Game of Words: View vs. Counter View 1.54

DEATH PENALTY

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    - Sharon Mathew

“The death penalty. It should be brought back and it should be brought back strong… They say it’s not a deterrent. Well, you know what maybe it’s not a deterrent but thet will not do any more killing. That’s for sure.” – Donald J Trump

Crimes can be of various degrees being extremely wrong and inhuman. Depending on the seriousness of it, it is fair to grant them a strict penalty. It may include a few years in prison, a life imprisonment or a death sentence, all on the basis of what they deserve.

The power of punishing the convicted lies in the hands of government if he or she deserves it and is proven. Taking someone’s life is not something simple and easy, it can be proceeded and thought about only if the reasoning is strong, valid and is accurate with absolutely no doubts or faults. It is a very sensitive topic among the public as people have their own opinions on this very topic.

We see various conclusions towards death penalty but at the end of the day, it all narrows down to the crime. Death penalty can only be supported on appropriate circumstances. There are a few cases where death penalty is the better option when compared to life imprisonment.

Life imprisonment might change the entire thinking of a person, might make them psychologically unstable and it can even increase the expenses of the state. Abiding by a functional death penalty law, it’ll help us protect the citizens from the cruel and the harsh nature of the criminals and will provide a safer environment for the public. I have great concern on the thought of putting someone innocent to death, but at the same time they are criminals who actually deserve this act of punishment.

Death penalty is a highly debatable topic that results on various conclusions each time it is argued upon. Furthermore, it is in the hands of the higher authority who decides the degree of punishment to be given to the convicted.

COUNTERVIEW:

    - Allen Rodrigues

“My objection to the death penalty is based on the idea that this a democracy and in a democracy the Government is me, and if the government kills somebody then I’m killing somebody.” - Steve Earle

Death penalty is not something we can take upon our hands as it clearly goes against human dignity, some people take longer time to understand what wrongs they have done. A gift of life is so precious that we are not worthy to take it away with complete responsibility. Sparing a life of even a few convicted victims like mass murderers can change their perspective on their inhumane behaviour and outrage. It is an offence to the basic human dignity and the god given privilege to live.

The government might think that death penalty is the ultimate solution to all the crimes but in reality, it is not the answer. People are brain washed at a very young age and are trained to commit crimes. This happens because of people’s ill thoughts. Some would argue that death penalty will teach the society the seriousness of crimes but on the other hand, teaching people to respond to violence with violence will again will only breed more violence.

This punishment can lead to destruction of families, as they might be the bread earners of the family, which will also bring a bad name to themselves and the society. Penalties can be unwise, repulsive or inappropriate. But the punishment that the person suffers can lead to emotional and mental trauma. Thus, death penalty is not a humanitarian conclusion to the entire backlash. Death penalty is still prevalent in a few democratic countries such as USA and India. Countries like Saudi Arabia take extreme measure to carry out death penalties for minor crimes.

Therefore, I strongly believe that death penalty should abolish and different methods that are more humane should be implemented

Game of Words: View vs. Counter View 1.53

                           DICTATORSHIP

             

View - Kevin Mathews

I believe that dictatorship is the best form of government for the world in the current scenario for a wide number of reasons , chief among them being that the immemorial Athenian experiment of democracy has many flaws which crack open when exposed the the elements of the modern world and that of time . The three main reasons I believe and advocate for a dictatorship are Stability , Low crime rate and efficiency.

1. Stability

When one person is taking almost all decisions, it creates a very stable base. There is no infighting among government officials to paralyze progress. A dictator also tends to remain in power for a long period of time. Other forms of government, such as a democracy, select new leaders on a frequent basis. This does prevent some problems from arising, but it creates a lack of continuity. By keeping one leader in power, dictatorship maintains its focus and direction.

2. Low Crime

In dictatorship, one person gets to decide what the laws are and has all of the power needed to see that these laws are enforced. Dictatorships often carry very severe penalties for even minor infractions of the law. As a result, the crime rate under these types of government is generally very low.

