2 Nowadays men are becoming more and more greedy and selfish. We should return to older, traditional values and show respect for family and local community. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

To a certain extent, this statement reveals the reality of our society. From a different angle, however, it misleads us to realize the society where we live.

Individual greed and selfishness are not something new. Even in the beginning of the first thousand years, Jesus Christ had criticized this kind of phenomenon, saying, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God”. Also, according to the bible, “The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil”. Therefore, it is a great mistake to suppose that individual greed and selfishness do not become “the basic” of our society until today. As a matter of fact, it appears they are always going with human beings together from the earlier days of human history.

In my opinion, the improved modern governments are able to deal with these persistent problems than ever. For example, modern governments set a good example for the individual to help the needy, offering food, shelter, medicine and any other basic supplies for the victims of earthquake, fire, typhoon and so forth. Even if we may take these help for granted, that is, we suppose that governments have the duty to offer all kinds of help to their citizens, no one could deny modern governments have set good examples for us to help the needy. Most important, modern governments themselves not only help their citizens, they also encourage within their power the people to do it likewise.

Fortunately, private citizens, whether the wealthy or the poor, seems become generous in our modern society, and the wrath of nature, therefore, appears have less power than it had in the history. For instance, in the destroying floods in China, the year of 1991 saw the outpouring donation and volunteer out of compassion and love from all over the world. In hard time, we could clearly see the love, the generosity, and the compassion of most to follow the God’s will.

In a nutshell, we should not always go back to find ways to resolve the current problems facing us. If we pool our wisdom, love, experience and compassion together, we will have more powerful strength to conquer almost persistent problems, including the individual greed and selfishness.