The mundane and pointless struggle for wealth

 How important is it to do what you love for the rest of your life? Is it even possible to give up a completely stable, yet boring routine for something that truly excites you? Some people do follow their dreams and consider it their life's purpose to be fulfilled in their occupation every single day, and I applaud them. For some, though, monetary circumstances outweigh their innate desire to pursue their true interests. 

         It surely cannot be denied that wealth can bring a certain amount of joy into one's life. But is this temporary and shallow happiness truly worth the emotional turmoil of waking up every day, tired and unfulfilled, to go to a dreaded workplace? Is it worth it, to slowly burn out, working somewhere you don't want to be? Is it worth it, to keep regretting your decisions and wondering if you could have chosen a better path? It is undoubtedly important to succeed and earn something, but at what cost? 

         We already live in a time where passion, art, poetry, and literature are slowly being depleted and are seen as secondary to other more "consequential" professions. They're seen as lesser and unimportant, but I don't think that's true. Engineers build the house that satisfies the body, but artists make it a home that satisfies the soul. Writers, philosophers, musicians, artists and dancers, they do more than just give us entertainment. They bring out the true meaning of life and a beautiful expression of diversity. So is it right for us to push away these talents as mere hobbies, and to force ourselves and others to slave away at a miserable desk job for pieces of paper that won't even belong to us years later? 

         Most of us are too afraid to take the risk of trying because we might fail and fall into an average life and we are constantly reminded of the inadequacies of an average life. We let ourselves be consumed by greed for things we don't even need, so we keep our thoughts at bay with the longing for the promise of a life of luxury. We come to realize, however, that there is no greater luxury than life itself, and what better way to capture that luxury than literature?