GS4 · 10 marks · 150 words

Given below are the three quotations of great thinkers. What do each of these quotations convey to you in the present context? a) "This life is short, the vanities of the world are transient, but they alone live who live for others, the rest are more dead than alive."-Swami Vivekanand

Answered by 6 toppers · CSE 2025

Human ValuesIndian ThinkersDedication to Public Service

Syllabus: Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in-human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics - in private and public relationships. Human Values - lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators; role of family society and educational institutions in inculcating values.

How toppers approached it

From all 6 answers · about 160 words · 33% drew a diagram.

Opening

  • No separate opening100%

Body

  • Points83%
  • Points and prose17%

Close

  • No separate close50%
  • A summary50%

The toppers’ answers

A R RajahAIR 7 · CSE 2025 · 124 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening

Swami Vivekananda was a youth icon known for his discipline and 'Seva Bhav' principles of serving others. Holds [great] importance in the present context.

Body · points and prose

s that we live are short and thus need to be spent wisely.

  • (2) Worldly pleasures are non-important as nothing is taken to the grave.
  • (3) those who [serve] and [help] others are those that are truly [living life].
  • (4) Others are merely [Zombies] going after worldly pleasure. Holds [great] importance in the present context.

Present Context Relevance :-

(1) [Social Problems] - need to be countered with 'servitude' and helping attitude. Eg:- [NGOs] like Agaram foundation 'live' for others -> education of underprivileged.

(2) [Civil Services] - needs to weed out corruption culture. Eg :- [IAS Sagayam] -> serving others and living his life.

(3) [World Politics] - wars need to be stopped and humanitarianism to be upheld. Eg :- [UN-AID] helping Palestine.

(4) [Environment] - needs to be protected and served.

Close

Eg :- Kattunayaka tribes - serving elephants. Thus, Gandhi's maxim of "lose yourself" in the service of others has to be followed.

More on Human Values

Values as such and where they come from: lessons from the lives of leaders, reformers and administrators, and the values named in the syllabus.

All GS4 questions on Human Values