"I live, like every real man, in my work. On the contrary, that’s the way I like it and I think myself lucky to live alone." ("Homo Faber" M. Frisch) - Can one reconcile professional career and family life?

Agnieszka Grochowska - 11.10.2018 @ 15:58

You can find our opinion about the theme here

Homo Faber or Family?

 by Vizkeleti Gréta und Gaál Réka, DNG Budapest/ Hungary

There are two main goals in every person’s life, which he would like to achieve: a successful career and a beautiful family. So, there is a question: Can we achieve both? Can we have a great career not at the expense of our family life?

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The novel “Homo Faber” of Max Frisch deals with this dilemma. The protagonist, Walter Faber lives in the world of technology. His life is like a mathematical process, which is based on the principle of probability and rationality. He focuses on his personal goals, therefore he has hardly any social relationships. One day he meets a beautiful, young woman, Sabeth on a cruise who happens to be his daughter from the previous marriage. After Sabeth dies in an accident, Faber’s world changes. He rethinks his life, and he would like to do everything in a different way in the future, but it’s too late. He dies of a stomach cancer a few months later.

Everybody thinks, they can choose between only 2 options: either a nice, successful career or happy family life. However, there can be a golden midway, where these 2 can coexist. One should find a solution, which is suitable for everybody, for example learning how to manage time well. It’s possible for a man to be a good father and a successful businessman at the same time. To achieve this, one needs a strong willpower and great support from his family and friends, because one doesn’t fight alone. Life isn’t a single player game. To follow the golden middle way is not easy, but nothing is impossible.

Be aware! Don’t make the Walter Faber’s mistake! We have just one life und our time is advancing fast.

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 Réka Gaál - 14.11.2018 @ 11:41

Hi Reka and Viskelti!

I love your article, I think you wrote about things that are a very currant topic. The dissision people have to make between their career and their personal life accures commonly nowadays. In todays' world people tend to prefere to spend their life alone, focusing on their career, than to start a family. I think people forget thet "Life isn’t a single player game" like you said it. You've written it very clearly and intriguingly. Thanks!

Marianna Gawron - 08.12.2018 @ 16:43

Hello Réka and Vizkeleti!

I really enjoyed reading your article. The topic you wrote about is a difficult one, which lends itself to discussion, of course. Everybody dreams about a successful business career and a happy family. However, you should really do your best for both of them because they need a lot of time and diligence. Sometimes it is not that hard and people fulfill their obligations perfectly. All you need is some patience and as you wrote people who support you! I hope everyone will be able to find a way to achieve both of those goals, good career and family. Thanks for your work!

Julia Mahfud - 02.01.2019 @ 21:38

Your article really impressed me, as it touches upon a huge problem of the modern society. Today, most of us have to decide: job or family. It is never an easy decision, especially in Poland. Many Poles emigrate to find a better job in Western Europe, which has a negative influence on family relations.

Deciding whether this “single player mode” is good or bad is not easy. I agree that we have to live together, but on the other hand, sacrificing family life for job opportunities and living alone is our own decision which everyone should respect. In my opinion, the best option is to find balance between work and family life. This can make us happy.  Thanks.

Mikołaj Ziębicki - 03.01.2019 @ 21:25

Hi!

 I really liked your article! I agree with you that we should try to manage both our family life and career. I agree with the previous comment, many poles emigrate to western Europe countries and it’s really hard for families to see each other. For example: my grandma didn’t see her daughter, my aunt in two years.

This topic and the story of Max Frisch you mentioned made me think of the biography of Alexander Hamilton, a founding father of United States of America. He also was totally focused on his work and often put his family aside. He cheated on his wife, Eliza and didn’t spend time with his kids.

 After a death of his son, Philip he was really crushed. Eliza blamed him for it and he was convinced that she was right. Since then he almost stopped working and decided to be a better father and husband. At the end of his life he was forgiven by his wife and died peacefully knowing that the life he led wasn’t ideal but he earned his redemption after all

Izabela Kręc - 04.01.2019 @ 20:15

Hello Réka and Gréta!

I think you have raised a very interesting topic in your article. Obviously, both career and family are very important. We cannot underestimate any of them. When we neglect one, it turns out that there will be problems. Therefore, we need to maintain a balance that will provide us with stability in life. In my opinion one of the ways to reconcile a career with family can be to set up a family business, thanks to which you will spend more time with the family.

Thank you for this great article!

Joanna Stolarska - 04.01.2019 @ 20:40

Hello Réka and Gréta!

Your article mirrors one problem of most of the people nowadays. Everyone wants to achieve things in a career on the one hand. But also does everyone want a family and friends to spend time with. So in the last few years, children were born later and later, according to their parent's jobs. Where is the society where children got to spend much more time with their parents because they were younger? When humans carry on with job first family second, there will be some time when there aren't grandparents anymore.

So many people struggle with that question. But I think when you worry too much about stuff like that you only waste time. Do things with your family as often as you can. The other time you can focus on your job and career. I know it's hard to find the right balance but I believe that humankind can find a way to do that.

Laura Eichmüller - 21.01.2019 @ 16:05