GAMSAT

SECTION
2
NOTES
(Idea bank)

Notes comprised with information from books, podcasts, YouTube, magazines

and personal experience.
 Be prepared for any topic that you might find in
Section 2 of the GAMSAT.
These notes include:
1) Essay structure outlines for both task A and task B essays in section 2 of
the GAMSAT.
Essay ideas and quotes on the following topics:
- Success - Materialism/Consumerism
- Inequality/Technology - Terror
- Technological Progression - Conflict
- National Pride - Cooperation/Human
- Collaboration Nature/Conformity/ Compliance
- Money/Experiences/Happiness - Democracy
- Government/Democracy - Crime/Punishment (again)
- Morality/Virtue - Travel/Tourism/Ethics/Guilt
- Change/Protest - Imagination, Perspective, Aging,
- Civility Growth, Entertainment, Reality,
- Media/Propaganda Wisdom, Youth
- Feminism/Gender equality - Death, Life, Gratitude, Appreciation,
- Environment Detachment.
- Multiculturalism/immigration - Gossip
- Nationalism - Anger
- Freedom of Speech - Conformity
- Globalization - Sorrow
- Censorship - Sanity, Madness, Intelligence
- Social media - Humor
- Generosity - Relationships/Friendship/
- Justice and war Happiness/fulfillment/ Gratification
- War - Aging
- Punishment, Crime - Guilt
- Politics - Responsibility/Environment
- Capitalism - Health
- Truth - Dreams/Reality/imagination
- Capitalism - Loneliness
- Lies - Envy
- Tolerance/Diversity

2) MCQ answering strategies

3) Discussion on Social and Ethical Dilemmas

4) Example essays on the following topics

- Social Media
- Globalisation
- Truth/Lies
Task A Structure
Plan
• Identify the central theme of the quotes.
• Think about which themes are relevant from your background matrix.
Questions to ask
• What do I think about the theme?
• Where is the theme ‘going’ in society?
• Do I agree?
• How can we fix it?
• Who, what, why, when and how?
• Determine your stance
• Determine 2 main points “for” and 1 point “against”
• Determine the examples and quotes to support these points.

Introduction (minimum of 3 sentences, and a max of 5 or 6)

• "General comment" sentence introducing your topic, but framed in such a way that it links to what you'll say about the
topic.
• “Thesis statement" sentence, which explains your top level take on the topic. This should integrate the quote!
• "Essay map"
o Introduce 3 arguments that support your "thesis statement" (ie, your take on the topic).
Body paragraphs 1-2 (for)
• Elaborate on the specific point from your intro.
• Describe the main idea of this point.
• Back it up with a concrete example.
• FINAL SENTENCE SHOULD CLEARLY LINK IT BACK TO YOUR THESIS STATEMENT.
- Avoid too much repetition in your "linking back" sentences.
Body paragraph 3 (against)
• Begin by showing you are about to acknowledge the other side; Nevertheless, however..
• Use same structure as above.
• Rebut the idea and establish that you still support your contention and why.
Conclusion (3 to 4 sentences)
• Re-assert your thesis statement (not using exact same words).
• Summarise your 3 arguments again.
• Add appropriate quote/Mention the chosen quote
• Finish with some kind of concluding statement
o Example: a basic recommendation as to how the topic can be addressed, a thought towards the future or some
kind of summing up thought.

Background Information Matrix (Task A- Argumentative)

Theme/s Examples Quote/s
Success Success. What so many people desire, but what so many “Success is not the
Ø In order to achieve success, we people fail in acquiring. key to happiness.
must identify what it is that 1) The media portrays success incorrectly. Happiness is the key
makes us happy. - It emphasizes the importance of materialistic possessions to success”
and money. – Albert Schweitzer
- This has convinced many people to chase an empty goal
and often they end up disappointed and despondent. “Perseverance is not
- Graham Hill sold his company for $10 mil before the age of a long race; it is
30. He believed he was successful and filled his life with many short races
things the media portrays as such. Cars, houses, etc. one after the other.”
However he still felt empty and unhappy. He felt a void in - Walter Elliot
himself that was not fulfilled by his possessions.
- “I wish everyone could have the chance to be rich and
famous, so they realize that it’s not the answer”
– Jim Carey
- What some people may see as being successful is not what
really matters in life.
2) To truly be successful in life, one should place great on
things that create happiness.
- For many people, this comes in the form of putting emphasis
on family, relationships and helping the less fortunate.
- This sense of satisfaction is often found when one adds
value to the lives of others and make the world around you a
better place.
- “Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to
become a man of value” – Einstein
- This is what Graham Hill ended up doing. He decided to sell
all of his possessions and adopt a minimalist lifestyle, and
move into a small apartment with only essentials. He then

