if luklawan had had even more influence over me , which she should have had , i would have repudiated them long ago , and given myself over to the real task of man which is to make money for himself and ease his discomfort on the planet , never mulling the fact that every baht , every cent earned , is a crumb of the pie denied to others ; for to be happy requires a self-centeredness to tune out all other issues of life .