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What does Morrie say about envy?
The heart of the matter is to be content with where you are; if you can’t totally accept yourself you get competitive. He closes with a down-to-earth question: “How can I be envious of where you are—when I’ve been there myself?” (17.51).
How does Morrie rationalize envy?
How does Morrie rationalize his thoughts that aging is growth, and not decay, as most people see it? I am every age, up to my own”. He cannot be envious of those who are still young, because he carries the memory of being young within himself, and it makes him a better, wiser person.
Why does Morrie not long for youth?
Why does Morrie not long for youth? He has already lived through it.
What does Morrie say about people who wish they were young again?
When Mitch counters by asking why people wish they were young again, Morrie says that means those people haven’t lived fulfilled lives. He suggests that if one battles getting older, they’re always going to be unhappy because they’re going to grow old and die eventually.
What is Mitch afraid of?
Mitch talks to Morrie about his own fear of aging. Mitch observes that society reveres youth and disparages or ignores the old.
What is Morrie’s advice about emotion?
Morrie explains that people avoid emotions because of fear. But all this means is that instead of emotions overwhelming them, fear overwhelms them. Oops. In Morrie’s opinion, then, it’s better to let the emotion totally take over so you can recognize what you are feeling and then choose to get back to normal.
How does Morrie approach old age?
To Morrie, aging has as much to do with the spiritual aspect of life as it does the physical; he is more concerned with how a person grows older in wisdom than how his body decays with the years. In his thinking, growing in wisdom is cummulative – the older you get the more wisdom you accumulate.
What was Morrie’s philosophy on aging?
Morrie has never feared aging; he embraces it. He believes that if he were to wish for youth, that would indicate his dissatisfaction with the life he has lived. He explains to Mitch that to fight age is fight a hopeless battle, because aging and death are inevitable, and a natural part of the life cycle.
What did Morrie say about fear?
It won’t hurt you. It will only help. If you let the fear inside, if you pull it on like a familiar shirt, then you can say to yourself, “All right, it’s just fear. I don’t have to let it control me.”
Why does Morrie envy the young?
Morrie does not harbor jealousy for Mitch and his youth because he has already been a young man. He is curious about the new frontiers he must face in his old age, and does not wish to return to youth. He does not want to relive the past, but instead want s to experience the future, even if that future is very short.
Is Morrie afraid of dying?
As someone who is soon to die, Morrie might be expected to fear the sight of death, but he does not and thinks such a fear represents yet another silly aspect of contemporary society.
How does Morrie deal with envy of the young?
Morrie admits he does, but mostly for the fact that they can move and dance, and he practices detachment to deal with the envy. Morrie coughs, and Mitch asks if Morrie envies him. Morrie says that of course the old envy the young, but if you look back on life, it becomes a competition, and age isn’t competitive.
What does Morrie say about the point of aging?
Morrie replies that it is “impossible” for him not to envy young people, but the point of aging is to accept your age at that moment; Morrie has already lived through his thirties, now it is M itch’s turn. Morrie has lived through every age up to his own, and he is therefore a part of each of them.
Do you think Morrie is envious of Mitch?
Morrie coughs, and Mitch asks if Morrie envies him. Morrie says that of course the old envy the young, but if you look back on life, it becomes a competition, and age isn’t competitive. He adds that his current age, 78, is comprised of all the ages he’s ever been, and he can’t truly be envious of Mitch at 37 when Morrie’s been that age himself.
What is Morrie’s idea of detachment?
He sees the futility of yearning for youth or trying to stay young, and this is another form of his idea of detachment. Mitch asks Morrie if he envies younger, healthier people. Morrie admits he does, but mostly for the fact that they can move and dance, and he practices detachment to deal with the envy.