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Stand: largely disagree that lessons from the past are no longer relevant today.
Lessons from the past: history

support 1: lessons from the past are our history as humans. History educates us on our past mistakes so we do not repeat them again.
support 2: lessons from the past mostly still  are useful today. eg: quotes on moral values etc

counter argument: some lessons from the past are no longer applicable to today's society

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Q2.To what extent do you agree that lessons from the past are no longer relevant today?

Stand:
Lessons from the past are still relevant today.

Argument For:
Lessons from the past serve as a warning to avoid repeating similar mistakes today.
The actions of those in the past gives the future the understanding and basis on why they should not repeat such actions.
[E.g. Take WW1 as an example, where tensions caused by aggressive competition of military, alliances, etc. eventually contributed to the war.
Another would be the various war crimes committed, e.g. The Holocaust, Human experimentation by the Japanese Empire (Unit 731) and the Rape of Nanking]

Argument For:
Lessons from the past can better equip us today in the event of a crisis.
[E.g. SARS outbreak in 2002-2004, along with the Ebola outbreak in 2013-2016 gave countries the experience to set up contingency plans in the event of a similar outbreak again == COVID-19
Pandemic Preparedness of Singapore: https://www.moh.gov.sg/diseases-updates/being-prepared-for-a-pandemic]

Argument Against:
Some may argue that lessons from the past may no longer be relevant today as the same mistakes are constantly repeated.
[E.g. The 1917 Bath riots, where US officials had used Zyklon B, a poisonous gas, to "delouse" Mexicans at border crossings - but was in fact a discriminatory act against the Mexicans. This very incident later went on to inspire some Nazi scientists on the use of gas against those seen as "inferior races".
Another example would be the current Russo-Ukraine War. (A war that some may say started from the conflict between Ukraine's attempt to join NATO against Russia's wishes -- which can be compared to the conflict between US and USSR during the Cold War)]

Rebuttal:
However, while it is true that some of these mistakes have happened again despite past lessons, a majority of past mistakes are in fact not repeated.
[E.g. After 9/11, security in the US, particularly the airports (JFK airport) grew incredibly tight to prevent such an event from occurring again]

Conclusion:
Therefore, I believe that lessons from the past are still relevant today.

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stand: I disagree that people today believe everything the media presents

argument 1: People are vigilant against fake news. They will cross-check with multiple sources to ensure reliability of the news.

The IPS study shows that SG readers are more savvy in fact-checking fake news as the study participants analyse the writing style, balance and timeliness to assess the credibility of a piece of information.

Valid A1 above (To consider WHY people are vigilant against fake news: Are people more educated and more informed? Are there increasingly such cases so there is greater public awareness? Are there initiatives, measures, campaigns in society to tackle and address this so people are more vigilant as well? Identify a distinct reason for each arguments so that you arguments do not overlap in your essay. )

argument 2: People nowadays are more educated and will think more rationally to develop their own opinions. Hence, they will not entirely trust what the media presents.

CA: Some people choose to receive information from sources they are familiar with and fully believe in them, but that does not mean that those sources are reliable. (Interesting point here: what do you mean by "this does not mean that those sources are reliable?" Are you talking about the speed and ease in which people tend to forward pieces of information that they have recieved from their family and friends, thinking they are reliable but they are actually not? Or that even sources from credible news agencies may not always be fully accurate and can also be sensationalised. Or that the media, especially social media often presents information in short click-bait style, sensationalised headlines where the full story is not revealed? Or the use of algorithm in social media that leads to echo-chambers and exposure and perpetuation of similar views that one has?

R: This only applies to a small group of people. Additionally, with more emphasis placed on validating the accuracy of information such as POFMA, people have adopted the practice of hearing from more credible sources.

(Why does it "only applies to a minority"? Did not really draw the link to CA and also explain on your reasoning here. This then extends to the next valid point on increased regulations and measures to safeguard and deter such information, which leads to people also being more discerning in what they post and what they believe in as presented by and in the media.
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You do have valid observations that typically focus on people's behaviour (How do people show that they do not believe in everything that is presented on the media?)

