๐ Written Ability Test (WAT)/Essay Analysis Guide: Can Human Beings Truly Act Selflessly?
๐ Understanding the Topicโs Importance
The essay explores the ethical dimensions of leadership, organizational behavior, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). It’s crucial for B-school candidates to articulate perspectives on complex human motivations effectively.
๐ Effective Planning and Writing
- โฑ๏ธ Time Allocation:
- ๐ Reading/Planning: 5 minutes
- โ๏ธ Writing: 20 minutes
- ๐ Review: 5 minutes
๐ก Introduction Techniques for Essays
- Contrast Approach: “While countless acts of heroism inspire awe, the question remains whether selflessness is genuinely altruistic or subtly self-serving.”
- Scenario-Based: “Imagine sacrificing your life for a stranger. Does such an act reflect pure altruism, or is it fueled by subconscious desires for legacy or recognition?”
๐ Structuring the Essay Body
๐ Achievements
- ๐ Example: Anonymous donations reflect altruism without visible benefits.
- ๐ Statistical evidence: Neuroscience supports selflessness activating reward centers in the brain.
โ ๏ธ Challenges
- ๐ Issue: Difficulty in quantifying altruistic motives.
- ๐ Comparative analysis: Variances across collectivist and individualist cultures.
๐ฎ Future Outlook
Suggest approaches for fostering genuine altruism, such as ethical education, cultural exchange, and systemic transparency.
๐ Concluding Effectively
- ๐ค Balanced Perspective: “Human behavior is a spectrum where selflessness coexists with self-interest. Encouraging altruism requires acknowledging and understanding this duality.”
- ๐ Future-Focused: “Fostering genuine altruism necessitates systemic efforts, bridging cultural gaps, and addressing skepticism.”
โ๏ธ Sample Short Essays
โ๏ธ Balanced Perspective
“Selflessness, though rare, exists in forms like anonymous heroism, challenging the notion that every act is self-serving.”
๐ง Solution-Oriented
“To nurture altruism, ethical education and transparency in CSR are essential.”
๐ Global Comparison
“While Scandinavia exemplifies communal altruism, cultural shifts are necessary to globalize such values.”