Culture & SocietyDiscuss Both ViewsBeginnerHigh Frequency

IELTS Essay: Some people say that individuals who make a lot of money are the most success...

Prompt

Some people say that individuals who make a lot of money are the most successful. Others think that those who contribute to society like scientists and teachers are more successful. Discuss both sides and give your own opinion.

#success definition#financial success#social contribution#career value#meaningful life

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Band 7 → 9 — Band 7 argues money or social contribution defines success with supporting reasoning, while Band 9 challenges the dichotomy, argues that true success aligns personal fulfillment with social value, and shows that some professions fail both metrics while others excel at both.

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Key concepts in this essay

Definition of success and societal versus individual metrics
Economic compensation misalignment (underpaid essential workers, overpaid non-essential roles)
Intrinsic satisfaction and meaning-making in work versus financial security
Social value and legacy: what constitutes meaningful contribution to society

Pitfalls the model essay avoids

Conflating financial success with personal success without acknowledging that many highly-paid jobs don't contribute societal value
Romanticizing low-paid professions (teachers, scientists) without acknowledging financial insecurity issues
Treating monetary wealth and social contribution as mutually exclusive when some high-income professions (medicine, engineering) do both

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