(Tham khảo bài đọc trang 33,34 và bài viết trang 39)

Deadline trước 7h sáng thứ 5 tuần này

 The merits:

-         Aesthetics:

·       It is easy for creator to establish their brand with their own taste

·       Unique: not popular or mass-production

-         Support small businesses:

·       Small businesses do not need to have massive capital to run a business, because raw material can be various and found in multiple resources.

-         Community:

·       Create more communities for people in demand: fashion handmake communities, furniture communities,…

·       Create more occupations for people

-         Friendly environment:

·       Recycled materials can be used to innovate

The drawback:

·       Time-Consuming: Creating handmade products can be time-intensive, especially if you're starting small.

·       Competition: The market for handmade goods can be competitive, especially in popular niches.

·       Pricing Challenges: Determining the right price for your handmade items can be difficult.

·       Marketing and Sales: You'll need to develop effective marketing strategies to reach your target audience and generate sales.

On the one hand, handicraft is a means to preserve indigenous culture. Each handicraft bears an indelible imprint of its craftsman's nation. Take bat Trang pottery as a specific instance, it is a unique artwork of Vietnam, attracting myriad tourists and is considered an Intangible Cultural Heritage. This handicraft is associated with a local village named after itself, thereby, becoming an irreplaceable field of Vietnamese culture.

On the other hand, the more enhanced handicraft is, the better the environment is. Using machine-made products indirectly funds opportunities for industrial waste to be released into the environment. If customer tastes favor machine-made products, manufacturing factories will be allocated more, leading to a tremendous amount of waste. Vedan company in Vietnam is a good case in point. Many years ago, the Institute of Nature Resources and Environment opined that the wastewater of this company had polluted over 80% of the Thi Vai River, which was a hazard to local humans and creatures' lives.

In light of the facts mentioned above, I strongly endorse that handmade works have more merits than machine-made ones, due to their cultural imprint as well as their positive impact on the environment.

First of all, machine-made products guarantee consistent quality and quantity every day. Machines follow exact instructions without variation, ensuring that each item meets the same standards. For example, a company producing soft drinks using automated systems can maintain the same taste and packaging, making customers trust the product. In contrast, handmade items often depend on individual skill, which may vary between workers or even across different batches.

Secondly, using machines is more cost-effective in the long run. While buying a machine can be expensive at first, the overall cost is usually cheaper than hiring workers to do the same job. For example, a bakery that uses machines to knead dough and bake bread may avoid paying multiple salaries each month. Moreover, machines do not need holidays, breaks, or sick leave, which helps businesses save money and run continuously.

Finally, machines improve workplace safety by taking over dangerous tasks. In industries like manufacturing or mining, workers face risks of injury. By using machines, companies can reduce accidents and protect their employees from harm. This is an additional reason why many businesses prefer machines over manual labor.

In conclusion, machine-made products offer many advantages over handmade products. They provide stable quality and quantity, lower costs, and eliminate problems related to laziness or fatigue. As technology continues to develop, it is likely that more industries will rely on machines for production, benefiting both businesses and consumers.

To what extent, do you agree or disagree with this statement?