Learn the idioms from Movies or TV shows!!

Are you interested in learning idiomatic expressions? Many of the phrases we use today actually originated from or often used in the movies and TV shows. Now, I’d like you to complete the following sentences by filling in the blanks with the correct words so they make sense.

 

    1.   (Robert Redford’s line in the film Our Souls at Night: “He is a real p_________ of w______.” (meaning “(a negative connotation) referring to his son’s controlling, selfish, and sometimes cruel behavior, especially his opposition to Addie and Louis's relationship and his tendency to demand financial help while acting entitled)

 

    2.   The 1944 movie (starring Ingrid Bergman & Charles Boyer) with the same title is responsible for giving this term its modern meaning, which describes a form of psychological manipulation that causes someone to doubt their own sanity.

As reported by the Chronicle of Higher Education, the expression “giving someone the g______________ treatment” first appeared in print during the 1950s. By the early 1960s, it had developed into the verb “___________ing.”

 

    3.   Not many people knew that Bill Murray was making linguistic history when he said, “All right, this chick is t________t!” in the 1984 movie Ghostbusters. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the film is specifically credited as the origin of the term. In this usage, it describes a person or thing that is finished, ruined, or in serious trouble.

 

    4.   Before this documentary about a man who was misled about the identity of the person he was communicating with online gave the term its modern meaning, “to __________sh” simply referred to trying to catch whiskered bottom-dwelling fish. Later, a TV show with the same name premiered, further popularizing the term to describe individuals who create fake online identities. Yes, we all need to be extra cautious not to be deceived by numerous _________sh out there in the sea of social media!!!

 

    5.   Many people link this phrase to John McClane (played by Bruce Willis)  from Die Hard, who famously delivers the line, “Y__________-ki-yay, motherf**ker, (pardon!)” not knowing it would become his signature catchphrase. Originally derived from an old cowboy exclamation of joy and excitement, Bruce Willis has said the line as an ad lib, and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

    6.   In this 2007 film, two terminally ill strangers (played by Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman) try to complete items on their list before they “kick the b_______,” but they were actually the first to use the term in this way. The phrase was coined by the film’s writer, Justin Zackham, in 1999 when he made his own list. After the movie popularized it, many people assumed it had existed for much longer. The meaning of the expression later broadened, coming to refer to any list of goals or experiences someone wants to accomplish before a specific deadline—such as finishing school or reaching a certain age.

7.   In contrast to today, when the phrase “my b________!” is commonly used as an apology, it was much less widespread in the early 1990s. The term is believed to have first appeared in 1985 and was primarily used in basketball slang; newspapers even had to explain its meaning when referencing it.

 

8.   Across the Pirates of the Caribbean films, Captain Jack Sparrow (played by Johnny Depp) often uses “s________y” as a verb, typically as a one-word question after explaining pirate lore, “the Code,” or going off on a rant. In this context, it essentially means “Do you understand?” As a noun, however, it refers to practical knowledge or useful insight—got it, s________y?

 

    9.   Do you love Lady Gaga’s catchy song Pa__________i? This word was first introduced and popularized in Federico Fellini’s 1960 film La Dolce Vita, featuring Walter Santesso as a persistent, celebrity-chasing photographer. The Italian term suggests an irritating buzzing noise, similar to an insect that won’t go away.

 

    10. “D_________ D_________ is a term commonly used to describe someone who is negative or pessimistic, focusing only on the gloomy aspects of a situation and bringing down others’ mood or enthusiasm. Its synonyms include a wet blanket or a party pooper. The phrase was popularized—if not originally coined—by the Debbie Downer character in a sketch on the American variety show Saturday Night Live, which aired in May, 2004.

Answer Keys

    1.  piece of work

    2.  gaslight

    3.  toast

    4.  catfish

    5.  yippie

    6.  bucket

    7.  bad

    8.  savvy 

    9.  paparazzi

    10. Debbie Downer

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE SERIES #31. After Love (British Film, 2020)

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE

Do you take delight in watching films or listening to pop music? For English learners, movies, songs, and books are one of the he most wonderful sources to explore the language! You can indulge in your favorite pastime and still learn some expressions, words of wisdom, and oftentimes good lessons while you’re at it.

