As your contrition to a debate, write arguments for or against the proposition. “We are happier than our fore-father”

Mr. Chairman, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, I rise at this august occasion to propose the motion which states: We are happier than our fore-fathers”, We are the present generation of men and women while our fore-fathers were those our ancestors who lived and died hundreds of years ago. My stand is based on the points stated below.

Firstly we are happier than our fore-fathers because the present generation enjoys sound health brought about by science and technology. In the olden days, many people died rather untimely due to some undiagnosed diseases but today, medical technology has improved tremendously that it now postpones death. Recently, computer technology has been brought into medical field and so future diseases can be easily detected and prevented. Today, little children are immunized against childhood diseases and this has brought about rising population at a geometric progression. It was very much unlike the era of our fore-fathers when outbreak of any epidemic could n early wipe out a whole area. You see, our fore-fathers lived rather sad life due to a very high death rate brought about by their primitive herbs which has less value.

Secondly, we live happier life than our fore-fathers in the area of agriculture. In the olden days our ancestors practiced crude form of agriculture. They were wandering fruit gatherers. At their best they practiced subsistence agriculture. However, the modern generation practices mechanized and intensive agriculture. Today, the government allocates  huge sums of money every fiscal year to boost agriculture. We now engage in co-operative farming to raise enough capital to buy sophisticated machinery to boost production as against crude implements of the old. Today we export cahs crops such as cocoa and coffee, to other advanced countries of the world. This is a means of taking part in international trade thereby getting industrial goods from advanced countries, unlike our ancestors who never enjoyed all these. So we live a happier life than them because we enjoy better standard of living.

Thirdly, in the area of telecommunication technology, the modern generation lives a happier life than our fore-fathers. In the olden days the means of communication was not only manual but primitive. Information was disseminated by trekking long distances as against today when modern information systems are in place. These among others, include computers, television, radio, fax and others. it is not uncommon today to watch live a football match played thousands of kilometers away. Today, we can telephone Russia or America, distance notwithstanding, and get reply within few minutes. All these were unknown to our fore-fathers. The modern telecommunication technology has brought about cross fertilization of ideas which fosters economic development of the modern world. This perhaps has brought about inter-dependence in the modern economic system. With this, one knows very well that we live a happier life than our fore-fathers.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I heard my learned opponent say that our fore-fathers lived happier life because they ate fresh food and lived longer life but I dis-concur. This is because today, we get variety of food from all over the world, even those food items not produced in our continent. Also, modern medicine has brought about longevity due to the contents and components of imported food items which were not available to our fore-fathers who did not enjoy balanced diet as we do. Our fore-fathers only ate what they produced locally so the modern generation lives a happier life.

In conclusion, there is no shadow of doubt in my mind that I have convinced the audience, including my learned opponent and the doubting Thomases beyond doubt, that we live a happier life than our fore-fathers who only lived primitive life by crude and unscientific means, and had no contact with modern civilization.