We all have to earn a living. That's a fact. There are hundreds and thousands of ways to earn a living. Some people earn their living as a shopkeeper. And some people earn their living as corporate executives.
Simply earning a living will not liberate us from the cycle of birth and death. Therefore if that's all we do, we are simply wasting our precious time. This is confirmed as follows in the Srimad Bhagavatam:
dharmah svanusthitah pumsam visvaksena-kathasu yah notpadayed yadi ratim srama eva hi kevalam
"The occupational activities a man performs according to his own position are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke attraction for the message of the Personality of Godhead." Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.8
The birds also earn their living by flying out from their nest every day to gather worms. What is the difference between gathering worms and gathering dollars? There is not much difference, if the only purpose of your existence is to maintain your material body.
The difference that does exist between mankind and the animals is that human beings have advanced intelligence for understanding who they are and what is the purpose of their existence. This is why in addition to earning their livelihoods they must also side by side, and even more importantly, cultivate Krishna consciousness. Krishna consciousness means the reawakening of the original divine awareness that has been lying there dormant within the heart for countless eons of lifetimes.