 

# 31. After Love (2020, British Film)

Set in the port town of Dover, South England, a mid-aged white British Muslim woman named Mary Hussain converted to the religion to marry her husband. She is abruptly widowed after her husband’s unexpected death. Just one day after his burial, she happens to uncover a hidden secret (i.e., a French woman Genevieve who is the husband’s lover living in Calais and her son) he kept only twenty-one miles away, across the English Channel in Calais. In the midst of mourning, she discovers a series of messages on her husband’s phone to Geneviève.

When Mary finally meets Geneviève, she is struck silent, overwhelmed by the reality of her husband’s deception. Yet instead of confrontation, she instinctively retreats into the familiar role of caretaker, quietly assuming the position of a cleaner. As she navigates Geneviève’s space, she learns that Geneviève is preparing to move to England—seemingly to remain close to Ahmad, even in death—deepening the emotional complexity of Mary’s loss.

 

 

(Husband’s secret woman Genevieve said to the man’s wife Mary) “Knowingly, we all break the rules we set for ourselves in the end.”

ð  The line—spoken by the husband’s secret lover—reveals how people can quietly cross their own boundaries for someone they care about, even when their inner voice urges caution.

In the film, the remark arises during a conversation about affairs. It recognizes that individuals often act against their better judgment, creating moral gray or neutral areas shaped by hope, desire, and emotional attachment. It also serves as an admission that no one is entirely immune to compromise. Sooner or later, people make exceptions to their own principles, suggesting that the longing for a strong connection can override personal dignity or their own carefully drawn boundaries.

The film ultimately examines the aftermath of love through two women bound to the same man—one his wife, the other his lover—each forced to bend her own rules to live with his secrets. In this light, this quote functions both as a justification and a quiet acknowledgment of the human capacity to endure painful contradictions in order to keep loving.  

 

 

(Genevieve, the husband’s lover said, looking at Mary (wife) putting the hijab on her head) “It must have been hard to take all that on.”

(the wife Mary said) “Back then, I did something for my husband….that no one else could.”

ð  Genevieve, having no idea who Mary was, assumes that because Mary is white and English, converting and wearing the hijab was a difficult, imposed, or "extra" burden. She is expressing a view from an outsider's perspective on religion and modesty. Genevieve is also asserting her own position as someone who did not have to "take all that on," implicitly suggesting her relationship with Ahmed was more modern or easier than his marriage.

Mary, knowing who Genevieve was, is stating that her conversion and her adoption of the faith were done entirely out of love and devotion to her husband, Ahmed. She is establishing that her love was foundational, deep, and required a sacrifice of her former identity. Ironically enough, while Mary believes she was the only one who could give him that life, she has just discovered he was living a completely separate life with Genevieve, who also thought she had a special connection to him.

Rather than being offended, Mary’s answer is a calm, dignified affirmation of her choices. She is owning her life and her love, refusing to allow Genevieve’s pity to define her experience. This conversation shows the tragedy of her wasted devotion, while also demonstrating the strength and unconditional nature of her love.

** Jean’s Small Thoughts:

The title After Love lingered in my mind long after the story ended. As I watched, I kept searching for its meaning. Was director Aleem Khan inviting us to sit with Mary’s grief—to feel the betrayal, anger, and sorrow of a widow who had loved her husband wholeheartedly? Or was he guiding us toward something quieter: the transformation of Mary’s emotions, and the evolution of her identity as a caregiver, as she extends an unexpected compassion toward her husband’s secret partner and her child?

Whatever intention lies behind the title, the film ultimately led me to reflect on the nature of love itself. Love resists a single definition, and I’m still working on how to define love; it stretches across a wide spectrum of feelings and gestures—attachment, care, sacrifice, devotion, even contradiction. It can demand forgiveness, invite acceptance, or require the strength to let go. And yet, despite its complexity, one truth remains: love is a journey. It compels us to confront ourselves, to endure difficult truths, and, in the end, to grow into someone more understanding than we were before.

