"We live in terrible times"-A Commonplace Complaint

[Goku]

The problems of modern society have led many people to complain 'We live in terrible times.' Yet, given the choice, no one today would prefer to live in any other time.

Over the past few years, there has been a meteoric and tremendous growth in every field that humans are today aware of, which can solely be ascribed to their fervent and arduous efforts. Every invention, every discovery has been designed and redesigned over and over again, in order to increase its performance which would further help humans to carry out their daily chores easily. In spite of these marvellous inventions and discoveries, people are generally found complaining with a hackneyed statement on their lips, "We live in terrible times." However, complaining about the current system and extant technologies is an innate quality of humans which can be imputed to the fact that, the wants and demands of humans know no bounds. Owing to the recent state of society and technological advancements, no one today would prefer to live in any other time even if a choice is provided.

Each and every field, whether it be technology, science, governmental system or social regime, has enhanced itself towards the common aim of attainment of ideality. However, the aforementioned systems and fields have flourished and prospered to quite a great extent, but so have the complaints and grievances of the common masses. Every now and then one can hear them grousing about the system and regime of the modern society. Corruption, demagoguery and embezzlement for instance, are some vices of our society which have thrived for quite a long period of time and have attained a colossal form. Furthermore, people regularly complain about such problems and recount the old days by saying "Those were the honest times", and begrudge about the existing state of affairs. However, they seldom realize that problems which we face today are just manipulated and intensified forms of the problems whose genesis lies within the period of "The honest times". Yet many strict rules and regulations have been implemented today in order to alleviate the society from such vices, but the complaining nature of humans has neither been altered nor been mitigated. Nevertheless, even if a choice is given, no person would prefer to live in any other time which can be attributed to the fact that, humans today have adapted according to the existing state of affairs and technologies, and it would be utterly difficult for them to adapt according to a new environ and regime.

Another example related to technological stream would suffice the statement in question; the recently launched microprocessor chips such as, Intel i3, i5, and i7 series are the most powerful microprocessor chips available today. Their calculating speed and operation handling capacity is quite high as compared to their predecessors and other microprocessors. However, people in spite of acclaiming the virtues of these chips, pay a considerable amount of their time and attention towards the minor problems faced by them while using these chips. People seldom realize that the multi-tasking and turbo-boosting features of these microprocessors, which were not present in the aboriginal chips, have made their work easy. On the contrary, they complain that these chips dissipate a huge amount of power, get heated easily and that they are still prone to virus and spy-ware attacks, but they do not realize that these problems are inconsequential when compared with the older chips. However, even if a choice is provided between the past and the present, people are most likely to choose the present time, because they know that the statistical data would reveal that older chips and technologies are slower than the extant chips. From the above stated facts and instances one can infer that, with the improvement in the field of technology and the existing state of affairs, the desires and expectations of the humans have aggrandized many-fold.

Hence, in summary; in the present day scenario, many problems of the society have been eradicated and steps are being implemented for eradication of others. However, the complaining nature of humans can never be altered even if a choice is provided to relive the past. Albeit, they know that the life in today's scenario is quite simple and easy going, but the hackneyed complaints of people still thrive, which can only be ascribed to the insatiable appetite of humans and their dream to attain ideality.
[i]

TOEFL listening discussions: A conversation between a dorm mother and a resident

[Kitosdad]

[Goku]

Thank you sir...!!!

Sir, while writing this essay I encountered a problem; where do we use 'compared to', and where do we use 'compared with'?

[Kitosdad]

It would depend on the context Goku. However, I think a distinction can be made with an example.

A's work is much better compared to B's. (Singular entity.)
A's work is much better when compared with the rest of the classes work. (Plural entities.)

This is only my opinion my friend, and perhaps one of the real teachers here can offer a better explanation.
_________________
Keep it simple ... Keep it interesting.

[Goku]

Well, thank you sir. I think that serves the purpose.....and I can probably understand the difference well now...

Thank you... :)