3. Efficient

With one person making all of the decisions, government processes move forward very rapidly. Because no time needs to be taken for a group of people to come to an agreement, decisions can be reached quickly. Because there is no opposing body of authority to veto any of these decisions, there is never any backtracking in order to reach a compromise. In times of crisis, this ability to react instantly to new developments and implement new plans immediately is very beneficial.

                       

Counter View  - Amulya Mathews

Even though the case for democracy ,a theocracy against a dictatorial style of government may be an old tune, this still holds true. Dictatorships in the past have led to wide spread strife and pain for all parties involved directly or indirectly with the government. Rules of succession or wars to establish dominance tear through the framework of society and leads to pain and agony for the common man on the ground. In order to support my argument I present three of my choicest points from my arsenal

1. Dictatorships leads to abuse of power.

One of the arguments of opponents of dictatorships is the tendency of dictators to enjoy the power they have which make them more greedy and self-serving. They say that these leaders are surrounded by armies and security personnel complete with heavy armory making it easy for them to do what they please at the expense of the citizens.

2. Dictatorships lead to mass killings.

Another setback brought about by dictatorships is the rising number of deaths and killings of innocent people. With one leader and a small group having control over a nation, it is possible for people to go against the government overtly or secretly. Dictators are not happy about this. With strict laws and no one to go against their actions, it will be easy to get rid of people they consider as enemies. Critics point out that there are countries under dictatorships where people live in fear because innocent victims who are falsely accused of rebellion are killed and punished.

3. Dictatorships result to political unrest which is not good for the people in the long run.

Critics contend the views of supporters that dictatorships are good for the economy. For them, it is exactly the opposite. With the absolute power dictators hang on to come harsh laws and penalties as well as self-serving policies and legislation. Sooner or later, the people will not be able to take the situation they are in and can lead to unrest. There will come a time when they would want to overthrow these dictators. If these things happen, there will be chaos and civil war in these countries. And while these things are happening, the economy will be greatly affected. They also say that even if dictatorships end because of people power, it will be hard for these countries to rise and resolve problems of their nations within the next few years.

                         

Game of Words: View vs. Counter View 1.52

iPhone- A FASHION STATEMENT

Introduction: -It’s that time of year again when a new iPhone has just been released. Lines will stretch out in front of cell phone stores. This happens with every new iPhone Apple has manufactured and will undoubtedly be the case for the newly released iPhone 7 series.

As Apple unveiled its latest iPhone on September 7thas always, they updated a lot of features for this phone by giving it a better processor, camera, battery life, display and shocked everyone with the removal of the standard 3.5mm headphone jack.

VIEW: JORDAN

Let me get this out of the way, I love the iPhone, but I know and so do most of you that iPhone is overpriced. It’s a known fact that you can get a phone with better specifications for less than what the iPhone costs. But still people are truly, madly and deeply in love with it.

Apple’s iPhone is truly a fashion statement to the extreme with its great and overpriced accessories, ranging from vibrant cases to headphones to phone docks(before the iPhone 7). You can literally buy another smartphone with the amount of money you will spend on purchasing accessories for your iPhone.

But do you really need an iPhone? Can’t you do without one and buy a better phone with better specifications and save your money? Well the answer to this is both yes and no. Depending on how fashion conscious you are, you will probably choose an iPhone over all other phones. The thrill of taking out your iPhone in front of everyone and are adorned with the tag of ‘cool and hip’ when your friends see an iPhone in your hand.

COUNTER VIEW: KASHMIRA

The iPhone has come a long way since its first launch. The technology that has gone into making the later versions of theiPhone has changed drastically. As pointed by my counterpart, I agree that the iPhone are slightly over priced. The iPhone is not a fashion statement today as it offers some of the most exclusive technology within itself. The iPhone offers easy to use operating system known as the iOS and probably the best camera around on any smartphone. The iPhone also has a superior build quality.

Not everybody buys a product ONLY for the prestige it holds in society but because of the various extraordinary characteristics it possesses. If you want the product then you should be ready to pay the price that it demands.