Fancy the latest Sunday Puzzle from NPR? Try to change one consonant to a vowel of each given word to spell a new word!

I'm going to give you some seven-letter words. For each one, change one consonant to a vowel to spell a new word.

Ex. CONCEPT  -->  CONCEIT

 

1. REVENGE

 

2. TRACTOR

 

3. PLASTIC

 

4. CAPTION

 

5. SCUFFLE

 

6. POMPOMS

 

7. MOBSTER

 

8. LINKAGE

 

9. TEMPERS

 

Answer Keys 

    1.  REVENGE: G => U   REVENUE

    2.  TRACTOR: C => I    TRAITOR

    3.  PLASTIC: P => E   ELASTIC

    4.  CAPTION: P => U   CAUTION

    5.  SCUFFLE: C => O   SOUFFLE

    6. POMPOMS: M => U   POMPOUS

    7.  MOBSTER: B => I   MOISTER

    8. LINKAGE: K => E   LINEAGE

    9.  TEMPERS: S => A   TEMPERA

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE Series #30. Leonardo Da Vinci (authored by Carlo Pedretti)

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE

Do you take delight in watching films or listening to pop music? For English learners, movies, songs, and books are one of the he most wonderful sources to explore the language! You can indulge in your favorite pastime and still learn some expressions, words of wisdom, and oftentimes good lessons while you’re at it.

 

# 30. Leonardo Da Vinci (authored by Carlo Pedretti)

This book, which has been translated in various languages, seeks to describe who this remarkable genius was and explore the reasons behind his creativity across many disciplines. Although his work was grounded in rigorous science and traditional knowledge, it was his natural curiosity that truly guided him throughout his life. His questioning mindset pushed him to explore every area of learning, and his life’s achievements represent a unique blend of art, science, and technology, brought together through both theory and hands-on experience accumulated over many productive years.

 

“The life of Leonardo is extremely varied and undetermined, so that it seems he lives only for the day”, wrote Piero da Novellara to Isabella d’Este.

ð  This excerpt shows Leonardo da Vinci's erratic working style, unpredictable nature, and tendency to prioritize intellectual curiosity over finishing commissions. In other words, Leonardo’s interests constantly kept shifting. He was working as a painter, but also acting as a military engineer, studying anatomy, hydraulics, and mathematics simultaneously. He did not follow a typical or predictable, disciplined, or standard artistic career path.

He was easily distracted by new ideas, often abandoning projects or taking years to finish them because he was pursuing whatever captured his interest at that exact moment.

Isabella had commissioned a painting from Leonardo. Piero was explaining that, although Leonardo had taken her commission, he was not fully committed to the project.

In short, the phrase is a critique of Leonardo's artistic process, portraying him as a genius who lacked focus and lived in a state of chaotic, day-to-day intellectual spontaneity.

 

“Leonardo sketches a man hanged for the Pazzi conspiracy in 1478, shocking his friend Lorenzo di Credi, and the one where Leonardo, in the hospital of Santa Maria Nuova, dissects a cadaver to search for the cause of such gentle dying – both episodes are metaphors for the thirst for knowledge devoid of any moral scruples even in the face of death.”

ð  Overall, Leonardo was not just as an artist or a scientist, but as a determined investigator who viewed the human body as something to be studied and understood, regardless of the difficult circumstances surrounding its death.

In the sketch “The Hanged Man (1478)”, Leonardo described Bernardo di Bandino Baroncelli, who was involved in the Pazzi conspiracy against the Medici. His focus on details like the “color of the flesh and the form” reflects a deep interest in anatomy and expression, even in the context of a harsh public execution—something that unsettled his friend Lorenzo di Credi. Leonardo also conducted a dissection to uncover the physical cause of death, approaching anatomy with scientific curiosity rather than through a traditional moral or religious lens.

 

“Famed for many decades as the highest manifestation of human genius and invoked as eloquent proof of the freedom from historical limitations of human thought, capable of bounding high above its own time, Leonardo remains today for a vast public a sensational “precursor”, a man who surmised centuries in advance the direction that would be taken by science and technology.”

