Recently, I have been thinking a lot about the value of work andhow it relates to the so-called “purpose” of life, if we can really call itthat. My mom and I have had many lengthy discussions on why it is important tohave obstacles in the course of one’s life in order to feel like one has had ameaningful existence.[2] I have been fortunate enough to have been born to twointelligent individuals who have strived to make a difference in the world.Consequently, I have been able to live comfortably off of their hard work andaccomplishments. As a result, I have been able to attend a wonderful schoolwithout any financial worries that may prevent others from having the sameprivilege. The gift my parents have given me is the opportunity to receive afantastic education, but it is up to me to make my own decisions and work hardafter that.[3]

One of my friends here at school is very wealthy. Her father is ahedge fund manager on Wall Street, and quite obviously makes a substantialamount of income each year.[4] She told me that when she turns 30, she is set toreceive a very hefty trust fund from her family.[5] I thought about this for awhile, and eventually I decided that this is one of the worst things a parentcan do for their children. Essentially, I think he is denying her the ability tomotivate herself into creating her own identity and path separate from herparents. As my mom told me, the reason why video games are fun is the obstaclesyou have to overcome to get to the next level. Sometimes you fail, but youalways want to try again. Similarly, life is meaningful when you have somethingto achieve and work for. My parents started out with very little, but theycontinued working hard because they believed that there was always something towork for. I think this type of hope is essential to human life, and to deny yourchild that right is ruining their life. Of course, my friend can always choosenot to use that trust fund—but at this age, it is far easier to choose what wethink is the “comfortable” path and make wrong decisions. And, it is never thesame when you know you have a squashy trust fund to fall back upon when youfail.[6]

Human life is defined by experience and the social connections youmake. The value of life isn’t in breathing and functioning. Although this mightseem like a rather ill-conceived example, I always thought that the purpose ofthe dementors in Harry Potter illustrated this concept quite well.[7] TheDementor’s Kiss is described to be “worse than death” because the dementor sucksout your soul, leaving you to be an empty shell of a human. Thus, the soul iswhat matters the most—and the soul can only be created through the experience oflife itself. And I think if you take the ability for someone to truly experienceall of the hardships and happiness that comes with overcoming those respectivehardships, you are denying them a bit of their soul. And no matter what they do,they will never be one-hundred percent happy.

We’ve seen so many examples where celebrities have completelyfallen off the wheel due to their hard-partying lifestyles as a result of themoney they have to burn.[8] Young celebrities, in particular, are especiallyprone to this trap.[9] If you take the hardships of life away and replace itwith buckets and buckets of money, people become bored and seek other thrillsfor stimulation—and in many cases, that stimulation comes in the form ofartificial injections, such as drugs and alcohol.[10] Self-medication ends upbeing the cure, and, very ironically, their demise.[11]

Last week, I watched a movie called Jiro Dreams ofSushi[12]. It documents the backstory of one of the most famous sushi chefsin the world, Jiro Ono. Jiro is now 86 years old, yet continues to work eachday, unfailingly[13] striving for ultimate perfection. A few years ago, hereceived the perfect rating of three Michelin stars, becoming the firstrestaurant of its kind to be bestowed with that honor.[14] Yet, he stillcontinues to improve his technique day by day. Of course, this kind of workethic is most likely unmatchable, but it is still inspiring to see that thattype of hope and motivation exists in people. The biggest woe[15] that Jiro willhave is that four Michelin stars will never exist. As he said himself in themovie, he will always aim to reach the top. The trouble is: who really knowswhere the top is?

It’s quite possible that my opinion here is fairly limited, ormaybe naive[16], since I don’t have the experience that many much older andwiser than I do. These past weeks I have been studying very hard for myupcoming[17] tests and, like any person my age, have been complaining. But afterhaving a good, long conversation with my mom, I realize that there is a reasonwhy I complain yet don’t quit—because I know that there is something to workfor. Even though at times I may dislike working, I will never have the desire toquit.