2.1 Challenges in deciding what is good for society

• Within a society, there are challenges in deciding on what is good for society due to several reasons.
• One such reason is because people have different needs and interest and this leads to people disagreeing on what is more important to them, and the extent of what they will be willing to give up for the benefit of society.

Differing Needs and Interests

1. A diverse population may not agree on common interests and what is most important for a happy or fulfilling life.
2. Given that society only has limited resources, it would not be impossible for everyone’s needs and interests to be met fully.

Differing Priorities

1. Besides differing needs and interests, there could also be disagreement on priorities.
2. For example, the citizens of a country may agree that it is important for the country to provide affordable healthcare, a good education and a clean environment.
3. However, the citizens may disagree on which area the government should prioritise. Parents with school-going children would likely want more resources to be invested in education.

Unequal Sharing of Costs

1. When a decision is made, some individuals or groups will bear greater costs than others.
2. For example, in building an efficient transportation system for the country, it is necessary to build expressways for smooth traffic flow. While society will generally benefit, residents living near the expressways may be affected by the noise generated from the traffic.
3. While there are some residents who believe that such developments are needed, there are also others who believe that these facilities should be built further away from their homes so that they do not have to bear with the inconveniences associated with them.
4. This is an example of the Not In My Backyard (NIMBY) syndrome.
5. The situation is even more difficult in Singapore as we have limited land and such facilities would invariably be built near where some people live.