ð  Leonardo is widely regarded as one of the most brilliant and versatile individuals in human history. He is often cited as compelling evidence that human thought can transcend the limits of its time, showing that the mind is not strictly confined by the knowledge or technology of a particular era. His ability to think far beyond the context of the 15th century allowed him to explore ideas that would not be fully understood until much later.

Seen as a remarkable pioneer, Leonardo is considered a precursor who helped lay the intellectual foundation for modern science and innovation.

Overall, this excerpt presents Leonardo as a link between the Renaissance and the modern scientific world, portraying him as someone who grasped the principles of nature, science, and technology long before society was prepared to realize them.

 

** Jean’s Small Thoughts:

Beyond peradventure, Leonardo da Vinci was one of history’s most extraordinary figures, impossible to confine to a single field. His immense curiosity and relentless drive to learn across both art and science were the foundation of his achievements and success. Yet, in his own time—and perhaps even today—he might have been seen as an unconventional genius, or even criticized as an unfocused artist or scientist, frequently pulled in new directions by sudden bursts of interest.

Regardless of how his contemporaries perceived or labeled him, it remains clear that Leonardo demonstrated the remarkable extent of human potential to observe, investigate, comprehend, and represent the human experience.

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE SERIES #29. Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE

Do you take delight in watching films or listening to pop music? For English learners, movies, songs, and books are one of the he most wonderful sources to explore the language! You can indulge in your favorite pastime and still learn some expressions, words of wisdom, and oftentimes good lessons while you’re at it.

 

# 29. NEXUS: A Brief History of Information Networks from The Stone Age to AI (authored by Yuval Noah Harari)

This book explains and moves beyond the usual apocalyptic fears that we have surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) to highlight a quieter yet potentially more alarming risk in the near future. Rather than focusing on job loss or machine rebellion, the author suggests that the real danger lies in AI’s capacity to shape the narratives we create—stories that form the backbone of human society. For the first time, it is not humans but AI that increasingly decides which stories we encounter, pass on, and are unnoticeably made to believe in.

 

“You should do your own research and trust only what you can directly observe by yourself. The radical empiricist position implies that while large-scale institutions like political parties, courts, newspapers, and universities can never be trusted, individuals who make the effort can still find the truth by themselves.

……. Trusting only “my own research” may sound scientific, but in practice it amounts to believing that there is no objective truth.”

ð  This passage shows that radical empiricism, which is the idea that truth can be discovered only through one’s own direct, personal sensory experience, rather than by trusting established sources such as experts, researchers, or institutions like universities and the press. The author points out irony of “do your own research.” Although it sounds independent, free-spirited, and scientific, it is technically unrealistic and often results in subjective conclusions instead of reliable, objective knowledge. No individual can independently verify everything—from historical events to climate data or global supply systems—so relying solely on personal observation severely limits or misleads one’s understanding of complex, interconnected issues.

This mindset also erodes collective knowledge. When institutional expertise is broadly dismissed, it becomes much harder for societies to coordinate responses to large-scale challenges such as public health or environmental protection.

In short, Harari argues that extreme skepticism toward institutions, combined with an exclusive reliance on personal experience, ultimately weakens the pursuit of truth by confining knowledge to the narrow scope of individual perception.

 

“Information sometimes represents reality, and sometimes doesn’t.  But it always connects. This is fundamental characteristic, Therefore, when examining the role of information in history, although it sometimes makes sense to ask “How well does it represent reality? Is it true or false? Often the more crucial questions are “How well does it connect people? What new network does it create?”

ð  In this passage, the author emphasizes that the influence of information lies not only in its accuracy but in its function. Even false or misleading ideas can shape history if they successfully unite people and guide their actions.

Information serves as the glue or bond of human cooperation, allowing individuals to form networks that range from small communities to vast empires. From this perspective, understanding history requires focusing less on whether information faithfully reflects reality and more on how it forges connections and builds social structures. Furthermore, the author explains that what we perceive as reality is largely constructed through these networks of shared information. As a result, studying how such networks form and operate becomes more important than debating the absolute truth of the information within them. In other words, the way information connects people often has a greater historical impact than its factual accuracy.

