Write to Win: What is a problem people faced in the past that can now be easily fixed with money? (Round 4)

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  • Preserving cherished memories and easily keeping in touch with loved ones who live far away are some of the things money can help us do easily today
  • Our writing contest starts with 10 students, who are eliminated one at a time based on your votes and YP editors’ picks – who will you choose?
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What is a problem people faced in the past that can now be easily fixed with money? Photo: Shutterstock

Read the responses to this week’s Write to Win prompt, and choose the answer you like most. Based on your votes and YP editors’ picks, we will eliminate one contestant.

Pear: “Say Cheese!” With the click of a button, these cherished moments are effortlessly caught on our phones, like a baby’s first smile, graduation day or wedding vows. As for ancestors, seizing life’s frames wasn’t a simple task. Neither was standing still for hours-long portraits or processing photos through chemicals most couldn’t access; it automatically paved an alternative path of archiving milestones in life, where they let these fleeting memories fade away. But fortunately, with the technological advancements today, affordability conquers what gold could not in the past. These digital means allow each generation to witness moments that have been transformed into permanence through these camera tools, which give gifts and glimpses into lives that came before.

Strawberry: In the past, people faced difficulties when dealing with simple illnesses like flu or infections from minor cuts. That took away many lives throughout history. However, having enough money now allows us to access various healthcare and wellness services. For instance, we can prioritise regular check-ups with doctors and catch any problems early on. Screenings like cancer or heart disease tests become possible, leading to timely treatment and better outcomes. We can also afford necessary vaccinations that protect us from contagious diseases. Additionally, we can invest in activities like exercise or meditation to improve our fitness and mental well-being.

Apple: Ask your parents how they once waited with bated breath for the postman, their hearts beating faster on the arrival of inked words from a loved one miles away. Letters were treasured, read, and reread, the paper worn thin between fingers, hungry for news. Today, this is all but a memory, whisked away by the marvels of modern technology. Now, with a few taps on a sleek glass screen, voices and visions leap across continents in the blink of an eye. The agony of waiting and the uncertainty of lost missives are antiques of a bygone era. For a modest sum, we wield the magic of instant connection, a once-unimaginable luxury.

Avocado: Accessing food was a severe problem in historical times that can now be easily fixed with money. Imagine hunting from place to place for wild animals to consume during the Stone Age. Scarce supplies made ancient people find gathering nourishment challenging. As a result, their mortality rates were high, mainly due to starvation. However, this issue has improved significantly as time has passed. Modern people can use their money to purchase delicious food in supermarkets. Dining in restaurants is also popular among people of different financial statuses. Citizens may even choose to buy cheap meals and supplements from various convenience stores. As seen above, money is a simple solution to onerous food access.

Banana: Historically, access to clean water was a significant problem. Humans did not have ample resources and funding. They only had access to natural water resources such as lakes and rivers, most contaminated with bacteria and harmful pollutants. With the advancement of technology and increased funding and emphasis on health, governments and citizens can easily invest in purification, filtration and distribution systems with adequate amounts of money left over. Financial assistance plays a vital role in leading humans to clean water, and unsanitary, unhygienic water access and treatment practices have been left behind in the past.

Cherry: While most people would say health-related issues, communication has also shifted a lot due to the increasing power of money. In the mid-19th century, people could only communicate face-to-face, and even the upper class couldn’t always afford the whopping price of a telegraph. When technology started to rise in the 1980s, cordless phones and pagers were becoming the norm, but they were still expensive and not entirely stable. Nowadays, with the rapid development of the internet, we use smartphones to communicate. We text, call, and even do video calls. We don’t have to pay a sky-high price to get a smartphone. With a reasonable amount of money, communication has been made very easy.

Orange: Picture this: your heart is willing to decode the mysteries of nature, your mind is thinking nothing but exploring the tremendous waters and mountains, but you don’t have any money to start your nature expedition. It must be very frustrating. The first and most crucial step is to have enough research funds to unlock the book of nature. Using money, you can buy an airline ticket to explore non-native species, buy apparatus to conduct biology experiments and uncover the mysteries of nature.

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