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DOES CRICKET OVERSHADOW OTHER SPORTS IN INDIA

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Being a professional cricketer myself, I really do think cricket always over-shadows other sports in our nation that is widely spread with cricket lovers. It has clearly become a money-oriented sport over the years, and without any doubt, gets all the scope. To support my stand, the success earned by the Indian cricket team off late clearly encourages more and more Indians to have a stake in the game. Yes, this does make it harder for cricketers like myself, because of the increasing competition but all said and done, I would love to see more of this competition and scope in other sports as well. Sadly, that doesn't seem to be the case now or even in the near future. 
             One of the prime reasons cricket does over shadow other sports in our nation is because of the financial support it gets compared to the other games. The BCCI is the richest cricket board in India and that in itself speaks volumes about how the sport is backed up by cash. Ultimately at some point of time, everybody does look at a profession which pays well, especially with modern Indian families and hence, if at all a child is lead into pursuing a career in sport, more often than not, in India, it's cricket. Literally in almost every corner of the country these days, you'd see young boys holding a kitbag going back home after a tiring practice session, myself included. I agree that it is a matter of intense passion, dedication and commitment but of course, a lot of it has been built upon watching our favourite players reap the rewards on the field and thus strive to achieve the same someday. To add to this, in the modern day, youngsters like myself get heavily influenced by the lifestyle of our idols and almost adopt the exact same practices in our lives be it diets, hairstyles, clothing, equipment, brands and so on. We watch popular cricketers in advertisements and copy them in whichever way possible. Leading sports brands like Adidas, Nike, etc are well aware of the fame held by cricketers and hence do not usually offer roles to other sportsmen thus leading to the lack of popularity among the youth. 
         I have only highlighted a handful of the points why cricket clearly over-shadows other sports in India. Any layman would be able to understand my perspective because all said and done, this is reality whether we like it or not. We are a cricket-crazy nation and by the looks of it, we're going to be that way for a long time to come.

-Vikshay Ronald

2 BBA ‘A’

COUNTERVIEW

I Aditya Garg, strongly oppose this notion. Be it Brazil and football, USA and American football or even Malaysia and badminton, every country usually has a sport they favour. This partiality or favouring towards a sport comes from the success a country has achieved in the given field and the same goes for India with cricket it is no lean feat to win 3 world cups and numerous other significant trophies, thus making it our country's most successful and renowned sport. As of the strong financial back up this sport has, isn’t it a basic objective that we should invest most in that aspect of our business which yields maximum returns?
In a less financial sense, people often believe that all parents want their children to be cricketers which is quite normal seeing the success of the sport.
Cricket is often blamed as a reason why other sports do not thrive in our country because too high an amount of the resources are allocated towards it. But facts clearly show that the BCCI, the apex for cricket in India is not funded by the government and most of its profits are earned through its own hard work and victories.
Why is it that sports persons who play other sports believe they are inferior to cricket? Maybe because of something known as a placebo effect where you are convinced of a false situation and you just ride the tide in those situations.
These sports persons often use cricket as an excuse for their failures which is both unsportsmanlike as well as just disappointing.
Maybe my view is shrouded by my love for the game but you will never catch a cricketer blaming other sports or even other people for their failures.
People often wonder why cricketers get all the advertisements, all the little children want to dress up like their favourite cricketers, it's quite simple if you think, why would anyone want to impersonate someone unsuccessful when they can just as easily impersonate someone successful.

Cricket may be the most successful ongoing sport as of now in our country, but only time will tell its future success or failure.

Aditya Garg

2 BBA ‘A’

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Technology kills Creativity

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- Mohana Gopinath

The predominance of technology in every aspect of our lives suggests that our creativity is being killed by our reliance on these tools.

Some might argue that the advent of technology has only served to increase or improve our creativity, because of the various platforms it has thrown open for the sharing of content, as well as to gain inspiration. But to dispute this, one only needs to look at a dictionary where Creativity is defined as “The use of imagination or original ideas to create something.”

If creativity involves imagination and original ideas, technology is most definitely killing it.

While arguments can swing both ways, I would like to focus on three main aspects to further my view – that technology does kill creativity.

Let us start by revisiting our childhood – the toys we played with came in a multitude of colours, shapes and sizes. They had different textures and made different sounds. Some were even scented! All this was not without reason. It has been proven that the stimulation of all the senses – visual, auditory, olfactory, and tactile - during a child’s playtime enhances their creative capacity. With children now being exposed to devices that stimulate mainly hand-eye coordination in their formative years, levels in creativity have seen a steep decline.

