How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
These were people so hungry for love that they were accepting substitutes. They were embracing material things and expecting a sort of hug back. But it never works. You can't substitute material things for love or for gentleness or for tenderness or for a sense of comradeship. (18.8)
Morrie talks about how people expect money to fill a void in their life that can only be filled by other people. The more you invest money into your happiness, the more unhappy that you'll be. Morrie knows from experience, since he's at a point in his life where he needs company more than ever—money doesn't even come close to cutting it.
Quote #8
"Part of the problem, Mitch, is that everyone is in such a hurry," Morrie said. "People haven't found meaning in their lives, so they're running all the time looking for it. They think the next car, the next house, the next job. Then they find those things are empty, too, and they keep running." (19.57)
Sounds kind of like Mitch when he was young, doesn't it? Life becomes this mad race to accumulate things in the name of piling up happiness. The race gets more and more desperate, though, because people don't get happier and they don't have any time to stop and rethink their priorities.
Quote #9
"But the poor kids today, either they're too selfish to take part in a real loving relationship, or they rush into marriage and then six months later, they get divorced. They don't know what they want in a partner. They don't know who they are themselves—so how can they know who they're marrying?" (20.43)
People are eager for love—love makes people happy—but they don't take the time to find the right kind of love because they're so eager to hurry up and get it. And because they're so impatient to receive love, they don't know how to give it. Which won't make either party happy.