“When we look at the history of information from the Stone Age to the Silicon Age, we therefore see a constant rise in connectivity, without a concomitant rise in truthfulness or wisdom. Contrary to what the naïve view believes, Homo Sapiens didn’t conquer the world because we are talented at turning information into an accurate map of reality. Rather, the secret of our success is that we are talented at using information to connect lots of individuals. Unfortunately, this ability often goes hand in hand with believing in lies, errors, and fantasies.”

ð  Harari argues that from the invention of language to the Internet, information technology has excelled at linking more people together faster. However, this does not mean we are more accurate or wise. In fact, he argues that the faster and broader information spreads, the more easily falsehoods can spread, as seen in mass panics, misinformation, or propaganda.

The author’s expression of "naïve view" means that more information equals more truth. Harari rejects this. He argues that information is not inherently about representing reality; rather, it is about creating a "network" that puts people "in formation". In this respect, the author goes on to tell us that our evolutionary success is not due to being perfectly rational or holding an objective view of the world.

We rule the world because we can cooperate in massive numbers. This cooperation is created through shared narratives (e.g., myths, religions, national ideologies, and money) that bind people together, regardless of whether these stories are technically true. In many cases, these narratives are fabricated delusions.

Thus, these connections based on delusions show how often people choose ‘effective, shared fictions’ over ‘inconvenient truths’.

 

** Jean’s Small Thoughts:

While reading this book, I kept wondering how long it would have taken for AI to create my novel Dr. Jedidiah’s Diary, a work that required eight years of planning and collecting ideas. The answer felt unsettling—perhaps only ten or fifteen minutes. The thought alone was frustrating: something born from years of personal effort and imagination could be replicated, or even surpassed, so quickly by a machine. It was even more disquieting to consider that an AI-generated version might turn out to be a more engaging, widely appealing page-turner.

As Yuval Noah Harari points out, humanity has brought into existence an artificial, non-organic intelligence with immense and unpredictable potential—one that may increasingly slip beyond human control across many domains. We are already living in this irreversible Age of AI. I find myself constantly questioning whether the choices we make going forward will reveal AI as a catastrophic misstep or as a powerful tool that helps propel humanity into a new and transformative era.

A piece of poem TWO PERSONS IN STAGGERED LOVE

Two Persons in Staggered Love

by Jean J. Lee

He says “passion”

She says “illusion”

 

He says “courage”

She says “reckless boldness”

 

He says “positively free”

She says “irresponsible spree”

 

He says “listening to the inner voice”

She says “deceiving oneself”

 

He says “young at heart”

She says “immature”

 

He says “you are impossibly stagnant”

She says “I am fully ripe”

 

He says “I give up on you”

She says “I willingly let go of you”

 

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE Series #28. Sous le Sabre ("Under the Sand" French Film, 2000)

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE

Do you take delight in watching films or listening to pop music? For English learners, movies, songs, and books are one of the he most wonderful sources to explore the language! You can indulge in your favorite pastime and still learn some expressions, words of wisdom, and oftentimes good lessons while you’re at it.

 

# 28. Sous le Sable (“Under the Sand”, film in 2000)

The French film Sous le Sable (Under the Sand, 2000) tells the story of a woman confronting loss, grief, and the complicated nature of denial after her husband suddenly vanishes during a vacation. Struggling to cope, she carries on with her daily life as though he were still alive, slipping into a deep state of denial and emotional unrest. Through her experience of emotional turmoil, the film examines how love and memory become intertwined in the face of profound loss, offering a thoughtful exploration of mourning and the lingering presence of a loved one within the mind.

 

“I am his wife. I’m telling you, this is not him!”  

ð  Despite the mounting evidence—the recovered body of her husband from the ocean matches his description, and even his watch is identified—Marie still refuses to acknowledge that her husband is dead. Throughout this movie, she continues to see Jean as a kind of “friendly apparition” living with her in their apartment, and accepting the body would shatter the fragile illusion that sustains her. The film suggests that to be alive is to possess a physical presence; yet for Marie, her husband’s presence persists in a different, deeply internal way. The lifeless, unresponsive body presented by the authorities does not align with the living figure she continues to perceive, and so, in her mind, it cannot truly be him.

