[Discussion] People’s dependence on each other today

Some people think that in the modern world we are more dependent on each other, while others think that people have become more independent.
 Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Ít lệ thuộc:

Người sống một mình nhiều hơn – nên họ phải tự chăm sóc bản thân

Người trẻ ít lệ thuộc bố mẹ vì bố mẹ rất bận 

Người ta thường làm việc một mình nhiều hơn khi có công nghệ 

Với việc học online, học sinh phải tự học rất nhiều 

Independent:

People are more likely to live alone – so they have to learn to be able to take care of themselves 

Young people are less likely to rely on parents for help (as parents are busy)

People are more likely to work alone with technology

With online learning, many students have to work by themselves using online resources

Lệ thuộc:

Mỗi người đều có một công việc nhất định – người ta không tự trồng thực phẩm, hay tự sản xuất đồ dùng trong nhà

Chúng ta có nhiều máy móc để làm việc nhà 

Ông bà giúp chăm sóc con cháu nhiều hơn vì bố mẹ chúng phải đi làm

Dependent:

Everyone has a specific role in society now – we don’t grow our own food, make our own things

We have machines to do our chores – many don’t know how to wash clothes or dishes

Family members like grandparents now help with raising children because their parents are busy.

People have different views about whether we are more or less dependent on others nowadays. In my view, modern life forces us to be more independent than people were in the past. 

There are two main reasons why it could be argued that we are more dependent on each other now. Firstly, life is more complex and difficult, especially because the cost of living has increased so dramatically. For example, young adults tend to rely on their parents for help when buying a house. Property prices are higher than ever, and without help it would be impossible for many people to pay a deposit and a mortgage. Secondly, people seem to be more ambitious nowadays, and they want a better quality of life for their families. This means that both parents usually need to work full-time, and they depend on support from grandparents and babysitters for child care. 

However, I would agree with those who believe that people are more independent these days. In most countries, families are becoming smaller and more dispersed, which means that people cannot count on relatives as much as they used to. We also have more freedom to travel and live far away from our home towns. For example, many students choose to study abroad instead of going to their local university, and this experience makes them more independent as they learn to live alone. Another factor in this growing independence is technology, which allows us to work alone and from any part of the world. 

In conclusion, while there are some reasons to believe that people now depend on each other more, my own view is that we are more independent than ever. 

Synonyms:

Depend on – rely on, count on, supported by

Independent – self-reliant, self-sufficient, self-sustaining 

• Deposit (n) /dɪˈpɒzɪt/:
  • Vietnamese definition: Tiền đặt cọc
  • Example sentence: “To secure the apartment, they had to pay a deposit.”
  • Vietnamese translation: “Để đảm bảo căn hộ, họ phải thanh toán tiền đặt cọc.”
• Mortgage (n) /ˈmɔːrɡɪdʒ/:
  • Vietnamese definition: Thế chấp, khoản vay trả góp
  • Example sentence: “They took out a mortgage to buy their first home.”
  • Vietnamese translation: “Họ vay một khoản thế chấp để mua căn nhà đầu tiên.”
• Ambitious (adj) /æmˈbɪʃəs/:
  • Vietnamese definition: Đầy tham vọng, có khát vọng
  • Example sentence: “She has ambitious goals for her career.”
  • Vietnamese translation: “Cô ấy có những mục tiêu tham vọng cho sự nghiệp của mình.”
• Babysitters (n) /ˈbeɪbiˌsɪtərz/:
  • Vietnamese definition: Người giữ trẻ
  • Example sentence: “Parents often hire babysitters when they go out for the evening.”
  • Vietnamese translation: “Phụ huynh thường thuê người giữ trẻ khi họ đi ra ngoài vào buổi tối.”
• Dispersed (adj) /dɪˈspɜːrst/:
  • Vietnamese definition: Phân tán, rải rác
  • Example sentence: “The dispersed population lived in remote villages.”
  • Vietnamese translation: “Dân số phân tán sống ở những làng xa xôi.”