What is the purpose of life? What is the one thing that truly matters in order to experience a meaningful, gratifying existence? Some people might say that love and happiness are all one needs in order to live a fulfilling life, where no amount of materialistic wealth will amount to the same level of contentment as a life where one’s career is something that one strongly believes in and has passion for. Others, however, might argue that the only path to an enjoyable life is when one is able to live luxuriously. To have the finest, rarest, most expensive items or clothing is to have value and importance in society, which in turn, makes life worth living. In order to reach this stage, necessary steps need to be taken even if it causes unhappiness doing so. Choosing a career that ensures a generous paycheck will guarantee a life filled with materialistic commodities, but it doesn’t guarantee the benefits of a career that entices them, such as the drive or desire to work and the gratification one feels that might affect their emotional well being for the better. Yet, Choosing a career that sparks interest and passion guarantees a feeling of fulfillment but may not guarantee a substantial enough pay to enjoy some of society’s luxuries, such as the ability to travel or not having to worry about putting food on the table which otherwise might lead to stress that is harmful to one’s health. In a perfect world, everyone would be able to choose a career that houses both aspects, but alas, that is not the way the world works. Should one choose a career that pays well, but makes one unhappy? Or should one choose a career that makes one happy, but barely pays the rent.
A life filled with the luxuries that our society provides can be seen by many to be a much-desired way to live. For them, the end result overcomes the means to get there,