Another major way in which technology is inhibiting the creativity of people is Plagiarism. With a world of information available in an instant, it is very hard not to copy existing content. It must be noted that plagiarism affects creative content in two ways.

First, it affects the creative ability of those who plagiarise information. Why would someone put in the time and effort to create something original if it was available at the click of a button?

Then, it also affects the creativity of those who make all this content available to others. Why would one make original content available to others, if they could plagiarise it with absolutely no consequences?

My third strong argument for technology killing creativity is that people who always have their heads in their phones, tablets or laptops, do not participate in imaginative activities that help promote creativity.

We need to daydream to boost our creativity, but if we are spending any possible free time scrolling through newsfeeds on some social media platform, we are inhibiting that daydream time. Creativity is often described as a “Use it or lose it” ability. Therefore, even if one is working in a creative job role, they could be strangling their creative talents by being constantly connected to a device.

So let us all actively try to disconnect from our numerous devices and try to bring some creativity back into our lives.

                                                        

 

Counter view

 - Sharbari Chowdhuri

The sword we wield in a dangerous situation when logic shall not prevail, Creativity is a way of baring our very soul to the world. Our creativity shows our inventiveness and ability to use our imagination to bring to reality our various dreams. There is not a person in this world without creativity - there are just those who are yet to find it in them. And one of the most powerful ways to expose this hidden skill within us in today’s modern society is using technology.

I believe technology should not be considered a threat to creativity, but rather a potential platform to highlight one’s creative ability. Justin Bieber found his ticket to stardom at the tender age of thirteen through YouTube and become a singing sensation and billionaire by the age of 19. Malala Yousufzai, a young educational activist who found wide appeal for her blogs on girls’ education in Pakistan. Today she is the youngest ambassador of peace for the UN.

Modern technology has also helped bring to light the various talents people possess. There are various sites where people can post their stories and receive appreciation as well as criticism from their readers. People who have a certain passion or just wish to share their inner thoughts and feelings can create blogs. YouTube is a popular forum for sharing tutorials on various subjects ranging from cooking, to arts and crafts, to hairstyles. The internet gives people the platform to broadcast their videography and photography skills worldwide as well. It also helps bring to light various social issues like racism, sexism, and homophobia through powerful messages on social media. This allows people to express their true opinion and abolish such beliefs.

Graphics, animation, video editing, music production, DJ systems, and simulation software are newer more sophisticated ways of refining our art. Even the skill of creating video games and animation helps enhance our creativity and requires the use of original imagination. the use of video and audio tools in a classroom also helps develop a students’ creative ability. In an organisation, video conferences with people in different places working on the same project helps the flow of creativity increase and makes the work more innovative and efficient, thereby able to survive in today’s ruthless and competitive world. The modern world of marketing also helped develop creativity as the way the products are being advertised is dynamic and changes with changes in consumer trends.

It should be noted that creativity is a fundamental part of human behaviour and can be seen in every aspect of human history ranging from cave paintings to creation of cartoons. We can use modern technology to help propagate this creative flair within us and help improve the world overall.

                                                       

                                                 

Game of Words: View vs. Counter View 1.49

TRUE HAPPINESS OF A HUMAN BEING

VIEW: MARIA SYBILLINA

              According to me, I think that a human’s happiness depends on the way a person wants to live his/her own life such as taking decisions in their life and not with any compulsion from another human. When a human has the freedom of choice and has the privacy to do what they want and desire, then a person can be happy no matter what obstacles come in their life.

            A person can be happy when they achieve their true dreams and be successful. When a person tries to achieve something, for example a doctor and also succeeds in that profession but then, if  that person actually wanted to be something else, say, an actor , then that person can’t have true happiness in their life.

          True happiness is a wonderful feeling which can make a human’s life peaceful. A person can experience their true happiness when there are having well maintained relationships with their family and friends.

             A human cannot know true happiness when they are actually experiencing it but then they will come to know when they  are having a hard time in their life. It also completely depends on an individual to experience their true happiness. As we all know humans are different from one and another so the way of thinking and doing  things are also completely different which makes it clear that a person can be happy only if  it is in the way they wanted it to be.

