Article 2: Is Change a Good or Bad Thing?

Article 2: Is Change Good or Bad?
Change happens every day and there is very little that anyone can do to stop it. Change has affected the world in many great ways or ways that have negatively affect the world. Change affects everyone and is inevitable in everyone’s life. An ancient proverb says that, “change is the only constant.” This saying sums up that change will happen to everyone everywhere, making it constant. Many famous visionaries in history have spoken about change in the world for better or worse. Another saying about change was said by Buddha, “Everything changes, nothing remains without change.” If you look at these two sayings then you have to realize that change will directly and indirectly affect you every day, but the questions is will it be for better or worse.
Change has happened for the better many times throughout history; for example, the change from the United States being a colony of England to changing our ideals and becoming a free nation in the Revolutionary War. The world changes for the better constantly, like new inventions, ideas, civilizations, and more. Without change the world would not be the same. Change not only positively affects individuals but nations as well. Change can be brought on by a specific leader, for instance Martin Luther King Jr. bought on the change from segregation to acceptance for African Americans, but change can be brought on that is caused by anyone. Change that is positive is a great way for the world to reform itself. One of the great periods of change was the Renaissance where the arts and ideas of ancient Europe was changed all around and the entire world benefitted from this period and helped shape the world today. Positive change can be one of the best things in this world, but the downside is change is never for the better. With positive change, people think that all change is good but as history shows, change can negatively affect people as well as help them.
Change for the worse can be very negative factor in the development of a civilization. Negative change is a major setback in the development of a nation, city, or entire civilizations. For example the recent tragedy in Haiti with the earthquake has slowed development in an already suffering area. This is an example of negative change. One more example of negative change that goes back to ancient times is the change the Roman Empire switching from a democracy to being ruled by Julius Caesar. This however wasn’t something that Rome chose, Caesar claimed his power which also shows that change is sometimes not chose, but brought upon by someone with power.
The argument of is change good or bad can be fought either way. Change is good in the aspect that with good ideas and positive change, the world improves and advances forward. Change can be bad because if change is brought about without consent or cause, it is not always beneficial. IF change is for the worse then change can bring about very bad consequences and even the destruction of civilizations. The change brought about by the Conquistadors in Central America was detrimental to civilizations. The changes brought from Europe to these ancient cities decimated populations and ruined any future success in that region.
The case for change being positive is very strong though. Without change, even change that hurts society, where would the world be today? Without change some of the great events throughout history would never have happened, without the American colonists wanting to break away from England, the Declaration of Independence. This change in the minds of the leaders in the new World has now led to America being one of the most powerful nations in the world and a superpower. In the Industrial Revolution, the companies of the world found new ways to create profit and opened up jobs, Henry Ford changed transportation with the invention of cars. All these things cause people to believe that change has benefitted the world tremendously.
Even in the examples of change being bad, great things have come from it. The Dark Ages which was a period of time that held no development for the world led to one of the greatest periods in history, the Renaissance, African Americans being suppressed led to the civil rights movement that revolutionized the way the world views race. These two examples are hard to argue against that change is good, but everyone has an opinion.
If change doesn’t occur then the world is no longer advancing or declining. Change is always happening, big or small it doesn’t matter. Change cannot be stopped just by trying to tell people your views on it. The world will change on its own forever. Change doesn’t only have to include people. The Ice Age was a major climate shift that reshaped the world which shows the humans aren’t the only people who can bring about change. Right now, people are changing our environment by using the world’s supplies on fossil fuels and putting greenhouse gasses that can possibly be causing Global warming. People don’t realize that change will happen with or without your approval of it.
In conclusion, without change the world wouldn’t thrive. People in the world will always get a boost out of change, even negative because then that negative change can inspire people to change the world. Muhammad Gandhi had a great quote to tell people about change. He said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” If the world could follow this policy of you making the change you want, then the world could benefit from people taking control of their lives by living by Gandhi’s words and starting to help the world change for the better. It all comes down to the fact that if change can be good or bad, it only really matters how you will respond to the change in your life, positively or negatively. When you see something that should be changed don’t think of how someone should change it, think about the ways you can.

Bibliography
1. "Change Quotes and Sayings." Sayings and Quotes. Web. 29 Jan. 2010.
2. Wikimedia Commons. Web. 29 Jan. 2010.