*More importantly, you need to focus on the underlying reasons WHY people believe or do not believe in everything the media presents?)

*Contexts and characteristics of the media and social media: connectivity, speed and ease of access, anonymity on the internet, "keyboard warriors", how algorithm works on the internet, "echo chambers", influencers, journalism and how it works (objective reporting, ethics of journalism etc.), the media as the fourth estate, censorship of the government and/or media agencies, regulations by the government and media agencies, roles and responsibilities of individual consumers (whether they are more educated, more informed or not).

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Intro:

“Whoever controls the media, controls the mind”. This quote by Jim Morrisson shows how news agencies, the government, or large corporations who have control over the media are able to influence people’s thoughts and opinions on certain topics. The mass media is inescapable, an all-pervasive presence in modern living….

(Valid quote as hook but stand/thesis statement is not fully presented here.)

CA: Che ck your signposting here? Typically, the CA is presented in an opposing viewpoint.

I disagree that people today believe everything the media presents. Government now invests largely on media literacy to educate people how to recognise media bias which helps them make informed choices…

Examples: Formed on 1 August 2012, the Media Literacy Council works in partnership with Industry, Community, and Government to promote responsible digital citizenship. Its mission is to promote digital well-being and responsible media consumption in Singapore.

R:  however, the reality is that not everyone is able to question its facts. Most fake news are designed to look real and legitimate to deceive readers into accepting the content. Companies make it look like the news was produced from legitimate media outlet  (Recraft TS of R to include the CA to show explicit alignment and match: Despite the additional efforts to educate the populace on the presence of fake news and to improve digital literacy (which are to be applauded and to continue), the degree of  "authenticity" (fake authenticity) presented today is one that is challenging, especially for the lay person to detect.)

A1:

I agree that people today believe everything the media presents. The profit-driven nature of media makes it unreliable in upholding social responsibility and providing truthful information as they tend to sensationalize headlines and news stories. In a bid to generate hype, news outlets tend to practice sensationalism which attract readers attention and make people believe the exaggerated stories

For example: The media also uses click-baits or tweaks information in news articles to make it more appealing. An analysis of 32 news articles by researcher John McManus found over half of news articles were misleading to increase the story’s appeal, or oversimplified a story so it could be told in two minutes for readers to view that it is legitimate as they are too lazy to view the full story.

(Valid point putforth: I like the consideration of the stakeholder (the media) and its underlying agenda/motives and how it operates to draw in the often unquestioning crowd (the tactics and characteristics of the media).

A2:

I agree that people today believe everything the media presents. In this fast paced technology world, we are fed with plenty of information online and people often think that we do not need to fact check as there is too much information. (Valid context here but sieve out the WHY and include that in your TS.)

Example: false messages attributed to the Ministry of Health, Singapore have been circulating on messaging platforms like whatsapp. It claimed that following an autopsy on a COVID-19 patient, Singapore discovered that COVID-19 does not exist as a virus, but instead as a “bacterium that has been exposed to radiation and causes human death by coagulation in the blood”. However, the Singapore government had taken action and said that the allegations are all false and the message did not originate from the Ministry of Health, Singapore, they also urge Singaporeans to fact-check covid19 information before mass chaining the messages.

Evaluation: furthermore, not everyone knows how to fact check. This is especially so for the elderly. Elderlies are naturally not very good with technology hence, if they received such fake news or false information they are unable to quickly check if it's true or false due to the barrier with technology. (Valid extension/evaluation but this point of observation seems quite similar to your R earlier.)

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Overall comments:
A1: Rich obliged to help the poor due to their privileged position (valid point)

A2: Rich to help the poor as they also benefit disproportionally (while this is a possibly valid point of benefit, I am not sure if one would like to argue it as to why they SHOULD: because the argumentation is not on moral/ethical grounds but from a selfish agenda: which goes against the suggested attitude and underlying assumption of the given question.)

