Band 5+: Society is becoming obsessed with material goods like fast cars,designer clothes and flashy jewellery. We have stopped caring about the important things and that is why divorce rates are high and family bonds are not as strong anymore;our value system is disintegrating.To what extend do you agree or disagree?

It is clear that we live in a materialistic society where money becomes a yardstick of success. It is believed to be the indicative of the deterioration of value system. However, I disagree with this opinion.

It is justifiable for some to claim that the ethos of society are currently deteriorating. First, many people are pressured to meet societal expectations, additionally, success has been measured in possessions people got. Hence, individuals are increasingly obsessed with money, then, they work deligently. Furthermore, it even comes at the expense of time for their surroundings. This leads to the break down of a relationship and a family. Second, youngsters tend to have self-centred lifestyle. The young can waste a thousand dollars only for instant gratification, such as flashy clothes while compensating by stating that they want to emulate the person they admire and pursue the individualism. As a consequence, a shot of pleasure leads to a “selfish society” in the future.Meanwhile, I still dispute that the value system is lower. The first justification for the opinion is that materials are not the be-all and end-all of many citizens’ lives. By contrast, they put a high value on family, spending time with the loved ones. This is not only true with the old who have been through numerous events in their lives, but the experiences have also been passed down to the young generation. In addition, the opinion that the public perceptions have been deteriorating is usually come from old people. They just always reminisce about the “gold old days” instead of keeping currently with new information. Progressively, they become outdated and arrogant, always giving permistic personal views about society. For instance, they still discriminate homosexuality while it has been legalised and recognized as a natural part of human. This example shows the old fashioned opinion of some individuals.

In conclusion, the changes in the public perspective are inevitable. I consider it a natural part of evolvement, unnecessary to intensify this issue.