UPSC Mains 2015 · GS IV · Q2(b) · 10 marks · 150 words

Given are two quotations of moral thinkers/philosophers. For each of these, bring out what it means to you in the present context : “We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.”

हिन्दी में

नैतिक विचारकों/दार्शनिकों के दो अवतरण दिए गए हैं। प्रकाश डालिए कि इनमें से प्रत्येक के, वर्तमान संदर्भ में, आपके लिए क्या मायने हैं : “हम बच्चे को आसानी से माफ कर सकते हैं, जो अंधेरे से डरता है; जीवन की वास्तविक विडंबना तो तब है जब मनुष्य प्रकाश से डरने लगते हैं।”

World Thinkers

How a topper answered the closest question

Toppers wrote this one in a test series: “Given below are two quotations of moral thinkers/ philosophers. For each of these, bring out what it means to you in the present context. (a) "Silence becomes cowardice when occasion demands speaking out the whole truth and acting accordingly" - Mahatma Gandhi.”

Kanishak KatariaAIR 1 · CSE 2018 · 68 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening · one block, no separate opening

Morality demands action & not inaction.

Body · continuous prose

Though silence can be virtue, it can even lead to immorality. eg. Onlookers seeing a girl getting molested & acting in silence are cowards who are fearful of speaknig out. Similarly government officials withholding information are coward when they act in silence.

Close · one block, no separate close

Morality is when silence is observed when needed & act in case an action is required it is also performed.

5 more toppers’ answers to this question, part by part, and how they all approached it: open the question.

Toppers’ answers to other close questions

Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Main) Examination 2015, General Studies Paper IV, Q2(b). The paper on upsc.gov.in. Themes and links to toppers’ answers are by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.