The advantages and disadvantages of megacities.

What is a megacity? Wikipedia defines it as a metropolitan area with a total population an excess of 10 billion people. Different people have very different opinions about the city life. Honestly, in our opinion, chasing the rat race of everyday life and getting caught up with the hustle and bustle of the city life eliminates the essence of life. It turns everything into a game. Into a competition; who’s job has a better pay, who’s driving the fastest, latest and most expensive car and even who has the best social life. If there was such a thing as The Future Foresters’ Dictionary, a megacity’s definition would be “a concrete jungle where everyone is too blinded by the harsh city lights to know that stars exists”. We do not wish to live in a megacity. HOWEVER, as how each and everything in life has its pros and cons, we are here to discuss about the advantages and disadvantages of megacities.
One of the advantages of megacities would be the effects it has on the labour pool. We’ll have a better educated, better trained and more diverse labour pool but more expensive labour costs of course. There is also the concentration of educational and training facilities, increasing the potential for human resource investments. Apart from that, the technological advancements generated from the megacities would help with a lot of things. This will also boost the healthcare in that area.
What about the disadvantages of megacities?? I can go very emotional on this one but I’ll try to keep it light. What is one of the detrimental effects of development such as a megacity? POLLUTION. That’s very obvious isn’t it? Sound, air, water and land pollution, you name it, they have it. All they think about would be development, and they don’t have the slightest streak on intelligence to bear in mind about the consequences and how they should work on conservation as well. Where do these come from? From the 10 billion people living in the megacity of course! Despite the advance in technology, not everyone is caring enough to care for the environment. The advance of technology somehow turns them into robots. All metal. The cars and other nature destroying machineries generate exhaust fumes that pollutes the air. This causes all sorts of respiratory illnesses. Apart from that, there’s the high cost of living to bear in mind. Some people who can’t afford to live up to the high standards and costs of living in the megacity but are STILL trying to be a part of it would have to resort to living at the edge of the cities instead; some end up as squatters making houses with whatever materials they can get their hands on. Usually this slum area is not a very pretty sight to look at. Although most of the developed countries tried to eliminate them from the area, it doesn’t usually work out. The sad thing is, these people who live in the slums end up looking like the dirt bags of the human caste. They are frown upon by those who are fortunate enough to not share the same fate. The ‘slummers’ are deprived from proper education, food, healthcare and other basic needs.

Basic resources such as food, fuel and water decreases very fast and it takes a lot of energy and man power to generate these resources. Depletion of natural resources such as petroleum and gas is also very problematic because these are the main source of power in a megacity. Last but not least, the loss of human values and degradation of moral values. This happens because eveyone is too busy chasing their worldly needs and possesions. Some would go to any extend to get what they want. Some parents will be too busy supporting their families that they might fail to provide their children with religious teachings to guide their children in future. This can already be seen in cities alone, what more MEGACITIES. Most would be too busy working to seek the satisfaction out of life...that they might never try to trace the last ray of sunlight and BREATHE.