<p>Although I have produced great SAT essays in the past, according to a few CC members who have graded them, I am kind of uncertain about this one, mainly because it is shorter than most of the others I've written. I'm not sure if everything is done properly in this short version. Please review it and let me know what grade I would receive for it.</p>
<p>Essay Topic: Should modern society be criticized for being materialistic?</p>
<p>Essay:</p>
<pre><code>Modern society shouldn’t be criticized for being too materialistic. Though it may seem that modern society is more attracted to materials than they should be, these materials greatly benefit the modern world. This is exemplified in three anecdotes from my personal life.
The materialistic nature of certain individuals can help others learn a lot about them without even talking to them. From the way James behaved in class, I always thought that he was a calm and innocent person. I assumed that he would be a good friend. However, after seeing his clothing at Julia’s party, my opinions about him changed completely. Although James was dressed elegantly, his clothing was imprinted with writing that clearly showed that James was better than others due to his parents’ financial status. From this, it was clear that James considered others to be inferior to be him. Without even talking to him, I was able to determine his personality. His attachment to a certain clothing style helped me learn something that I wouldn’t have learned by seeing him in the school uniform.
Materials available to us can help increase our levels of knowledge. In the 9th grade, I was assigned to do a science project relating to the competitive nature of plants. Since I knew nothing about the subject, I researched it using the internet. The internet helped me access about twenty scholarly articles relating to the subject. With the knowledge obtained from these articles, I was able to get an A on my project. Thus, modern materials, such as the internet, can be helpful. Their helpful nature makes attachment to these materials unworthy of criticism.
Certain modern materials are essential to our survival. During my trip to India, I encountered many poor families. These families would go through an entire day with only a piece of bread in their stomachs. Sometimes, they weren’t able to obtain any food at all. During my two month vacation period, I saw many homeless people die. Many of them were children no older than five years of age. The lack of money proved to be detrimental to their lives. Modern society shouldn’t criticize individuals for being attached to things, like money, that are necessary for survival.
Materials available to the modern world help reveal the characteristics of certain individuals, increase knowledge inputs, and make survival possible. Attachment to these benefactors deserves praise, rather than punishment.
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