Different ways of thinking

“Different ways of thinking”



In the book Tuesdays with Morrie, there are many arguments about life, many beliefs about how you should treat your own life and how you treat your very being. There are arguments about how to live your life, how to make a proper decision, and sometimes about how is your life treating you. One of these arguments that we are going to discuss is about the effects of creating your very own sub-culture. Sometimes, creating your very own sub-culture is the best way to isolate yourself from the society and the majorities. It gives you somewhat peace of mind.

Culture gives the people its sense of “individuality,” and they become mean when they are threatened. That is what culture does. Even those people who are settled and have no worries are threatened; they worry about losing what they have worked hard for. Moreover, when they are threatened, they start to only look at themselves.

Making your own sub-culture does not necessarily mean to abstract the rule of your community. “[we] do not go around naked, for example. I do not run through red lights.” These little things, you can obey. However, big things like how should we think, how should we value, things that you should choose for yourself. You cannot let anyone, or any majority of society to mandate these things for you. You should know what is best for you. (Albom, 155)

Take for instance the things that we are all being embarrassed about this time; being easily swayed by salesperson, talking to the public, or showing emotions, “there is nothing innately embarrassing or shaming about them,” but rather let us consider them as a way for us to communicate to the society. (Albom, 155)





“The same thing goes for women not being enough, or men not being rich enough. It is just what our culture would have you believe. Do not believe it.” These kinds of beliefs are the exact same beliefs that the society wants you to believe. Having an arousing body and being wealthy man is not everything. You should have a reconciled heart and a caring personality to achieve what you always want to achieve in this world, and that is peace of mind. (Albom, 155)

Everyone treats each other differently because “Every society has its own problems,” There is a way for you to do it, and that is to work at creating your very own traditions and culture. No matter who or what you encounter, the biggest problem we humans have are our being shortsightedness. We stable ourselves on a certain goal and not try to surpass those goals. We should be looking at our own potential, pushing ourselves into everything we can become. Nevertheless, if egocentric people surround you, you will end up with a few people with everything and a group of upper ups to keep the poor ones from rising up and stealing it. (Albom, 156)

One of our problems is that we do not believe we are as pretty much alike as we are. Americans and Asians, Catholics and Protestants, Muslims and Jews, men and women; but if we see each other as more alike, we might be eagerly to join in a one big human family in this world, and to care about each other the way we care about ourselves.

We all have the same beginning and the same end, birth and death. SO why do we see each other so differently? It is true that there are people out there who treat other people like his own brother. However, should we limit our caring for those who have the same color and race? Should we treat other races like crap and only care about our own?

“Invest in the human family. Invest in people. Build a little community of those you love and who love you.”(Albom, 156)

One of Morrie’s philosophies is that by accepting death, you are actually having a more peaceful life; “Life can be as swift as a dream. But people strive to live on,” Accepting death does not mean you are safe from making mistakes. Accepting death only gives you the insight of how important it is to live; on how fortunate you are that you have a comfortable culture and traditions that you can share with your loved ones.(Takahashi, 27)

In the beginning of our life, we are dependents, we need those who care for us to survive, and at the very end of our life, when you get sick and become immovable, you need others as well to survive. Morrie teaches, “But here’s the secret: in between, we need others as well.” (Albom, 157)

Still, there are people who have no relatives, no love ones, nothing. Even though they never felt how is it to love, or how is it to be loved, or if their loved ones abandon them, there is still a person who will continue to care for you and love you, and that man is God.

One of the problems that the human race faces is being too much competitive. We humans are natural born competitors. We should just get along and have a fair game without giving the thought of winning or losing. The feeling of winning is awesome, but too much thirst for victories will only lead you to a corrupt mind.







Culture gives everyone the sense of being unique and making our own virtues to follow. It also makes us rigorous in all we do and gives us confidence in taking another step forward towards the human family of this world that cares for each other as they care for themselves.



Work Cited

Albom, Mich. Tuesdays with Morrie. 10th. United States: Broadway Books, 1997

Bowen, Stephanie. “Tuesdays with Morrie.” CNN.com Book Reviews 1998

Takahashi, Tsutomu. Skyhigh. Tokyo: Kodansha, 2000

Takahashi, Tsutomu. Skyhigh Karma. 1. Tokyo: Kodansha, 2007