Question

Make a detailed outline or short essay to write a 3-4 page essay and add 4 citations. (possibly include: Adam Smith, John Locke, Plato & Aristotle on greed, wealth and materialism, Jean Jacques Rousseau, Thomas Hobbes)

1. The pursuit and accumulation of wealth is a core feature of the modern world. Yet throughout history, man has expressed criticisms, cautions, and concerns about the accumulation of private property and its implications. Discuss some of these criticisms, cautions and concerns as they have been expressed over time and whether any of them bear relevance today.

Answer 1

In today’s modern times, accumulating wealth has become a core necessity and an important goal which determines our level of success in this world. Having a beautiful house, a wonderful car, newest model phone, kids studying in international schools has become a prestige issue. Financial security also makes a person feel safe. If he has saved enough it ensures if life’s uncertainty comes across then he has something saved for times of difficulty. But while trying to accumulate wealth for the future the individual indulges in so much work that he does not live for himself in the present. And the present time which is lost will never come back. Also in pursuit of acquiring more wealth many people fail to live a healthy and a happy life. They do overtime at work, take too much stress and spoil their health. They realize it very late in life that struggling so much to acquire wealth, they will not be able to enjoy it if they are not healthy enough to enjoy it.

Conclusion - True, the pursuit and accumulation of wealth is a core feature of the modern world. As it is said that 'There are enough resources in the world to satisfy everyone's need but not enough to satisfy one person's Greed'. Human is a social animal and we all are customized to live in a society. When a person lives in a society, he/she interact with each other and come to know about the possession of other people, which give rise to the urge of owning something.