NEW HERE? LEARN MORE
closeclose
Last visit was: 24 Apr 2024, 23:40 It is currently 24 Apr 2024, 23:40
Decision Tracker
My Rewards
New posts
New comers' posts

Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Go to My Error Log Learn more
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel

The 1980’s have been characterized as a period of selfish individualis

SORT BY:
Date
Kudos
Tags:
Find Similar Topics 
Show Tags
Hide Tags
User avatar
noboru
Director
Director
Joined: 16 Jul 2009
Posts: 543
Own Kudos [?]: 8532 [20]
Given Kudos: 2
Schools:CBS
 Q50  V37
WE 1: 4 years (Consulting)
Send PM
The 1980’s have been characterized as a period of selfish individualis [#permalink] New post   Updated on: 04 Sep 2019, 04:40
6
Kudos
14
Bookmarks
00:00
A
B
C
D
E

Difficulty:

65% (hard)

Question Stats:

54% (01:55) correct 46% (01:55) wrong based on 787 sessions
Hide Show timer Statistics
The 1980’s have been characterized as a period of selfish individualism that threatens the cohesion of society. But this characterization is true of any time. Throughout history all human actions have been motivated by selfishness. When the deeper implications are considered, even the simplest “unselfish” acts prove to be instances of selfish concern for the human species.

Which one of the following is a flaw in the argument?

(A) The claim that selfishness has been present throughout history is not actually relevant to the argument.
(B) No statistical evidence is provided to show that humans act selfishly more often than act unselfishly.
(C) The argument assumes that selfishness is unique to the present age.
(D) The argument mentions only humans and does not consider the behavior of other species.
(E) The argument relies on two different uses of the term selfish.
ShowHide Answer
Official Answer
E

Originally posted by noboru on 16 Jun 2010, 13:03.
Last edited by Bunuel on 04 Sep 2019, 04:40, edited 1 time in total.
Renamed the topic and edited the question.
Most Helpful Reply
User avatar
vivesomnium
Manager
Manager
Joined: 09 Feb 2011
Posts: 175
Own Kudos [?]: 459 [8]
Given Kudos: 13
Concentration: General Management, Social Entrepreneurship
Schools: HBS '14 (A)
GMAT 1: 770 Q50 V47
Send PM
Re: The 1980’s have been characterized as a period of selfish individualis [#permalink] New post   04 Jul 2011, 22:40
6
Kudos
2
Bookmarks
seekmba wrote:
I am sorry I dont get this...:(

both describe selfishness as something that hurts society or human species ( which to me is same)


selfish individualism threatening cohesion of society indicates each individual human being being selfish - or preferring his interests over other human beings
selfish about concerns for human species means that human being are only thinking of themselves as a species and not other species or nature or anything else..therefore, this is not the same selfishness as before. this will not result in difficulty in making a society
General Discussion
User avatar
B
nusmavrik
Senior Manager
Senior Manager
Joined: 26 Nov 2009
Status:Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. It's a dare. Impossible is nothing.
Affiliations: University of Chicago Booth School of Business
Posts: 470
Own Kudos [?]: 2377 [0]
Given Kudos: 36
Location: Singapore
Concentration: General Management, Finance
Schools: Chicago Booth - Class of 2015
Send PM
GMAT ToolKit User
Re: The 1980’s have been characterized as a period of selfish individualis [#permalink] New post   16 Jun 2010, 20:37
A and D OUT
C would have been a contender. But it uses "unique" --> Can change meaning
Between B and E. I dont know how to tear them.

Moreover the argument is one sided. ---> "Throughout history all human actions have been motivated by selfishness."
avatar
toshio86
Intern
Intern
Joined: 14 May 2010
Posts: 16
Own Kudos [?]: 36 [3]
Given Kudos: 1
Schools:CBS
 Q51  V45
GPA: 4.0
Send PM
Re: The 1980’s have been characterized as a period of selfish individualis [#permalink] New post   17 Jun 2010, 01:10
3
Kudos
E is correct. I think it's because the sentence "period of selfish individualism that threatens the cohesion of society" considers selfishness in terms of selfishness towards other humans (society), while the sentence "even the simplest “unselfish” acts prove to be instances of selfish concern for the human species" refers to selfishness towards other living beings in order to protect the human species...please correct me if I'm wrong!
User avatar
seekmba
Director
Director
Joined: 17 Feb 2010
Posts: 634
Own Kudos [?]: 3224 [0]
Given Kudos: 6
Send PM
Re: The 1980’s have been characterized as a period of selfish individualis [#permalink] New post   21 Jun 2010, 13:19
I am sorry I dont get this...:(

