Individual Greed and Selfishness IELTS Essay

The question discusses how modern society is seemingly characterized by selfishness and individual greed, with many advocating a shift to older and traditional systems of family and community for a better future. I agree with this topic to the fullest possible extent. If you consider a family as the core and smallest individual unit of a community and a community as an individual unit of a society, then its role is undeniable. Robert Alan Silverstein’s quote is the perfect encapsulation of the concept- “The idea of a family is one of the most basic models of what a better world can be like. ” The modern world is characterized by individual selfishness and greed, arising from the time is money conundrum, more competition for resources, and a thirst for power and security. To that end, we have stopped finding meaning in relationships and communities. This way of life embodies the individual as the basic unit of a community. Yet, globally, fed up with the rat race and the continual pursuit of wealth acquisition and professional betterment, many societies are steadily returning to their traditional, respect-based family and community systems. Take an example of the devastation across Europe after the Second World War. If there was no community help, especially from the affluent to the less fortunate, then the continent would not have recovered to be as strong as it is today. In a similar vein, a solid family and community-based lifestyle prevent isolation while ensuring guidance, support, and better wellbeing. I conclude by stating that man is a social animal and this is a phrase that is the fulcrum of life and human behavior. Having stronger ties to the family and community is imperative for a better future. The culture of isolation and a false sense of independence is not the solution anymore.