What can 30 years living in Japan and Indonesia teach us about mental Health, respect, and what it means to live a meaningful life? In this episode of the Teaching Journeys Podcast, host Dave Roberts welcomes back writer, producer, and entrepreneur Rob Schwartz — son of Morrie Schwartz of Tuesdays with Morrie fame — for a wide-ranging conversation that connects Eastern philosophy, cultural identity, and the growing mental health crisis in America.
Rob shares his remarkable journey from studying Eastern philosophy in university to building a decades-long career in Japan as a film journalist, Billboard Magazine Asia correspondent, NHK World TV script editor, and record label founder. He unpacks the profound differences between Japanese, Indonesian, and American culture — from Confucian values and group identity to the stigma surrounding mental health in East Asia.
The conversation also explores Rob’s work with the One Humanity Foundation, a global movement to raise mental health awareness, his innovative virtual reality startup Moshpit XR, and the timeless Wisdom of his father Morrie Schwartz — whose philosophy that Relationships, not Money, are the true source of happiness continues to resonate worldwide.
In this episode:
• Why Japan and Indonesia place such a high value on respect — and what America can learn from it
• How Confucianism shapes mental health culture across China, Japan, and Korea
• The stigma of Therapy in Japan and why it’s keeping people from getting help
• Morrie Schwartz’s philosophy on Love, relationships, and creating your own culture
• Moshpit XR: the future of virtual concerts and photorealistic Real Estate tours
• The One Humanity Foundation and the butterfly symbol for mental health awareness
Rob Schwartz Bio and Contact Information
Rob Schwartz is a writer, producer, and entrepreneur. His work has appeared in Time, Newsweek, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Interview and Melody Maker, among many others.
He was a script editor at NHK World TV in Japan for fourteen years and has was an Asia Correspondent for Billboard magazine from 2007 to 2022. In 2005 he founded the electro-rock crossover label Dynastic Records in Japan.
Rob produces feature films, including Putty Hill (2010) and Bernard and Huey (2017); Stay (2018) , Touched By Water. Rob actively invests in tech-based startups; and is currently a partner and the chief strategy officer in the virtual concert-creation platform Moshpit (www.Moshpit.Live).
Putty Hill won a host of awards and the New Yorker magazine chose as one of its Top Ten Films for 2011.
Recently Rob edited, wrote essays for, and published The Wisdom of Morrie (2023), a book authored by his father Morrie Schwartz (of Tuesdays with Morrie).
Links to our previous episode :
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CONNECT WITH ROB SCHWARTZ:
The Wisdom of Morrie: wisdomofmorrie.com
Moshpit XR: moshpit.live
Cenneto (Real Estate VR): cenneto.com
One Humanity Foundation: onehumanity.one
Email: [email protected]
