Write a debate in 150-200 words either for or against the motion-‘Standard of living can be raised, but only at a great cost.

Esteemed judges’ good morning to you all. I, Aseem, stand before you to debate for the motion-Standard of living can be raised but only at a great cost. We are living in an era of consumerism, which dictates our definition of ‘standard of living’. In a nutshell, if we have more goods and more and more of the same goods, we are perceived as having a high standard of living. For example, car owners are seen as having higher standards than those who own scooters. Likewise, a person owning three cars is seen with more respect and admiration than the one having just one. But the raising of the so-called standard of living entails a great toll on our natural resources. More trees need to be cut to have bigger and better houses and furniture. More animals need to be butchered to satisfy our taste for exotic meats. These are but a few examples. Our consumerist attitude may deplete the earth in the near future. So the need of the hour is to adopt a minimalistic lifestyle thereby saving the earth’s resources for the future generation.

Thank you.