Money or Work

"Financial gain should be the most important factor in choosing a career."

Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the opinion stated above. Support your views with reasons and/or examples from your own experience, observations, or reading.

We live in a material world. Even the candles that people burn in church cost money. Money is one parameter that can significantly impact an individual's quality of life, social standing and mental satisfaction. Yet, I do not agree that financial gain should be the most important factor in choosing a career.

Even if somebody is not an idealist who fervently believes that a man should follow his dream, how can one hope of making any money if one is not good at the work he is choosing? Money is important and financial gain can be a very important factor in choosing a career. Nevertheless making it the most important factor can be disastrous. 

A master plumber can make more money than a bad investment banker (will be good for the economy too!). The marketplace pays for skill. Further, according to demand-supply of talent and the level of skill people make different amount of money. Interest and skill play a pivotal role in determining the actual financial gain, success and recognition that an individual may hope to get out of his career. Hence, interest and skill should be the most important factor in choosing a career. Blindly choosing a career just because majority of professionals make a lot of money can prove to be counter-productive.

Focusing on money alone one can also easily overlook the moral aspect of an issue. The best example I can think of is of Somali pirates who capture ships for ransom. They easily make millions of dollars a month  which is more than most of the professionals (if there are any left) ever make in Somalia. Would we give this advice to youth of the country to become pirates just because financial gains are high?

Working and loving a work can be a deeply satisfying and meditative experience. Books like "The Alchemist" explore the importance of finding a work you love allegorically. Santiago, the main character of the story, embarks on a journey to fulfil his personal legend. The story points how being in one's nature and following one's dream one can find success. I completely agree with the writer's point of view.

Concluding, I do not think that one chooses a career only for money. One spends at least one-third of his life with the work he chooses. So being trapped in a job you don't like doing something that doesn't contribute to your growth can be a big punishment. Hence choosing a career on the basis of financial gain alone is ill-advised and even dangerous.