Change this argument (A2) to argue on how the rich too benefits while at the same time, helping the poor and helping the economy collectively (economic benefits)

A3: Valid point on greater social inequality (societal level/ social benefits)

CA: However, some are self-made i.e. rich from their own efforts and hence, have the right to decide if they would like to  assist the poor (Note: thise should be a paragraph/argument (PEEEL) on its own and then Rebuttal in a separate paragraph- do not combine! This would mean a rather skimpy balance for the entire essay.)

R: Your R while valid is the same point as A1 (so there is repetition of arguments/ideas.

Suggestion: To use A1 as the direct rebuttal to CA.

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Diversity is not always beneficial but it is mostly beneficial as it can help promote mutual understanding between different groups, ensure the well being of the minorities and greater productivity in workplaces.

However, diversity will not be beneficial when it can cause tensions between the majority and the minorities.
[Valid balancing approach]

1. Promote mutual understanding between different groups. (Racial Harmony, Globalised society) (GOOD)

Example: Singapore multicultural society

2. Ensure the well being of minorities (inclusivity) (GOOD)

Example: Malaysia bumiputera policy, Indonesian Chinese under Suharto

[Valid Pts 1 and 2: to be clear on what each PEEEL would look like (visualise) as they can be easily lead to overlapping/similar arguments; Pt 1 to focus on appreciation of diverse cultures etc. and how that fits in with our globalised world today while Pt 2 is focusing on greater attempts, initiatives/policies etc. to promote inclusivity in a diverse society.]

3. Cause tensions and unrest in a country (BAD)

Example: Iran persecuting Baha’i community

4. Greater productivity in businesses (GOOD)

Example: Study by Harvard Business Study show that employees of firms with 2D diversity are 45% likelier to report a growth in market share over the previous year.

Other possible essay approaches:
A) swop the order of (3) and (4) above as (4) is not a direct rebuttal of (3) here: so essentially, you do not have a CA and R.

Put (4) first: Next benefit of diversity (economic aspect)

Then (3) will be introduced as a Balancing Paragraph:
While there are indeed many benefits to diversity, one should be careful of the potential tensions and unrest that it has caused. This could be due to deep-seated clashes of ideologies and beliefs.... (bring in the example of Iran persecuting Baha'i community.) Acknowledge the conflict inherent in this diversity and argues for continued attempts to address the tensions.

B) Put (3) first as a CA and
then (4) as the rebuttal: acknowledging that such deep-seated conflicts rooted in history presents ongoing struggles at unity, but at the same time, push for the argument that when diversity is present, there is also greater attempts to promote greater inclusivity.

In conclusion, diversity is largely beneficial in economic and political aspects. However, it is dependent on the government and companies interpretation of their existing situation to decide if diversity is truly beneficial.
(can also add in it: dependent on individual societies' history and cultural backgrounds and beliefs.)  OR rephrase: The notion of diversity and diverse cultures is essentially a welcomed one but when this is viewed negatively as a competition of resources, a clash in ideologies and beliefs, this is when diversity can bring potential detriments.

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young people can make a difference in the world today

- Greta Thunberg
environmental activist who is trying to address the problem of climate change held school strikes for the climate when she was 15. This movement has now grown into a global movement that has brought more than 10 million people onto streets worldwide to demand action on climate change.

Above example to show the argument that..... ?

-Malala Yousafzai

Malala spoke up for the rights of education for young girls that were banned due to conflict with the Taliban in her country. However, most people probably are not aware of the progress she and the Malala Foundation have made globally to ensure young kids can attend school

Above example to show the argument that....?
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Two possibly valid examples but note that your approach/thinking (based on what is presented here) is an example-driven one. This would only be relevant for the Example/EG. portion of each argument.

