We should return to traditional and older values of respect for family and community. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

It is claimed that modern society should re-embrace the

time-honored

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time-honoured

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, traditional

values

of family and community that it has abandoned. In my point of view, it is true that more importance should indeed be attached to the household and collectivism, but it seems unrealistic to apply those old

values

in contemporary society. Admittedly, more appreciation toward our family and community would help to strengthen family bonding and promote social cohesion. Individualism has eroded the younger generation, making them indifferent to what happens in their own communities or even in their own homes. Once old-fashioned concepts come back, people can be unconsciously influenced and thereby spend more time accompanying their family members and giving an ear to their elderly parents. In the meantime, more participation and support from neighbours would be seen in all kinds of communal activities.

This

progress, viewed in the long run, will necessarily bring a united and harmonious nation.

However

, when trying to arouse people’s awareness of respecting their family units or communities, the risk of hypercorrection should not be ignored.

This

is because, being well-educated and growing up in

this

enlightened society, people nowadays have stronger individual consciousness and refuse to have their lives arranged. Facing the huge generation gap, some people may have to sacrifice their personal choices and

values

and submit to the preference of their parents, if asked to “respect” the decision made by their family. Worse still, some minority groups, in order to be more socially accepted, are likely to weaken their identity and follow the modern social trend blindly, which will

also

pose a threat to our social diversity. In conclusion, we are supposed to pay more attention to traditional family

values

and the sense of community, but it does not mean that these old ideas should be fully accepted in

this

ever-evolving world.