A society composed of men and women who are not bound by convention—in other words, they do not act according to what others say or do—is far more lively than one in which all people behave alike. When each person's character is developed individually and differences of opinion are acceptable, it is beneficial to interact with new people because they are not mere replicas of those whom one has already met.

Adapted from Bertrand Russell, The Conquest of Happiness

Assignment:
Is it better for a society when people act as individuals rather than copying the ideas and opinions of others? 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.

As the 2008 US Presidential election reaches its prime, the US population is witnessing the respective Democratic and Republican candidates battle it out to achieve the coveted seat in the Oval Office. The clash of ideas and ideals are an intrinsic part to this election; there would be no way to decide who should win if everyone conformed to one opinion. I personally believe that acting upon individual ideas are necessary; this can be seen in the race to decode the human genome, and George Orwell's 1984 (underlined).

In 1999, back when DNA became one of the hottest issues of the day, two companies undertook a daunting mission they decided to decode the entire human genome. Though the mission of The Human Genome Project and Celera Genomics was the same, their opinions of the methods to be used were radically different. This dissent of opinion brought about fierce competition between the two companies. Had they decided to copy each other, the progress achieved by finding new methods and achieving the actual goal would have never been attained.

In Orwell's 1984 (underlined), no matter how different two people's DNA are, they are both servants to the government known as Big Brother. Winston Smith is like everyone except for one attribute, his ability to dissent from the rest. Instead of conforming to his government's desires, Winston rebels in his own fashion by breaking rules and plotting to over throw Big Brother. IN doing so, he achieves mental freedom. Though this doesn't impact society as a whole, his decision to choose his individual ideals for a brief glance of freedom over a chance to live his natural life represents a brief flash of revolutionary progress.

As humans have sophisticated through the generations, it has become evident that dissent and conflict have driven us to the successes in this day and age. As we continue to share individual effort, progress will continue exponentially and leave the human race in better condition than ever.

Some of your assertions are made without supporting fact, in truth, some of them are quite astonishing. Example..

Second paragraph, last sentence
last paragraph....continue exponentially? better condition than ever?

There are structural and gramatical issues, but in a SAT essay, these do not weigh heavily (first draft mentality).

Biggest issue is your logic, the Genome argument, and the final paragraph logic and assertions are without foundation.

Frankly, your words are full of fury, but in substance, and logic, it lacks.
Rating: 4
How can you improve? Did you outline this before writing?

I agree with Bobpursley's critique.

To answer the question, "Is it better for a society when people act as individuals rather than copying the ideas and opinions of others?" one can argue that it is indeed better for a society when individuals act upon their own ideas and opinions. This promotes diversity, innovation, and progress.

When people act as individuals, they bring their unique perspectives, ideas, and talents to the table. This diversity of thought leads to a wider range of solutions to problems and greater innovation. For example, in the race to decode the human genome, the competition between The Human Genome Project and Celera Genomics led to breakthroughs in scientific methodology and ultimately the successful decoding of the human genome. If they had simply copied each other's ideas, progress would have been stifled.

Furthermore, when individuals act as individuals, they are more likely to question existing norms and challenge the status quo. This can lead to necessary change and progress in society. In George Orwell's 1984, the protagonist, Winston Smith, rebels against the totalitarian government and strives for freedom. While his rebellion may not have a direct impact on society as a whole, it represents a moment of individual agency and the potential for revolutionary progress.

Ultimately, when individuals act as individuals and do not simply copy the ideas and opinions of others, society benefits from the diversity of thought, innovation, and progress that it brings. By encouraging and valuing individuality, society can foster an environment in which new ideas can flourish, problems can be solved, and positive change can occur.