Since time immemorial, humanity as a whole has sought to unravel the mysterious powers and importance of love; many philosophers have tackled this daunting task, but none have done so as concisely as W.H. Auden, who postulated that we must, “Love each other or perish.” In Mitch Albom’s book, “Tuesdays with Morrie” the dying sociology professor Morrie Schwartz adopts Auden’s philosophy on love as a sort of personal mantra, repeating it throughout the course of the book. This philosophy not only resonates with the aging professor, but also with the entirety of Mitch’s book, uniting the nature of Morrie’s vitality, his philosophy on greed, and his understanding of death under the common thematic element of love. After Morrie is diagnosed with…show more content… Capitalist society encourages its participants to consistently buy newer versions of various products, since this continuous cycle of purchasing and selling fuels the economy. However, this cycle does not compliment mental health, and often leads to greedy obsessions over material wealth. Mitch himself had succumbed to this ideology before he was reunited with Morrie. He, too, had pursued and fulfilled the extravagant dreams of owning cars, a big house, and lots of money. Only after a couple discussions with his old professor did Mitch realize that he had been disillusioned with the value of money. Morrie is well-aware of this societal issue, and believes it to have strong connections to love. He states that, “These were people so hungry for love that they were accepting substitutes. […] You can’t substitute material things for love or for gentleness or for tenderness or for a sense of comradeship” (Page 125). Once again, following the mindset of W.H. Auden, Morrie suggests that we, as a society, must love each other, lest we deprive ourselves of this vital ingredient and lose our lives to the reckless pursuit of money and…show more content… Throughout their journey they discover the true value and purpose of death, regrets, money, family, aging, and many other issues that inhabit our cultural consciousness. As they traverse this realm of philosophy, it becomes more and more apparent how closely connected all these issues are to love. The nature of Morrie’s vitality, his philosophy on greed, and his understanding of death are all tied together by W.H. Auden’s philosophy, “Love each other or perish.” Without love, your mind and willpower shall grow as brittle and weak as your aging body. Without love, your will resign yourself to the greedy pursuit of excessive wealth. Without love, your memory and presence in the minds of others shall fade after you perish. The theme of “Tuesdays with Morrie” is one of heartfelt love and compassionate relationships. Humanity has struggled with the concept and importance of love longer than anyone can remember—hoping to one day find a “key” to some unknown box holding the treasured secrets of love. It just so happened that this “box” once took the form of an old professor, who sat in his study by a hibiscus plant waiting for sixteen years for his pupil to