Debate on the Saying: The Excessive Desire for Wealth Leads People into Spiritual Turmoil

Topic: Debate on the Saying: The Excessive Desire for Wealth Leads People into Spiritual Turmoil

Understanding the Essence of Money

Money serves as a tangible measure in human society, regulated strictly by state laws. It plays a pivotal role in economic landscapes, urging individuals to strive for wealth and assets to showcase their capabilities and achievements.

Exploration of Concepts

While endeavoring for financial stability is commendable, not all pursuits are righteous. The allure of wealth often leads astray those lacking in moral fortitude, blurring their moral compass and causing harm to society and themselves.

* Words of wisdom:
- Strive for a better life, it's true, but at least keep a beautiful soul for yourself, don't let the negativity of money make it icy and desolate.
- Young generations like us should give our all to life through righteous paths, no matter how much money we earn, it's never too much, what matters is that we feel content and happy for it.

3. Conclusion

- Express personal thoughts.
 

II. Sample Essay Debating the Phrase: Excessive Desire for Money Will Drive People into Spiritual Desolation (Standard)

Living in modern society, alongside the rise of the 4.0 industry, money is a special commodity that people strive to acquire as much as possible. Many jest that: 'What cannot be bought with money can be bought with a lot of money' or 'Having money doesn't necessarily mean happiness, but not having money definitely means unhappiness.' Although somewhat blunt and practical, these sayings hold true, especially in today's society where the pace of life is fast, human needs are increasing, and are being met with better services each day. This has become a strong driving force for people to strive for wealth, to assert themselves, to have a happier life, but there's something we need to contemplate and ponder: 'Excessive desire for money will lead people into spiritual desolation.'

So what is money and why is the primary goal of a large portion of humanity to acquire it? Money can be simply defined as the measure of material wealth in human society, regulated and issued by the state through strict management laws to prevent phenomena like inflation, money laundering, etc. In the past, humans did not use money; they exchanged goods with each other at equal value. For instance, if person A raised goats but couldn't solely survive on goat meat, A wanted rice, so A took their best goat to person B's house. Person B grew a lot of rice but lacked meat. They engaged in an equal exchange, one goat for half a bushel of rice, initially content with the trade. However, over time, A felt cheated, and so did B, leading to conflict, necessitating a standard means of payment, thus money was born. As time passed, money became increasingly important. With money, people could comfortably trade without carrying too many goods. Under the development of commerce, money became a common measure of value, playing a significant role in human life and the economy, especially as the rich-poor gap widens, with disparate privileges, where those with money enjoy better services, heightening awareness of money's importance. Ultimately, money satisfies the most basic needs of humans - food, clothing, shelter - and beyond, addressing higher-level needs. Additionally, money serves as evidence of one's achievements, making individuals more confident and cheerful. A rising Chinese actress recently stated: 'I often feel emotionally drained by malicious comments from anti-fans, but every time, I look at my savings account balance and immediately feel happy again.' It can be said that aside from the reasons I've mentioned, there are countless others driving people to strive for wealth, initially for self, family, and subsequently for the nation, society. Particularly in today's complex political situation, a wealthy population, a nation with strong economic power, has inherent advantages in protecting territorial sovereignty, the nation.

Thinking positively, striving, exerting utmost effort, utilizing one's talents to create material wealth, to establish a position in society, is a righteous deed, a path that seemingly every young person aspires to. We're racing against time, with society's incessant development seeming too fast-paced; a life without goals, without aspirations, would make existence difficult. At the very least, we must have a goal, an ideal to strive for, which, in my opinion, ultimately revolves around serving life, and to serve life, money is necessary, material wealth. Hence, Tennessee Williams once said something quite intriguing: 'You can be young without money, but you can't be old without it.' You know, even charitable organizations need money to sustain; this money can be government-supported or contributed by philanthropists. You have two choices: to become a donor or to become a recipient of donated money when you're old. Nonetheless, your life will still be related to money; the issue lies in whether you choose to be proactive or passive about it.

Now it's time to talk about the dark side of money. Our ancestors often said, 'The grass is always greener on the other side,' referring to humans' excessive greed for benefits, especially in this context, I want to address human greed for money. The excessive desire for money has led to the degradation of human dignity, even to the depths of moral bankruptcy. It may sound grave, but it's the truth. The temptation of wealth is immense; with money, we can lead a better life, enjoy good food, dress nicely, indulge in luxury goods, garner respect, receive care and nurture. Therefore, for those weak-willed, morally wavering individuals, it's easy to stray onto a path of greater wrongdoing. Money blinds them, leading them to forsake their conscience, committing acts that harm others, losing all sense of humanity. Robberies turned murders, billion-dollar scams, corruption scandals involving trillions, all funded by the hard-earned sweat and tears of the people, have shaken public opinion countless times. The outcomes for those blinded by money are never good; if they're not jailed, they're judged by their conscience; spiritually, karma awaits them. Let me recount the most recent case of a cunning, sharp businessman, Nguyen Thai Luyen, who unfortunately fell astray due to his boundless greed. Luyen ventured into real estate business in 2016 with a capital of 1 billion dong for his company. Now, his registered capital has soared to 5600 billion dong, earning him much admiration. However, it's all a mega scam. In pursuit of huge profits, he shamelessly marketed non-existent 'ghost projects' to defraud countless individuals. Luyen faced trial, with an undefined verdict awaiting, but perhaps his moral sentence is already decided. The spiritual desolation, the dark side of money, transformed a once sharp, intelligent individual into a fraudster, solely driven by greed.

Allow me to bring forth another aspect of excessive desire for money, this time on a more personal level. Nowadays, a significant portion of the youth seems to prioritize money above all else. Money becomes more important than family, love, friendship. They are consumed by the pursuit of wealth, disregarding all other spiritual values, gradually becoming cold and indifferent, much like the very thing they're chasing - money. A young, beautiful woman may readily abandon her sincere lover for a wealthy man, solely for his riches, to satisfy her vanity, living in luxury without the need for hard work. I call that selling love; perhaps that soul no longer cares for genuine emotions, as money can buy everything, including feelings. Or a farmer may willingly inject harmful pesticides into his produce to make them look fresh, appealing, for sale to others. I call that sacrificing conscience, silently killing others. Everyone faces life's hardships; you struggle to earn money, so do others. However, they're willing to commit unfathomable deeds for quick gains, which I believe is a serious moral and spiritual degradation.

But I believe striving for a better life is right, yet at least, one should maintain a beautiful soul, not letting the negativity of money make it cold and desolate. Look at famous billionaires; they amass fortunes, build vast empires fiercely, yet they still retain a good, deepening soul. They set loftier, macroscopic goals, like Pham Nhat Vuong, founder of Vingroup, with a mission: 'For a better life for Vietnamese people.' As for the younger generation like us, let's strive for life through righteous paths. No matter how much money we earn, it's never too much. What's important is that we feel content and happy for it. Remember: 'Money is a tool for the intelligent, but it's the goal of the foolish.'

Lastly, I want to emphasize that while money seems crucial, other spiritual values are equally important, especially one's intrinsic worth. Sacrificing everything for money is foolish; remember: 'Money is a tool for the intelligent, but it's the goal of the foolish.'