            True happiness is a delightful feeling which all humans deserve and also depends on them to experience that feeling by trying to fulfil their desires in life.

             “True happiness is a choice, not the result. Nothing will make you happy until you choose to be happy. No person will make you happy. Your happiness will not come to you. It can only come from you”.

COUNTER VIEW: MARIA SHARON

    According to me true happiness cannot be met by us, which is why every individual tries to do something or the other to be happy and forget that true happiness is different from being just happy . True happiness is when everyone on this earth has no problem at all, or when the thought of what is going to happen if I don't do this or that isn’t constantly being thought about.  When this particular word "if" is stopped being used by us only then true happiness is in our life.

Achieving goals and dreams doesn't fetch happiness and happiness due to this maybe exists for a while, but not forever. True happiness of human is never met at all. Human beings are always filled with want, desire and expectations one after the other. When a particular desire is fulfilled he/she is going to be happy but it doesn't stop there, because another want pops up. Until human beings are on this earth it is natural to desire, expect, want and so on.

To me true happiness is when there are no worries at all but it is not going to happen because we all are humans. “Happiness is the art of never holding in mind the memory of any unpleasant thing that has passed”.

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GETTING RID OF STRAY DOGS

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 - Kishore Rao

The problem of stray dogs is a rising issue these days. Some of them were left by their owners; others grew up in the streets. It has become a menace and a nightmare for small kids, children and elderly to move without fear of dogs in the streets. If they are not killed, the number goes on increasing and the issue gets more and more out of control.

Also, spread of rabies and dog bites is another big and scary issue looming large before the society. The sheer number of stray dogs moving on streets is a big nuisance. They bark at each and everyone moving on the street. At night, they continuously bark and it is very difficult to sleep. Along with this, there are cases of stray dogs becoming mad.

I am in support of getting rid of stray dogs as the few dogs that escape capture and remain behind; attack these newcomers leading to frequent and prolonged dog-fights. Since they are not sterilized, all the dogs that escape capture continue to mate, leading to more fighting. While fighting dogs often accidentally redirect their aggression towards people passing by.

The removal of stray dogs cannot be effective in long term without the enforcement of laws and education of people. Long term strategy for prevention of increase in population of stray dogs and proper sterilization measures should be in place. Killing of stray is banned by the supreme court.

It’s better to not kill them and instead they can be sent to some place where dogs are taken care of. In this way they will not cause any further trouble to the society. The society can think of collecting funds from volunteers for the stray dogs, and a center for the stray dogs can be built. Also, another humane way of dealing with stray dogs to reduce number is by sterilizing dogs in a scientific way. This is found to be very effective in controlling the number of dog population. It helps in keeping the dog calm too.

Therefore, we should create awareness and empathy so that people do not abandon their pet dogs as stray dogs.  So, getting rid of stray dogs in my view is a good as it is for the betterment of the society.

COUNTERVIEW
- Elizabeth Joseph

For every problem, there is a solution and it's not only getting rid of things. It's about dealing with the things that exist.

“The sea, the forest, the desert.”  It's our responsibility to take care of them since they are very much part of the ecosystem which implies they are crucial to us. It's part of nature. And no one has the right to defy nature. And by that it also means that we don't have the authority to take a life. Be it a life of an ant or a human.

So what we are facing today is completely going against nature. The injustice shown towards the survival of stray dogs. What makes the stray dogs different from domesticated ones? Are they both loyal? Yes.

The only difference is that the stray haven't been given proper care and attention and hence their instincts are not tamed. Also what's the reason behind getting rid of the stray? Is it the diseases that they spread? Well, Are stray dogs the only source of disease? No. Is it that they attack people? It's a natural instinct of any animal to attack when they feel vulnerable.

There are many cases where domesticated dogs have attached their masters. And it's just not dogs. Every animal has this instinct.

Also, we as humans should try to coexist with nature and adapt instead of modifying everything because going against nature has consequences and we don't want to step into that uncharted territory.

Therefore, it's not the question of the stray dogs that create the problem. But the stray thoughts of our mind. So when we change the way we think and look at things we'll find a way to live in peace with nature and stray dogs.