Making a Life vs. Making a Living
Adriana Zuniga
LAS 377,
Making a life vs. Making a Living
When comparing the processes of making a living and making a life both differ very much, but both play a role in the process of finding true success as an individual. Making a living is geared towards plain survival. In our society plain survival would be to pay the bills, buy food, buy clothes, pay the rent…etc. The idea is to settle for the least possible in order to get by, or as we call it survival. Making a life is geared towards knowing what it is that one wants to accomplish by working hard in order to get it. Making a life is more about proper selfishness because it starts at home and progresses through life in life experiences, but concentrates on the self as I call it the individualism.
Man was put on this earth to work in order to make a living, but through work man can achieve a powerful solidarity (unity) with others. This goal is only achieved when work is not abused, when it provides values to an individual’s life, and when it helps build a community that will work to achieve a common good. The common good will essentially lead individuals to come together as one to truly live out their lives. As discussed in class, the common good can be described as a condition(s) that provides individuals an equal atmosphere/surrounding where everyone can benefit from the conditions(s). In John Paul the II’s, Encyclical Letter, he talks about work as being the main component that will bring all individuals towards the common good. We live in a capitalistic society where without work one cannot survive. According to John Paul the II, work starts as a basic need for survival, but as life progresses individuals start to realize that work is needed to find an identity (start a true life). In my opinion a broad overview of his description would be that work helps individuals successfully head towards the common good. The Pope explains that to do so the individual must not let the means become the end.
LAS 377,
Making a life vs. Making a Living
When comparing the processes of making a living and making a life both differ very much, but both play a role in the process of finding true success as an individual. Making a living is geared towards plain survival. In our society plain survival would be to pay the bills, buy food, buy clothes, pay the rent…etc. The idea is to settle for the least possible in order to get by, or as we call it survival. Making a life is geared towards knowing what it is that one wants to accomplish by working hard in order to get it. Making a life is more about proper selfishness because it starts at home and progresses through life in life experiences, but concentrates on the self as I call it the individualism.
Man was put on this earth to work in order to make a living, but through work man can achieve a powerful solidarity (unity) with others. This goal is only achieved when work is not abused, when it provides values to an individual’s life, and when it helps build a community that will work to achieve a common good. The common good will essentially lead individuals to come together as one to truly live out their lives. As discussed in class, the common good can be described as a condition(s) that provides individuals an equal atmosphere/surrounding where everyone can benefit from the conditions(s). In John Paul the II’s, Encyclical Letter, he talks about work as being the main component that will bring all individuals towards the common good. We live in a capitalistic society where without work one cannot survive. According to John Paul the II, work starts as a basic need for survival, but as life progresses individuals start to realize that work is needed to find an identity (start a true life). In my opinion a broad overview of his description would be that work helps individuals successfully head towards the common good. The Pope explains that to do so the individual must not let the means become the end.