The Great Debaters

image credit:  https://blogs.worldbank.org/governance/political-economy-tackling-climate-change   Thesis:  Measures of sustainability directed at reducing climate change need to be addressed on a large scale because the effort of a few enthusiastic individuals is not enough; however, methods used to decrease our carbon footprint need to be practical. First, effective measures of sustainability must happen on a large scale. Individual efforts such as reducing plastic bag usage, reducing car and plane mileage, and using solar panels are only helpful if more than half the population do them. Environmental activist Bill McKibben claims that enormous scale efforts would be more effective because "Movements are what make 5-10 percent of people and make them decisive - because in a world where apathy rules, 5-10 percent is an enormous number." However, whatever measures are put into place need to be practical and immediately beneficial for the average individual, or else the economy

image from:  https://spectrum.ieee.org/autonomous-cars-teach-themselves-to-drive-better-than-humans Intro: As more and more companies produce their own self-driving cars, questions arise regarding how they will influence society. They include: Where will these cars be parked, and how much space will they take up on the road?  How will they be fueled, and who will pay for it? How will we handle the ethical situations if these cars cause accidents? What will be the consequences of lost jobs and income for those who drive for a living? ...and many more. Robin Chase and Drew Hendricks, who have authored articles about this, believe that self-driving cars are an inevitable part of society's evolution. We should embrace this change and take advantage of the opportunity to improve transportation for everyone.  Thesis: The arrival of self-driving cars can improve transportation in three ways: they are more cost-effective, more space-efficient, and safer.  First, self-driving cars can impro

        image credit: https://techbuzzireland.com/2022/02/03/57-of-people-in-ireland-struggle-to-tell-difference-between-real-news-and-fake-news/   Thesis: News media corporations should be regulated on their content because it is deliberately misleading, causes mass hysteria, and pollutes the internet.     First, the regulation of news media corporations should be implemented because many news articles deliberately spread misinformation. In a desperate attempt to get the browser's attention, they use headlines and hype-words to sensationalize their content. David Mikkelson, the founder of the anti-misinformation website Snopes.com, says that we are living in a "bad news phenomenon" which "encompasses many forms of shoddy, unresearched, error-filled, and deliberately misleading reporting that do a disservice to everyone" (Kiely/Robertson). Allowing misleading information is unethical and sets a bad example for Americans and the rest of the world.      Next, news

image credit:  https://money.cnn.com/2017/03/09/news/economy/soda-tax-uk-sugar-revenue/index.html Thesis : A sugar tax implemented in the U.S. would be beneficial because both the American people and the large corporations must be held accountable for the unethical consumption of sugar, which is burdening our healthcare system.  First, a sugar tax would be beneficial because the companies which produce sugary foods and drinks should be held responsible. For example, many food labels are not entirely transparent about how much sugar is in the food item. Sarah Wilson claims, "More than 80% of products in supermarkets contain (mostly) hidden, added sugar." Another example is that big companies target poor areas of the country with advertising for cheap, unhealthy foods. Profiting off the ignorance of the disadvantaged is unethical. For this reason, these companies should be taxed so that they have to change their marketing or their products. . Image Credit: https://money.cnn.com