Spiritual, Physical, And Emotional Death In Tuesdays With Morrie - Book Report/Review Example

Spiritual, physical, and emotional death in Tuesdays with Morrie 14 June Introduction Life’s greatest lesson in the book, Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life’s Greatest Lesson, by Mitch Albom (1997) is this: “Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live” (p.82). In this book, newspaper columnist Albom remembered his Tuesday “lessons” with his 78-year-old sociology professor in Brandeis University, Morrie Schwartz. Morrie was dying from Lou Gehrigs disease (ALS), but because of his dedication in sharing his life’s lessons to others, he became a local celebrity, where people came to him to talk about what truly matters in life. Albom had not communicated with Morrie after graduating from college, even when he promised to do so. He became wrapped up with his journalism career, though it meant sacrificing playing the piano and his social connections. After seeing Morrie at a TV show, Albom realized that it was time to meet his “Coach” once more. This paper analyzes several issues that the book tackled, particularly the loss of human relations in the modern age, politics, law, health policy, humanistic and social concerns, and ethical/moral issues. This paper also criticizes the author’s approach in dissecting these issues and presenting his points. Loss of Human Relations One of the most important topics that have historical importance in this book is the loss of human relationship in modern times. At present, because of technology and materialistic culture, many people go on with their lives already half-dead, because they no longer attend to what they truly need, and instead, they focus on what they want. They want a higher-paying job. They want to be famous. They want to be powerful. They want the newest car and gadgets, as well as the biggest house. They want to be thinner and more beautiful. Morrie, however, reminds people to think about what they need. They need love. They need to have a family and to have real friends. They need to stop worrying about their material wants and focus on their spiritual and social development. Morrie asks people to find meaning in their lives, so that they can detach themselves from prioritizing things that do not matter. In one of his sociology lessons, Morrie asks his students to lay their fears aside and try trusting someone else. They have to let themselves fall and believe that their partners will catch them. It is an exercise about human relationship, where trust is fundamental. It is a test of faith in humanity. Human relations are critical to the fast-paced society, so that people can give time to reflect on their lives and the direction of their lives and communities. Reflection needs trusting oneself and others too, because the results of analysis can be hard to accept. Morrie believes that it is important to trust someone “even when you’re falling” (Albom, 1997, p.61). But this kind of trust is hard to attain at present, especially when people are afraid of one another. They have fear in their hearts, because they do not know these people. They live in a culture, where the sense of community has been lost and replaced with material interconnections. The maxim of modern life is “Quid pro quo.” People will give, only when they are assured of receiving something back. Morrie tells Mitch that life is not about expecting always something in return. It requires unconditional giving, because in giving, people realize the meaning of their existence: “Devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning” (Albom, 1997, p.127). The lesson in this statement is that history revolves around civilizations that are based on communities. Without communities, people can perish as individuals. Soon enough, if majority of human beings keep on living too independently from each other, they will perish alone, instead of living and surviving together. Politics and Power Albom (1997) did not tackle politics directly, but through several examples and aphorisms, he emphasized that politics have become more about grabbing power than serving others. Politicians believe that they need money and power to stay in power and even enhance their authority. Morrie stresses, however, that these are fleeting and cannot replace people’s need for love and human connection. He says: “Money is not a substitute for tenderness, and power is not a substitute for tenderness” (Albom, 1997, p.125). It is more important to give and receive love, so that politicians can have a meaningful political career. Giving requires them to connect to others. Public servants ought to connect to their humanity and to other human beings, in order to serve their purposes. Yang, Staps, and Himans (2010) explained what “meaning” means: “This experience of meaning is characterized by a sense of connectedness, of being embedded within a larger whole” (p.57). When people are connected to each other, their need for power will no longer burden them. They will be released from this need and embed themselves in a social network that will make their public service purposeful and beneficial to all. This way, the quest for power can be vanquished and social justice and equity will the main goals of politicians. Lawyers and Power To be a lawyer is to have and exercise power, which can harm humanity and derail justice. Post (1987) explored the negative images of lawyers, which is one of the reasons that both Morrie and Mitch did not aspire to be one, even when it is a profession that can give financial stability. He noted that even Shakespeare said that they should kill all lawyers, while Sir Thomas Moore did not include lawyers in his Utopia, since their “profession” is “to disguise matters” (p.379). Post (1987) emphasized that people like and hate lawyers for the same reasons. They like them for following their client’s wishes and cutting red tape, but they also abhor them for damaging the criminal and justice system (p.380). Albom (1997) also showed similar hostility for lawyers, when a “small army of lawyers” surrounded O.J. Simpson (p.157). When O.J. is acquitted, it indicates that the lawyers did their job very well. However, it is possible that the court acquitted a guilty man, a murderer. Albom (1997) suggested that lawyers can have a cruel way of pursuing their purposes, by using their power and knowledge to bend society for the rich and powerful. In other words, many lawyers have become an army for the rich and corrupt. His allusion to the Simpson’s trial indicates that there is no justice in the world, when lawyers defend the guilty and courts acquit them for their crimes. Health Policy Implications The book is about dying and aging, so its health policy implications are evident to some extent. One of the crucial implications is handling end-of-life care. For healthcare personnel, such as doctors, nurses, and caregivers, taking care of very old and dying people can be emotionally exhausting. This can be particularly true, if the dying have physically and emotionally degenerated, and are not at peace yet with their dying. Healthcare personnel