Reader question:
Please explain “a means to an end”, as in, “work is just a means to an end”.
My comments:
Work is a means, a method by which you accomplish something. What’s implied here is that you work to make some money in order to earn a good living. A good living is the “end” – your real aim or eventual goal.
What’s also implied here, by the way, is those for whom “work is just a means to an end” don’t like their work very much. In other words, they don’t like to do it (but they want to have the money and so they have to put up with the work). We’ll talk about that later.
First, definitions again. Means, plural, is a method, system, object, anything you use as a way of achieving a result. If you do A to achieve B, A is the means, B the end. You go to Shanghai by means of the railway, for instance. The railway is the means, Shanghai the end.
Karl Marx talked about “means of production” referring to materials, tools and equipment that are used in the production of goods.
The Ways and Means Committee, on the other hand, refers to a group of representatives in the government of a US state or Congress whose job is to find the money (means) for the government to spend. Similarly, when your parents advise you: “Don’t spend beyond your means”, they’re warning you against spending more money than you make – lest you end up in debt.
In Wuthering Heights, “Fair means!” is what Cathy calls for, in order to prevent her husband, Edgar Linton, from summoning the servants in order to subdue Heathcliff. Fair means (measure), that is, not foul.
“Fair means!” she said, in answer to her husband’s look of angry surprise. “If you have not courage to attack him, make an apology, or allow yourself to be beaten. It will correct you of feigning more valour than you possess. No, I’ll swallow the key before you shall get it! I'm delightfully rewarded for my kindness to each! After constant indulgence of one’s weak nature, and the other’s bad one, I earn for thanks two samples of blind ingratitude, stupid to absurdity! Edgar, I was defending you and yours; and I wish Heathcliff may flog you sick, for daring to think an evil thought of me!’
Alright, by no means should you still fail to achieve a total grasp of the idea of “means” after these examples. So now, let’s move on to “a means to an end” (something that you do only to achieve a certain result, not because you want to do it) and ponder the question whether work is more important than merely a means to make some money.
Or whether is making money a mere means to an end also? Many people will say money is not what they want, but it’ll help them get happiness, which is the end of all ends, or the goal of all goals.
But can money get you happiness?
If that’s a tough question, let me ask you this: Do you live to eat or do you eat to live?
In other words, is eating a means to an end or is it an end in itself?
Well, if you’ve eaten as many meals as I have, you will probably be able to appreciate to some degree the food (along with the cookery) for its own sake. That is, you appreciate the food not because it helps you survive but because eating itself is a joyful thing to do.
Let’s face it. We spend a tremendous amount of time shopping for, cooking and eating food. That means we spend a tremendous amount of our life eating or preparing for it. If we never enjoy this but merely go through the motions gobbling up the food, we’re really wasting our lives.
Likewise, if work is merely a means to an end for you, well, perhaps you should find a new one.
Well, I guess you should at least keep eating your meals and learn to enjoy them.
Before it’s too late.
Along with all other things you do.
Because, together, they constitute life itself.
人教版八年级上册英语Unit 9第三课作业本1答案
人教版七年级上册英语Starter Unit 1第三课作业本1答案
人教版八年级上册英语Unit 9第一课作业本1答案
人教版八年级上册英语Unit 4第二课作业本1答案
人教版八年级上册英语Unit 8第四课作业本1答案
人教版八年级上册英语Unit 10第四课作业本1答案
人教版八年级上册英语Unit 10第二课作业本1答案
人教版七年级上册英语Starter Unit 2第一课作业本1答案
人教版八年级上册英语Unit 5第二课作业本2答案
人教版八年级上册英语Unit 3第二课作业本2答案
人教版八年级上册英语Unit 6第二课作业本1答案
人教版八年级上册英语Unit 3第三课作业本1答案
人教版八年级上册英语Unit 6第五课作业本2答案
人教版八年级上册英语Unit 5第一课作业本1答案
人教版八年级上册英语Unit 3第五课作业本1答案
人教版八年级上册英语Unit 6第三课作业本2答案
人教版八年级上册英语Unit 3第四课作业本2答案
人教版八年级上册英语Unit 8第五课作业本2答案
人教版八年级上册英语Review of units 1-5作业本1答案
人教版八年级上册英语Unit 2第五课作业本2答案
人教版八年级上册英语Unit 5第五课作业本1答案
人教版七年级上册英语Starter Unit 1第四课作业本2答案
人教版八年级上册英语Unit 10第一课作业本2答案
人教版八年级上册英语Unit 6第一课作业本2答案
人教版八年级上册英语Unit 9第五课作业本1答案
人教版八年级上册英语Unit 3第一课作业本1答案
人教版八年级上册英语Unit 4第四课作业本1答案
人教版八年级上册英语Unit 5第四课作业本2答案
人教版八年级上册英语Unit 6第四课作业本1答案
人教版八年级上册英语Unit 9第二课作业本2答案
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |