"The usual complaint is, 'I have no other way of earning a living.' The harsh reply can be, 'Do you have to live?'"

In this quote, Tertullian is criticizing the people who grumble about their lack of alternatives for making money. He suggests that the extreme action to their complaints might be questioning whether they truly require to live. This may look like a callous or severe reaction, but his point is to stress the value of taking obligation for one's own life and finding methods to make a living without counting on reasons or blaming outdoors circumstances. He is advocating for self-sufficiency and durability, and is difficult people to think critically about their capability to form their own fate.