For each Example/EG. that comes to your point, ask yourself:
- What is the argument and significance of this example?
- What is the relevant underlying reason/argument of this example that answers the given contention?
- How would I elaborate and explain it?
- What aspects of the example do I want to highlight to show and prove my argument at hand?
- How shall I further evaluate the example and by extension, the argument that I am making?

Essentially, each argument/body paragraph in your essay has its own distinct PEEEL.

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I agree to a large extent. *Check your stand: shouldn't it be "I largely disagree? (based on your following points).

1. Volunteering allows one to gain experience and a sense of empathy for those they help
- Kindness can increase your sense of connectivity with others, decrease loneliness, combat low mood and improve relationships
- members of ISACA (what is this?)

2. Being kind to peers tend to have them reciprocating in kind, fostering stronger  and positive relationships that one cam depend on.

3. Kindness brings about improved mental health knowing that they are able to make an impact on their environment.

1) Where is your balance i.e CA and R or Balancing Paragraph (BP)?

2) Valid generic points raised on the benefits of kindness to self and society. Do note that as the question states "it does NOT pay to be kind", the suggestion on the negative implications, the skepticism and doubts on the benefits of kindness should also be highlighted in the writing of each body paragraph as you argue that it does pay to be kind.

3) Points and ideas need to explore the context of YOUR SOCIETY. This is very important to ensure that you ATQ.

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stand: yes, young people truly make a difference in the world today.
support 1: young people are able to weaponise social media to their advantage, enabling them to make a greater change

Valid point here, focusing on the use of social media to promote and bring about real change.

support 2: they are more willing to voice out their opinions as compared to the older generations, rising no. of teen activists, be I political or environmental (different e.g from social media)

Yes, valid; ensure that this argument is distinct from Pt 1.

support 3: youths are often forefront of technological and scientific advancements, allowing them to create innovative solutions to pressing global issues, such as climate change, healthcare, human rights and poverty. (Valid pt here.)

argument+rebuttal: (Be sure to separate CA and R; each has its respective body paragraphs)

some may feel that teens are still immature, underdeveloped, unable to make rational decisions. (e.g teen activists that glued their hands on payvment).  (Need to explain in essay and provide reasons/observations why people/society have such stereotypical views)
however, can be argued due to technological improvements, further teens education, allowing them to be socially aware of certain situations, such as ethical and environmental, allowing for a more sound understanding + rational decisions being made. (While the R is valid on the changing contexts of the youths leading to greater sense of social awareness and consciousness, you need to go on to how this drives the impetus to promote change and in fact, bring about tangible change- if not, it does not ATQ the part on "youths truly making a difference.")

Overall: be sure to have sufficient focus on your CA/ Balance. Arguments supporting your stand are overwhelming stronger here. A good balance is essential as well to provide convicing nuanced essay/stand.

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young people have the ability to do so

Comments: Hi, is this a continuation or part of an earlier post? OR an incomplete post here?

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yes

Comments: Err.. yes, what? Your essay outline?

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Young people can truly make a difference in the world today.

A1:
Digital Literacy
Young people are undeniably more adept at all things online or digital. This is because younger generations are being raised with technology and digitalisation all around. This has made us more familiar with things like devices and online platforms

Creating websites

Social Media

Online platforms

This helps with outreach and can give younger generations a global audience (*must go on to show that this leads to tangible changes/ impact made: this is applicable for all the arguments presented)

A2:
Networking and connections
With the advent of social media, younger generations have easier means of connecting with others online
With connections they can find more people to startup meaningful initiatives

A3:
Awareness
Social media and access to information online has made younger people far more aware of global issues.
Concerns such as:

Global warming

Racism

Civil strife across the world

This allows the youth of today to tackle issues worldwide

CA:
Lack of experience
Depending on how young, some may struggle to fully grasp or comprehend an issue
This can hinder their ability to really deal with societal or more complex issues

Where is or which of the above A is an effective R for your CA? Or is your CA above a BP?

For each of the A, you also need to address the skepticism/ sense of doubt towards the youth as expressed by the key term in the contention "truly".