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 menta ...