Causing controversy has never been so difficult for me. As I pored over topics trying to think of how technology affects the United States, it never seemed so difficult for me to find something that would incite a reaction other than "Well, Duh."
On the other hand, finding a topic that I think would make me actively disagree with would be hard to defend and research, leading to a Catch-22 of controversy vs. ability to research. And that doesn't even address the fact that finding a topic to research is difficult enough as it is.
I decided to peruse Wikipedia articles in "Technology" in hopes of finding something that I thought would make a good topic. (It's funny how easily distracted you can get while browsing through random pages, I learned more than I ever needed to know about the genome of the common fruit fly before forcing myself back on topic.) However, the distraction did make me think, and when I was contemplating the human genome, cloning, and biotechnology, I began to wonder why we hardly ever hear about these types of things in the news. Why haven't people been flouting the fact that a cloned heart is now beating in their chest, or they now have the ability to move a once-paralyzed limb?
I began to realize lack of government funding in these essential areas is restricting research, and that the reason government funding is so questionable is because of the personal convictions against such scientific manipulation. (Also, why is this not a topic the presidential candidates are debating on? Would it be a topic were the economy not in shambles?)
(opinion) Why is the proper emphasis not being given to such an essential area of research, and instead it is being used to bail out CEOs of Wall Street firms who exploited capitalism and don't have to pay a cent to repair the economy because it is so important to the rest of middle class America? http://www.businesssheet.com/2008/10/after-an-exhausting-bailout-aig-execs-needed-a-break- (/opinion)
I decided to peruse Wikipedia articles in "Technology" in hopes of finding something that I thought would make a good topic. (It's funny how easily distracted you can get while browsing through random pages, I learned more than I ever needed to know about the genome of the common fruit fly before forcing myself back on topic.) However, the distraction did make me think, and when I was contemplating the human genome, cloning, and biotechnology, I began to wonder why we hardly ever hear about these types of things in the news. Why haven't people been flouting the fact that a cloned heart is now beating in their chest, or they now have the ability to move a once-paralyzed limb?
I began to realize lack of government funding in these essential areas is restricting research, and that the reason government funding is so questionable is because of the personal convictions against such scientific manipulation. (Also, why is this not a topic the presidential candidates are debating on? Would it be a topic were the economy not in shambles?)
(opinion) Why is the proper emphasis not being given to such an essential area of research, and instead it is being used to bail out CEOs of Wall Street firms who exploited capitalism and don't have to pay a cent to repair the economy because it is so important to the rest of middle class America? http://www.businesssheet.com/2008/10/after-an-exhausting-bailout-aig-execs-needed-a-break- (/opinion)
David,
Wikipedia is a good place to get ideas; if you're after controversy and debate you might try searching blogs.
Paul