Group Discussion on abstract topics
An abstract topic can have multiple interpretations. It depends on the candidate’s thinking and creativity how he/she interprets the topic. The abstract topics are generally tricky. Some prior preparation about such topics can really help one to crack the Group Discussion.
The abstract topics can be in the form of quotes, phrases, statements, or even idioms. The message is hidden behind the given abstract topic. A candidate needs to understand the topic and the main motive behind it. Many candidates face difficulty while handling such topics because it does not specify any direct meaning. Let’s discuss the process to handle such topics efficiently.
How to handle abstract topics in a GD?
A candidate hesitates while speaking confidently about abstract topics. They consider that their perspective might be incorrect as per the judge’s point of view. But, a candidate should not lose confident at any point. Everyone has its own perspective and thinking. The Group Discussion is used to test the creativity, knowledge, thoughts, and decision-making capability of a candidate. One should focus on the clarity of the thoughts being expressed.
A topic can sometime have many correct perspectives. A candidate should be comfortable while speaking. There is no hard and fast rule or any special points to learn any topic. Though practice can help overcome our hesitation and increase our knowledge.
The views expressed can never be wrong until there is a strong decision behind them. Take the lead and initiate the discussion. If not possible, start after the lead one. If most of the group members are satisfied with the same point, the GD can be easily carried on the same point. But, there is no drawback in representing different perspectives.
A GD can have multiple perspectives. Be active during the discussion and listen carefully to everyone present in the discussion. Listening carefully to others also increases our confidence. Thus, we can conclude that be positive and confidently represent the views on a given GD topic.
GD abstract topics
Let’s discuss some of the essential GD abstract topics. The information provided will give us a basic idea about the topic. We can quickly expand or add the information at our convenience.
| Topic | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Money or Happiness | Money is not a key to happiness. It is true that money is required to fulfill our needs, which in turn makes us happy. But, it is not necessary that a person with a lot of money is happy. He/she may have lack of peace, problem, or stress in his/her life. The happiness caused due to money can be donating money, gifting money to our loved ones, buying houses, cars, commodities, etc. Happiness depends on other factors as well such as love, family, friends, and self-esteem. A person with less money can also be happy if he/she is satisfied with his/her earnings. |
| Black or Grey | Black color represents emotions, strength, etc. Black color is also a choice for most people. Grey color represents balance or neutrality, which has a light shade. It is becoming popular as a new ethnic look. People often color their grey color black to look young. Some people choose to be neutral, while some people choose to be strong. Both the shades in life have particular importance. Some also choose a combination of both colors. |
| Fame is a double-edged sword | Fame means gaining popularity. Here, a doubled-edged sword means both its positive and negative side. Fame provides us more opportunities and respect in public. It makes us an idol or influencer in front of others. It increases our confidence and brings positivity. Some people even manage their personal and professional life well. But, it becomes difficult for a person to live a normal life. Such celebrities cannot go on public places like other people do. If fame fades, it may lead to stress or depression. |
| Roots and wings | The statement specifies that roots and wings are both important in a person’s life. The roots keep a person grounded, and wings give him/her the freedom to fulfill his/her dreams. |
| Smart work vs. hard work | Smart work also does the same task but in a short span of time if planned and prioritized correctly. Hard works mean completing a task by spending a lot of hours. There are no shortcuts. It gives the desired results, but the process is long-term and often stressful. Both hard work and smartness are essential to achieve a goal. Hard work is the primary and initial step. It gives the experience to achieve the desired results. |
| There is no right way to do the wrong thing | Wrongdoings are often wrong, either done by an intelligent or dumb person. It does not mean that a wrong decision by a celebrity is correct, while the same decision by an average person is incorrect. It is a wrong decision, and in every perspective, it is wrong. The wrong doings can be differentiation based on color, caste, etc., justification, violence, robbery, snatching, fights, anger, jealousy, etc. It also concludes that the right way can never be wrong, and the chosen wrong way can never be right. Though the exception can occur when a person does the wrong without any intention or by mistake. |
| Every cloud has a silver lining | The statement specifies that every bad situation has a good possibility. The statement was said for a person who is surrounded by difficulties and found no positive way. John Milton coined the phrase. It is a source of encouragement and hope for many people. For example, after every dark cloud, there comes a sunny day. The sunny day brings much brighter rays of hope and happiness. |
| It is sometimes smart to be a little dumb | The statement specifies that being sometimes dumb does not means that a person is not smart. It depends on the circumstances as well. Being a little dumb can sometimes be a smart move. For example, people expect less from dumb people rather than smart. Less expectation persuades a person to do something to prove such people wrong. A person sitting silently is not always dumb. He/she might be listening carefully. As said, intelligent people are listeners, not the speaker. The listening capability of a person increases their knowledge. |
| water vs. oxygen | Water and oxygen are both important for the survival of a human being. We need water for the proper functioning of the body parts. Oxygen is required for the functioning of the respiratory system. Oxygen is a part of the water. A water compound is made up of hydrogen and oxygen. The oxygen in our body helps our body to perform the tasks efficiently. Water keeps us hydrated and prevents our bodies from various diseases. |
| Haste makes waste | It means that too quickly actions or decisions can sometimes be wrong. The efforts or materials used in a hurry can be a waste. It concludes that we should not rush to accomplish any task or make a decision. Instead, we should think deeply before proceeding for any work or concluding any decision. We Should be careful and awake at every point in our life. |
| Learning vs. knowledge | Learning can be gained from books, schools, or colleges. We can acquire knowledge from the practical experiences of our life. Knowledge is the experience that we gain while expanding our information. Learning is a process to grasp information. Knowledge is about gaining, sharing, and acquiring information. We can say that knowledge makes learning easier. An understanding or the knowledge about a topic is easy to learn. |
| Success is a journey or destination. | Success is not a destination. It is a journey. Success is defined as the process of achieving the desired goal of our life. Every step of our journey gives us the motivation to step forward; We need to accept our failures and mistakes to continue moving forward. For example, we usually find many stones or hurdles in our journey to a place. But, we keep on moving to reach the destination. Similar is the journey of success. It is the journey where we suffer from various ups and down. Our journey determines how we are proceeding towards our goal. Sometimes, we night not reach our goal to be successful. |
| The beginning is the most important part of the work | It is the famous quote that reminds us to never quit and Most people often plan to accomplish a task or dream. But, they are unable to do so. It is because they might quit by observing the long process. But, the man point is to start. It is essential to start or initiate the beginning. A person could not win the race if he/she didn’t wish to start by considering the competitors. |
Other topics
The topics mentioned below have the same concept like the above explained abstract topics.
Happy vs. successful
Large vs. big
Life is full of cactus, but it is not required to sit on it
Brand and lives
The race is full of hurdles, but we can easily jump over it
Black and white
Life is too short to live
Write or wrong depends on the human perspective
Little vs. Small
Good things comes from good thoughts
Positive thoughts spread positivity around
Negative thoughts vs. positive thoughts
Human ethics and values
Patience
Do deadlines affect the creativity of a person?
Money is honey
Blood is thicker than water
Markets are found not created
Health is wealth
Is self-respect bad?
Freedom is a myth
Beyond the horizon
Positive thoughts vs. positive attitude
Nature is precious
God is almighty