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 established a company called ‘TreeHugger” that is dedicated
to driving sustainability mainstream.
- In doing this he gave back to the community and
environment and he was finally happy and felt successful.
- If you are able to implement this definition of success and
move away from the materialistic desires of the modern day
man, not only will you feel successful but you will also be
happier.
3) No matter what your definition of success is, one must work
hard to achieve it.
- Success doesn’t come easy.
- “The key to success is action, and the essential in action is
perseverance” – Sun Yat-sen
Conclusion
- Success doesn’t come easy. We must all have perseverance
if we want to experience it. However, it is important for us to
define what it means to be successful before we set out to
achieve it. If the media changed what the image of success
looked like, many of us would emphasis on family,
relationships and helping the less fortunate. We would soon
realize that success is not the key to happiness, but rather
happiness is the key to success.
Inequality/Technology 1) Automation results in a loss of jobs. ‘The leisure of the
Ø The rise of technology capable - 35% of jobs lost in the UK and 47% in the USA. starving is no leisure
of automation breeds social - Machines used to check out goods at supermarkets. at all, but a relentless
inequality 2) Automation creates disparity of wealth between the rich activity aimed at
and poor. staying alive” – Paul
- Lower SES loosing jobs, as it is often this class of society Mattick
working in the roles that are taken over by automation.
- The rich get richer because they own the machines or benefit “Technological
from them somehow and the poor fight it out for the remaining progress is like an
jobs. axe in the hands of a
3) However, tech progress is saving peoples lives and this pathological
benefit is one that holds much weight in the debate on criminal.” Albert
technology and automation. Einstein
- Algorithms have been made that find matches for kidney
donors, and computers with software that detects brain tumors “It has become
faster and more accurately than a neurosurgeon. These are appallingly obvious
GREAT things, so we must embrace these benefits. that our technology
-BUT, we must be smart about out implementation of has exceeded our
technology and not let it exceed our humanity. humanity”
- Law on automation -Albert Einstein
Technological Progression 1) Technological progression has improved accuracy “All progress is
Ø Technological advancement is - Technology has also improved the accuracy of many precarious, and the
fundamental in the quest of different tasks that used to be riddled with errors. Because solution of one
improvement. technology has automated many of the tasks that used to be problem brings us
performed by hand, these automated computer programs face to face with
have the ability to perform the same task over and over again another problem”.
with pinpoint accuracy, saving valuable man-hours that are - Martin Luther
otherwise spent going over the work to make sure it is correct, King Jr.
fixing any mistakes that might have occurred. This improved
accuracy means that companies can move forward with “Without continual
business decisions in a fast manner, secure in the knowledge growth and progress,
that the work has been performed correctly. This increases such words as
both business efficiency and profitability. improvement,
- Technological advancements in medicine achievement and
- Computers with software that detects brain tumors faster and success have no
more accurately than a neurosurgeon. meaning.”
2) Technological progression has improved efficiency and - Benjamin Franklin
productivity
Companies all over the world are taking advantage of
automation technology.
- This doesn’t just mean robots in the manufacturing industry,
but also includes computer programs that are able to
automate many of the functions that used to be performed by
hand. For example, software now exists that can expedite
data analysis, quickly finding statistically significant results
that produce actionable data. This means that businesses
everywhere can analyze the data faster than ever, making
company decisions that ultimately lead to improved efficiency
and increased production. Because this data is produced
using automation technology, this also cuts down on the

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 overhead costs because businesses no longer have to pay
people to do these time-consuming tasks.
- Algorithms that find matches for kidney donors.
3) However, automation has rendered many people
unemployed and created a disparity in wealth amongst
society.
- 35% of jobs lost in the UK and 47% in the USA.
- Lower SES loosing jobs, as it is often this class of society
working in the roles that are taken over by automation.
- The rich get richer because they own the machines or
benefit from them somehow and the poor fight it out for the
remaining jobs.
- However, the benefits in medicine and other areas are too
great to deny and thus we must be smart in the way we
implement technology. We should use it to help all members
of society, not just individuals who want to capitalize on the
work done by robots.
National Pride 1) Nationalism has the power to unite people. Nationalism is an
Ø National Pride creates local • Olympic games, Sporting events infantile disease. It is
bonds but international barriers • 2015 Paris terror attacks the measles of
between ethnic groups. 2) Nationalism serves as a platform for discrimination and can mankind – Albert
create polarity in a multicultural society. Einstein
• 2005 Cronulla riots
3) Patriotism causes oppression of minority groups “Nationalism is
• Trumps bans on immigration has caused oppression power hunger
of minority groups tempered by self-
• Xenophobia deception.” –
George Orwell
Collaboration Wikipedia- Shared knowledge “Alone we can do so
Ø Society benefits from • Made from volunteers collaborating, constructing a little; together we can
collaboration database filled with useful information. do so much”
• The incentive is to be part of a useful tool that - Helen Keller
furthers the knowledge of the population.
Musicians- Shared creativity
• They collaborate to push their level of performance
and increase creativity essentially transforming their
initial ideas into something greater that what they
initially began with.
• The Aristocrats are a super-group (band comprised
of well known members of various bands) that have
pushed the boundaries in jazz/progressive rock by
uniting.
The Office is a place of work collaboration.
• This should be the ultimate environment where work
output is the greatest however, an office survey by
software entrepreneur Jason Fried found: No one
said they get the most work done in an office
environment due to meetings, staff interactions, and
other distractions.
• Mass collaboration is not helpful all the time.
Money/Experiences/Happiness The way the media defines happiness à material possessions “Happiness is not a
Ø Money will not make you happy, 1) Those who say money cant buy happiness are lying goal; it is a by-
but altruism can. • People who have more income will on average be product”
Ø Could also write the “success” happier than people who have less. This is a robust - Eleanor Roosevelt
essay. finding proven by many studies.
Ø Money does not directly equate However,
to happiness per se, it ultimately • National Academy of Sciences threshold study
depends on how we use our • Happiness increases with wealth until a threshold of
money $75,000 is reached (plateau).
• Beyond this threshold, all basic needs are met and
an increase in money ≠ increase in happiness.
• People with a salary > $75,000 do not see an
increase in happiness and begin to run on the
hedonic treadmill.
• The Hedonic Treadmill states that regardless of what
happens to someone, their level of happiness will
return to their baseline after the event. What does
this mean? It means that if you get married, move
into a new house, get a promotion, loose a job or
suffer an accident, for example, after a certain period
of time you’re likely to return to your set point of
happiness. The feeling of happiness is ephemeral.
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