have to determine and respond to the views and practices of their patients regarding dying and aging, so that they can integrate their religious or non-religious values about death in their healthcare and communication strategies. They cannot rely on their objective or scientific views on death alone, because their bias will reflect on the kind and content of their healthcare program. In a study on “Religious and Nonreligious Spirituality in Relation To Death Acceptance or Rejection,” Cicirelli (2011) examined how the religious and non-religious spiritual people accept their deaths. Findings showed that: “For the person with a religious spirituality, the meaning of life involves the preparation for a destiny beyond the present life,” while for people with a nonreligious form of spirituality, “the meaning of life is somewhat different. Since there is no afterlife, the individual is motivated to build a ‘paradise’ here on earth and to extend life for as long as possible to enjoy the fruits of his/her labors” (p.142). Either way, spirituality helps them to accept death with grace. Morrie is also a classic example of someone who is dying, and so he sees himself from a “healthier,” “more sensible place” (Albom, 1997, p.63). Morrie is no longer ashamed of dying, because he has found a purpose in it. He can share his lessons and life to the world and hope they can guide them, even after his death. In addition, this book argues that people, even the dying and mentally ill, are not “useless,” which many healthcare practitioners believe in (Albom, 1997, p.12). Morrie worked for a mental institution before and his social interactions with them helped them feel better. Morrie believes that these people also want to feel that they exist and that people still care for them as human beings. After being diagnosed of ALS, Morrie also lives more. He may not be able to dance or go anywhere he wants, but his voice will carry his vision of a better world. Healthcare personnel should tap into their humanity and connect with the humanity of their patients too. They should respect and promote patient autonomy, so that they can fill fulfilled, whatever their illnesses may be. Humanistic and Social Concerns Albom (1997) has Morrie as a Coach; he is his life coach and Morrie wants to be a life coach for others too. Morrie’s greatest lesson is “Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live” (p.82). Indeed, dying puts life in a better perspective. It erases the demand for money and power. It highlights the importance of family, love, and tenderness in human existence. Morrie reminds readers to stop focusing on the material aspects of their lives: “Don’t cling to things because everything is impermanent” (Albom, 1997, p. 103). Nothing lasts, even life itself. However, people can make more of their loves if they start living it. Life starts when people follow their basic needs for love, social connection, and meaning. Life continues as people interact meaningfully with each other. The labor strike frees Albom from his newspaper work and so he attends Tuesday lessons with Morrie. This labor is an allusion to social ills. People have stopped communicating with each other. They are no longer willing to take compromises. They demand and protect only their self-interests. But life cannot be meaningful and happy with such hostility for one another. Morrie says that in between birth and death, “we need others as well” (Albom, 1997, p. 157). Ethical/Moral Issues The biggest satisfaction in life does not come from having so much money and power. It hails from: “Offering others what you have to give” (Albom, 1997, p.126). It may not be illegal to put large malls everywhere and kill small stores in the process, but it is unethical to have the power to pressure suppliers, so that they can give the big companies lower prices, which in turn, makes them more competitive than smaller shops. What are these large cut-throat companies offering? They are offering a life based on power, where they negotiate their increase in wealth and power in every aspect of their existence. Morrie does not want the hullaballoo of materialistic life, because it clouds people rationality, where love is the only logic for him. He asks people to find what matters, because they would realize then that things never mattered. He wants them to find faith in themselves and others. He hopes for a better world, where people cared for one another, instead of spending almost all of their time making money. The moral issue is about humanity and finding humanity inside people. With a newfound sense of humanity, people can then better interrelate with one another without prejudice for their differences. They can better become human beings with no color, religion, gender, and beliefs dividing them. Critique of the Author’s Approach The simplicity of aphorisms simplifies life’s lessons. This book is commendable because it collects stories, examples, and lessons that can be used to teach people about helping themselves find meaning in their lives. Indeed, it is a touchy-feely book that invokes emotional and spiritual reflection, and sometimes, even tears, from others who realized that their life is not what they need to be. The writing style that revolves around conversations simplifies complex issues on politics, morality, and society. The simplification comes from having layman language to express ideas and emotions. The book is not afraid to touch on emotions, a sort of taboo for Western society that expects people to be independent and head-strong. By using emotions, Albom can better connect with the underlying sentiments of people, the sentiments of forgotten dreams and unforgotten regrets. Aphorisms, however, cannot replace actual experience. Morrie has shared many meaningful lessons that people can apply to have more meaningful lives. Nevertheless, the choice depends on them. Are they going to leave their jobs behind to be pianists? Perhaps not. But at least, they have an alternative perspective. Conceivably, they might even attain an awakening of emotions, an unraveling of their dreams. The book does not ask them to question everything, or maybe it does. Morrie does not provide a clean direction of what life should be, because he wants people to figure that out for themselves. The essential lesson remains: “Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live” (Albom, 1997, p.82). Tuesdays with Morrie leaves lessons about life and living it, if only people are willing to make risky decisions that can make them happy and live meaningful lives. References Albom, M. (1997). Tuesdays with Morrie: An old man, a young man, and life’s greatest lesson. New York: Anchor Books. Cicirelli, V.G. (2011). Religious and nonreligious spirituality in relation to death acceptance or rejection. Death Studies, 35 (2), 124-146. Post, R.C. (1987). On the popular image of the lawyer: Reflections in a dark glass. California Law Review, 75 (1), 379-389. Yang, W., Staps, T., & Hijmans, E. (2010). Omega: Existential crisis and the awareness of dying: The role of meaning and spirituality. Journal of Death & Dying, 61 (1), 53-69. Read More