both describe selfishness as something that hurts society or human species ( which to me is same)
User avatar
feruz77
Manager
Manager
Joined: 08 Oct 2010
Posts: 171
Own Kudos [?]: 2318 [0]
Given Kudos: 974
Location: Uzbekistan
Concentration: Finance and accounting
Schools:Johnson, Fuqua, Simon, Mendoza
GPA: 4.0
WE 3: 10
Send PM
Re: The 1980’s have been characterized as a period of selfish individualis [#permalink] New post   02 Feb 2011, 00:33
nusmavrik wrote:
A and D OUT
C would have been a contender. But it uses "unique" --> Can change meaning
Between B and E. I dont know how to tear them.

Moreover the argument is one sided. ---> "Throughout history all human actions have been motivated by selfishness."



B simply cannot be a contender. In the text we find the words "all human actions" but B does not strongly indicate to this assertion because a statistical evidence can give various proportions of selfish human acts to unselfish ones:

1 case: proportion of selfish human acts to unselfish ones may be 1000 to 1001, and in this case the statistical data do not to support in the original text regarding the assertion "all human actions". or

2 case: proportion of selfish human acts to unselfish ones may be 1 to 1000, and in this case one can approximate the statistical data to support the words "all human actions" in the original text.

The fact that under B it may be assumed both of the cases makes B uncertain and ambiguous. Hence, B must be repudiated.
User avatar
G
WiziusCareers1
Manager
Manager
Joined: 27 Apr 2009
Status:Not Applying
Posts: 122
Own Kudos [?]: 501 [1]
Given Kudos: 35
Location: India
Schools: HBS '14 (A)
GMAT 1: 730 Q51 V36
Send PM
Re: The 1980s have been characterized as a period of selfish individualism [#permalink] New post   13 Jul 2019, 03:48
1
Kudos
(A) The claim that selfishness has been present throughout history is not actually relevant to the argument.
Opposite to what the argument suggests.

(B) No statistical evidence is provided to show that humans act selfishly more often than they act unselfishly.
Statistical evidence is not needed to find the flaw

(C) The argument assumes that selfishness is unique to the present age.
Opposite to what the argument suggests.

(D) The argument mentions only humans and does not consider the behavior of other species.
The argument is concerned only about humans, hence, the behaviour of other species is not important.

(E) The argument relies on two different uses of the term “selfish.”
Correct answer
avatar
B
komalpatna
Intern
Intern
Joined: 31 Jul 2017
Posts: 32
Own Kudos [?]: 27 [0]
Given Kudos: 73
Send PM
Re: The 1980s have been characterized as a period of selfish individualism [#permalink] New post   17 Jul 2019, 21:21
Pls elaborate how the selfish here has two meaning?

Kudoes will definatly provided for reply
User avatar
L
Sajjad1994
GRE Forum Moderator
Joined: 02 Nov 2016
Posts: 13958
Own Kudos [?]: 32896 [1]
Given Kudos: 5776
GPA: 3.62
Send PM
CAT Tests Forum Quiz Mode
Re: The 1980s have been characterized as a period of selfish individualism [#permalink] New post   17 Jul 2019, 21:32
1
Kudos
Expert Reply
komalpatna wrote:
Pls elaborate how the selfish here has two meaning?

Kudoes will definatly provided for reply


Official Explanation

The argument starts out using the word “selfish” in the usual sense—self-centered. But in the phrase “even the simplest ‘unselfish’ acts prove to be instances of selfish concern for the human species” it uses the term to mean altruistic. Thus, the argument is equivocating.

The answer is (E).


Hope it helps
User avatar
VerbalBot
Non-Human User
Joined: 01 Oct 2013
Posts: 17214
Own Kudos [?]: 848 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
Re: The 1980s have been characterized as a period of selfish individualis [#permalink] New post   03 Nov 2023, 22:02
Hello from the GMAT Club VerbalBot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.
GMAT Club Bot
gmatclubot
Re: The 1980s have been characterized as a period of selfish individualis [#permalink]
03 Nov 2023, 22:02
Moderators:
GMATNinja
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
6920 posts
GMATNinjaTwo
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
238 posts
mysterymanrog
CR Forum Moderator
832 posts

Powered by phpBB © phpBB Group | Emoji artwork provided by EmojiOne
Main navigation
GMAT Resources
Partners
MBA Resources
www.gmac.com|www.mba.com | | GMAT Club Rules | Terms and Conditions