hello! i believe many of you will be taking the SATs soon and i’m no exception haha
could anyone be so kind as to grade my essay? i think it’s pretty rubbish because i did it in less than 20 minutes and i’m normally a person who requires a lot of time for thinking.
Prompt: “Nowadays nothing is private: our culture has become too confessional and self-expressive. People think that to hide one’s thoughts or feelings is to pretend not to have those thoughts or feelings. They assume that honesty requires one to express every inclination and impulse.” -Adapted from J. David Velleman, “The Genesis of Shame”
Assignment: Should people make more of an effort to keep some things private? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.
My essay:
Nowadays, people are becoming increasingly open about their own thoughts and feelings. The rise of social media has also catalysed the expression of self and one's everyday life. This has resulted int he debate on whether this frequent sharing of thoughts and feelings is desirable, or whether one should make more of an effort to keep some things private.
I agree with the latter. Some thoughts and feelings are better kept within one's mind, especially ones that might be hurtful or upsetting.
I used to be a very straightforward person. I would literally speak whatever's on my mind without giving a second thought. This resulted in me hurting many of my friends' feelings, as my critical comments were often too blunt. I slowly realized that announcing every single thought in my mind had dire consequences on my relationships with others, and over the course of time, have learnt from my experience that it's best to keep some ideas to myself, even if I may perceive them as helpful to others, so as to maintain better relationships between my friends and I.
There are people who may assume that honesty requires one to express every inclination and impulse. Honesty is undeniably a noble virtue to pursue, but it is unnecessary for one to express every thought and feeling in order for honesty to be achieved. Omission is a skill that enables one to speak truthfully, yet avoiding hurting others with unwanted comments and criticisms.
In conclusion, people should make more of an effort to keep some things private, as keeping some things to oneself does not necessarily compromise honesty.