American Culture

Too many times our talents are wasted because as a culture we value money over happiness. We believe the more you devote yourself to a job, the more money you will make and the happier you will be. My mom always tells me to find a job I love, regardless of the pay, and I'll never have to work a day in my life. You have to be passionate about what you do; otherwise you won't put in 100% and be dedicated to what you're doing. You'll end up being miserable. In thrive, it is highly recommended to find a job you are passionate about, that works with the right people, and that addresses your talents. Do those few things, and you're setting yourself up for a happier life.

Many of us value time, yet we don't value spending, or making time for the right things. Our priorities aren't straight because as a culture our lives are so rushed, we tend to forget that making time for ourselves is important too. In Tuesday With Morrie, here's a man who is scheduled every minute of the day, not able to make time for someone he truly cares about. Mitch holds off proposing to Jannie not only because he doesn't have time, but he also fears love. Americans are afraid to love and show their love because we fear the whole idea of becoming vulnerable; trusting someone by slowly taking down the wall we've had built for so long, only to be abandoned or hurt. We fear the idea of how easily a person can come into our lives and make us happy, but also how easily that person could leave and take that happiness with them.

Death is another aspect we fear because again, it's the whole idea of someone we love leaving our lives forever. Materialism and death connect in a weird way. We believe that once someone is gone, the whole relationship is gone. A person may not physically be there but all the memories you shared, all the things they did to touch your life, you still love them regardless of their physical presence. We tend to forget this because we're so caught up in the idea of physical items bringing us happiness. As a culture, once something is lost or broken, we can easily replace it. Once a person passes, they're permanently gone, which is why we fear this idea so much. Morrie is a great example because he didn't dwell on what he had or hadn't, but the relationships and people he interacted with, sharing all his experiences with the people who meant something to him. People look at death as an ending point, but it's a natural part of life and it's a journey to a new beginning for everyone.