Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.
Quotes Included Above Prompt:
Many people believe that our behavior should be consistent, that we should always be ourselves. They feel that we should not act one way with some people and another way with others. But is this right? Should our behavior always be consistent, or should we behave differently in different situations? Isn’t behaving differently according to the people we are with or the situation we are in simply a matter of politeness and common sense?
Assignment:
Should people change their behavior. . . (part 1 of prompt)
. . . depending on what situation they are in? (part 2 of prompt) Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.
Brainstorm:
Should our behavior be consistent across many different situations?
This question requires you to think of times when a consistent pattern of behavior was good, and when it was bad. In order to write an affirmative response, it may be helpful to remember the importance of respect for elders, people of importance, and the need to guide and behave appropriately towards children. It may also be helpful to remember that, in the workplace, professionalism is often required.
In order to write a negative response, it may be helpful to remember the importance of staying true to who you are and trying not to manipulate or coerce other people. Often times, people change their behavior in order to manipulate others, and this is almost always a bad thing.
