In English, “fame and fortune” or “reputation and wealth” is a Sino-Vietnamese phrase consisting of two components: “name” (名) means fame, reputation, popularity; and “loi” (利) means benefit, profit, material. Fame and fortune therefore refer to the material and spiritual values that people pursue in society, including reputation and personal benefits. The phrase fame and fortune has many meanings and is interpreted in many different ways.
On the positive side, reputation and profit are the main motivations for people to work. But the first is to realize unfulfilled dreams, such as becoming a doctor, engineer, artist, etc. Although the benefits of fame and fortune are first of all personal, its influence is very positive, bringing to society many advances in changing their lives such as scientific inventions and the discovery of new ways to cure diseases.
On the negative side, a person who is well-educated and highly talented is not necessarily as helpful to the world as a virtuous person. People often associate the two words talent and virtue with each other for a society to be prosperous and peaceful, rather than a society that, although there are many rich and talented people, is full of injustice. A society in which people pursue fame and profit without the goal of serving society or others, but is only limited to individuals or groups, that society will have many constant conflicts, and the results that people achieve may only be short-term.
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