Submitting a GRE Issue essay for review

[Madiswar]

Scandals are useful because they focus our attention on problems in ways that no speaker or reformer ever could.

Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the claim. In developing and supporting your position, be sure to address the most compelling reasons and/or examples that could be used to challenge your position.

 

(I don't know why some are bolded and some arent but heres my response)

 

 

I think the argument presented above is too much of a blanketed statement in too many ways to hold true. The statement requires us to make an assumption: either the “scandal” is completely related to the problem at hand, or the “scandal” is not related to the problem at hand. The statement is also assuming, if the scandal were related to the problem, that the public would accurately make the connection of said scandal being a direct cause of said problem without any influence from a speaker or reformer.

If the reader is assuming that the scandal is not at all related to to the problem at hand, then the scandal would be further distracting from the problem that said reformer or speaker is trying to hone in on. The scandal would have no benefit to a reform.

If the reader is assuming that the scandal is related to the problem at hand, then one also has to ask if the general population is connecting “the problem” with the scandal.

For example, if the scandal is that border patrol agents are separating families who are illegally crossing the United States border, then we have to ask ourselves if that focuses the public’s attention on a border security problem or an acquisition of citizenship problem.  If the scandal is that a high-schooler brought a gun to school and killed students, then we have to ask ourselves if that focuses our attention on a gun control problem or a mental health awareness problem. While the scandal would fuel a conversation, the type of conversation is unpredictable and would cause a fray in the population’s opinion of what problem caused the scandal.

The term “problem” is too blanketed to make an accurate opinion on the argument at hand, because the “problem” is up to the individual that is interpreting the scandal. It is far too difficult to predict how a population will interpret a scandal and which “problem” the attention will be focused on. The words “scandal” and “argument” are extremely dependent on the situation at hand. Furthermore, a speaker or reformer could possibly assist the public’s focus by telling them what lead to the scandal - identifying the problem - and how to fix it.

[ANOM ASHOK]

Can i critique ur essay using magoosh rubric, i am a no expert but i am preparing for GRE?

[Madiswar]

Yes!