The impact of social change on human society has been a major concern for social scientists, particularly, sociologists. The impact can be understood in two levels – impact of the individual and group or society. However, there are different views among sociologists on the nature of impacts on human society.
There are many sociologists who believe that industrial society alienates individuals from one another because of the nature of the work. Karl Marx was one of the thinkers who believed that the move from agrarian to industrial societies would alienate people from their work. This, he felt, was inevitable because the goods produced would be owned by the factory owner, and not the worker.
There are also other sociologists who think that industrial society would affect human society. Ferdinand Tonnies and Max Weber, among others, may be cited as those sociologists who subscribed to the idea that industrial society would affect human relationships, albeit in different ways.
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Sociologists are also aware that modern socialisations and life styles encourage individuals to behave in a way that would be compatible with industrial life and specialised professions. The media also plays immense role in influencing the individuals to emulate and adapt to the life-styles of the middle class.
Social change has also caused mixed effects on human life. While acknowledging the various discoveries and inventions, so also the good elements of multifarious types of development, we do experience many ill effects of such processes that have been affecting human life and its environment.
For instance, industrialisation and capitalism have increased the gap between the rich and the poor. It has furthered exploitation of the working class and marginalised sections of the society. It has also paved way for emerging culture of consumerism.
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In the process, there has been much erosion of cultural values and social relationships. The increasing bureaucratization and corporatization have also added to further deprivation of common people to have access to participating in the process of democracy, development, governance, and so on.
The introduction of modern know-how and technology has also caused great problems and anxiety to human life. The heavy use of automobiles and fuels causes massive pollution and hazardous emissions. It also pollutes and damages the physical environment that man depends for survival.
The acute demand for fuel and the means to meet the demand have often led to conflicts between communities and states even to the extent of war. The invention and use of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction have caused great concern to humanity. It has, in fact, caused more insecurity than ever before.
The inventions of deadly weapons of mass destruction make us think as to where we are heading for- towards the end of human civilisation, (the end of the world through World War II) or towards a civilisation of great insecurity and uncertainties?