We live in a materialist society. We are trained from our earliest years to be (31) . Our possessions, "mine" and "yours ", are clearly (32) from early childhood. When we grow older enough to earn a living, it does not surprise us to discover that success is measured (33) the money we earn. We spend the whole of our lives keeping up with our neighbors, the Joneses. If we buy a new television set, Jones is (34) to buy a bigger and better one.
It is not only in affluent society that people are (35) with the idea of making more money. Consumer goods are (36) everywhere and modern industry deliberately (37) create new markets. Gone (38) the days when industrial goods are made to (39) forever. The wheels of industry must be kept turning. Unfashionable goods are made to be (40) . Cars get tinnier and tinnier. You no sooner acquire this year’s model (41) you are thinking hard about its (42) .
This materialistic outlook has seriously influenced education. Fewer and fewer young people these days acquire (43) only for its own sake. Every course of studies (44) lead somewhere : i.e. to a bigger wage (45) The demand for skilled personnel far exceeds the supply and big companies compete with each other to (46) students before they have completed their studies. Tempting salaries and " fringe benefits " are offered to them. Recruiting (47) of this kind have lead to the "brain drain", the process (48) which highly skilled people offer their services to the highest bidder. The wealthier nations (49) their poorer neighbors of their most able citizens. (50) wealth is worshipped as never before, the rich get richer and the poor, poorer.