If I would be a young man again and had to decide how to make my living, I would not try to become a scientist or scholar or teacher. I would rather choose to be a plumber or a peddler in the hope to find that modest degree of independence still available under present circumstances.

Summary

This quote expresses a disillusionment with traditional career paths and a preference for choosing a more practical occupation like being a plumber or a peddler. The author suggests that such professions offer a certain degree of independence that is increasingly hard to find in other fields. It implies a desire to avoid the complexities and pressures of academia or knowledge-driven professions, and instead, opt for a simpler and more self-reliant way of making a living.

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