#1 (permalink) Fri May 27, 2011 15:

#1 (permalink) Fri May 27, 2011 15:09 pm A person should never take an important decision alone...
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? A person should never take an important decision alone.

Some people think that important decision should always be taken by a group, not just by a single person. I think that it depends on whether the consequences of the decision will affect just a single person (that would be, the person who is taking the decision) or an entire group.
If the decision will affect a single person, then I think it might be better that the person who is concerned should be the one that decides what to do or not. I am a believer of the theory that states that every single human being should be allowed to choice their own destiny without having to receive a blessing from someone else, as long as their choice does not affect other persons in a bad way. For example, decisions like leaving their parents’ house in order to move alone or choosing a career are the ones that people should individually take, since they reflect individual preferences that will only affect them in the future and should then be decided only by the person involved into it. No one should push them to make a choice, since it could be harmful for them.
On the other hand, if the decision will influence a major group of people, then it should be taken by more persons. Corporative or familiar decisions, for example, are sometimes too complicated to be chosen just by one person. They represent a lot of pressure, and to put that over the back of a single man (or woman) may be dangerous for the people who will be directly or indirectly affected by the consequences of the decision. In my opinion, the options should be discussed by a group of capable persons (preferable the ones with more experience or qualities), in order to make sure that the decision would be influenced not just by personal preferences, but by a rational analysis of benefits and lost for all the people involved.

TOEFL listening discussions: A conversation between two university professors