the rise

‘Slum tourism’ treads between aid and exploitation

By Loic Vennin (AFP)

JAKARTA — “I decided to experience the real Jakarta,” said a tourist, stepping gingerly between puddles of putrid water and a scurrying rat in a scene that would never make a postcard.

Rohaizad Abu Bakar, 28, a bank employee from Singapore, said he could not believe his eyes as he wandered around the slum in the Indonesian capital, a jumble of hundreds of shacks, some less than a metre from a railway line.

Nearby, a small girl picked up a discarded juice bottle in search of a sip while a man wearing tattered shorts lay slumped on a dirty old mattress. Only a blue plastic tarpaulin offered shelter from tropical downpours.

So-called “poverty tourism” is on the rise in Jakarta.

Organisers say it raises awareness and brings aid to the destitute of the city, but accusations of exploitation are never far away and critics say poverty should not be a tourist attraction.

A few hundred families cram into the slum in the Tanah Abang neighbourhood, minutes from gleaming shopping malls where the likes of Gucci and Louis Vuitton compete to lure the newly-minted beneficiaries of Indonesia’s economic miracle.

Abu Bakar opted against the picturesque landscapes of other parts of the country to instead join a “Jakarta Hidden Tours” trip, which aims to show visitors the squalid conditions of the nation’s poor.

“Tourists stay in their ghetto. We show what is really Jakarta,” said Ronny Poluan, 59, an Indonesian documentary maker who created the non-profit organisation in 2008.

Recent years have seen “poverty tourism” mushroom globally, from the favelas of Brazil to the slums of Dharavi in Mumbai, popularised by the film “Slumdog Millionaire”.

“We have about 10 tours per month, with two to four tourists each time. More and more people are coming, some now even come just for my tour,” Poluan said.

“I’ve had tourists from as far away as Washington. They’re not only backpackers, but also businessmen, bankers,” he added before being cut short by shouting reverberating around the slum.

“Kereta! Kereta!” (“A train, a train”) cried mothers rushing to grab children playing on the track as a roaring locomotive approached, whipping up clouds of dust and garbage as it surged towards the flimsy-looking shacks.

The train recently claimed the life of one little girl who died as she ran after her cat.

The slum dwellers, like half of Indonesia, live on less than two dollars per day. Each tourist pays 500,000 rupiah ($54) to visit, with half of that going to the tour company, and the rest funding doctor visits, microfinance projects or community projects such as school building.

“I don’t give cash. I pay the doctors directly for example,” said Poluan.

But that does not reassure some critics.

“I’m against slums being turned into tourist spots,” Wardah Hafidz, an activist with the Urban Poor Consortium, told AFP. “It’s not about shame. People should not be exhibited like monkeys in the zoo.

“What residents get from these tours, in cash or whatever form, only strips them of their dignity and self respect, turning them into mere beggars.

“They not only become dependent on handouts, but come to expect them. It doesn’t help them to believe they are capable of standing on their own two feet or getting them out of the spiral of poverty,” she added.

Nonetheless, residents say they look forward to the daily influx of foreigners witnessing their lifestyles.

“I like that foreigners want to know about us. It’s good they want to know about us,” said Djoko, a father in his fifties, as he removed labels from a pile of glass and plastic bottles before selling them for recycling.

Tourists deny voyeurism, instead saying that what they witness inspires them to action.

“If I had not seen it, I would not have done anything about it,” said Caroline Bourget.

A teacher at Jakarta’s French school, she is now discussing setting up a mobile school in the slum to give disadvantaged children a better chance in life.

“Here we are at the heart of reality,” she said