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DA8. The Present Era is a Better Time to be Alive Compared to the Ancient Period in History

statement

The Greeks and the Romans took pride in their culture. Although the present era has been influenced by their ideas and philosophy, we see a number of loopholes in it.

Imagine that you have a chance to tell a Greek or Roman citizen that the present era is a better time to be alive compared to the ancient period in history. What arguments would you use to convince them?

Answer

The Greek and Roman civilizations were top of their time, they influenced each other and the surviving literature has influenced cultures later from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment to the present day. However, modern civilizations have taken their foundations from the Greco-Roman civilization but improved upon them to the point that they are better, advanced, and different. The text will discuss a few aspects of the modern era and compare them to the ancient one.

Citizenship and human rights are one of the main aspects that have improved in the modern era. The citizenship concept in the ancient era only included a small parentage of the population (Cartledge, 2016), while in the modern era, every individual is considered a citizen and has equal rights and responsibilities toward society and the state.

Education is another aspect that has improved in the modern era. In the ancient era, wide-scale education was not available and only the wealthy elite could afford private tutors to teach them the basics of reading, writing, and philosophy (Garland, 2020). In the modern era, education is considered a basic right for every individual and is available to everyone. A 12-year education is also mandatory in most countries. Higher education institutions such as universities also play a vital role in the modern era.

International relations and trade have also improved in the modern era. In the ancient era, trade was dangerous as there was no proper transportation nor guarantees of the safety of traders, and it was limited to geographically close regions. In the modern era, trade has expanded globally and is done through air, land, and sea; it is also regulated by international laws and agreements, and there will be no harm to traders in case of disputes. International relations have also improved, with alliances, embassies, and international organizations such as the United Nations; there are fewer instances now of countries taking over the territories of others.

The three aspects above, in my opinion, are the most important aspects that make the modern era a better time to be alive; however, many other aspects can be discussed such as technological advancements, communications, transportation, healthcare, medicine, legal systems, cultural diversity, art, and many more. Although the modern era has its own problems, such as global warming, climate change, racism, nuclear weapons, and more, it is still a better time to be alive.

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