“(Marie’s mother-in-law says) He left because he might have been bored with you.”

ð  This line from Jean(Marie’s husband)’s mother accusing him of leaving because he was bored with Marie lands as a deeply personal and calculated cruelty, aimed at dismantling Marie’s fragile denial. By suggesting that Jean saw their marriage as lackluster or suffocating, the remark reframes his disappearance not as a tragic loss, but as a deliberate or intentional act of escape—an interpretation that cuts even deeper than death itself.

This accusation sharply contrasts with Marie’s own memories of a loving, fulfilling relationship. Where she recalls warmth and stability, the mother introduces a harsher, more cynical perspective, one that threatens to unravel Marie’s carefully preserved version of the past. The insult becomes even more pointed when the mother criticizes Marie for not having children, implying that their childless marriage ended up in dissatisfaction and the inevitable emotional distance from each other. In doing so, she places blame on Marie, turning loss into accusation.

 The moment intensifies the film’s central theme of denial by forcing Marie to confront an alternative narrative: that her husband may have chosen to leave her. This possibility is, in many ways, more devastating than the idea of his death per se, as it suggests rejection rather than absence. At the same time, the mother’s words introduce ambiguity. It remains unclear whether she is revealing an uncomfortable truth about a dwindling marriage or simply acting out of bitterness and a desire to wound. This uncertainty deepens the film’s exploration of subjective reality, where memory, grief, and perspective blur the line between truth and interpretation.

             Marie clings to a reality she has contrived—one in which Jean still exists—rather than confront the irreversible finality of his death. After twenty-five years of marriage, she cannot accept that such a bond could simply vanish. In this sense, tangible proof becomes irrelevant when measured against emotional truth. Ultimately, her stance is a heartbreaking declaration that she has withdrawn from the external world in order to preserve the inner one where her husband remains alive.

 

** Jean’s Small Thoughts:

Few human experiences are as difficult to comprehend as the emotions that follow the sudden death of a loved one. In such moments, grief can cut deeply, and the weight of an irreversible reality may drive people to retreat from the truth itself. Reflecting on Sous le Sable, I find myself thinking about the nature of all human relationships. It raises unsettling questions about how much of what we see and feel is grounded in truth, and how much may be shaped by comforting illusions we create for ourselves.

The film suggests that anyone, no matter how strong, can become profoundly vulnerable when confronted with life’s unexpected blows. Yet even within that vulnerability, there remains a quiet sense of hope—the possibility that time will move forward, and that tomorrow may cast a gentle light on hearts that feel frozen and withdrawn today.

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE #27. The Interview between Harry Styles & Murakami Haruki (excerpts from Runner's World, Spring Issue 2026)

LIVE, LEARN, & LOVE

Do you take delight in watching films or listening to pop music? For English learners, movies, songs, and books are one of the he most wonderful sources to explore the language! You can indulge in your favorite pastime and still learn some expressions, words of wisdom, and oftentimes good lessons while you’re at it.

 

#27. The Harry Styles & Murakami Haruki Interview (from Runner’s World, Spring issue 2026)

Two globally acclaimed figures—one a pop superstar, the other a writer and fellow marathon runner—came together for a thoughtful conversation about the quiet elegance of running and the ways it nurtures creativity. Since both are runners/ marathoners, their talk centers around the relationship between running and their respective fields of creation.

 

“(Murakami Haruki) One of the important things for human beings is to embrace the contradictions. When I’m writing, I always feel I have a contradiction and that’s why I want to express myself… to understand it. Even at my age (of 77) I’m still wondering, what is this chaos in me?”

ð  Murakami argues that to be human is to live with contradictions—conflicting emotions and traits that resist easy resolution. Rather than trying to correct or erase them, he believes we should accept them as an essential part of our nature. For him, writing serves as a form of self-therapy and discovery. He doesn’t write to provide clear answers, but to make sense of the inner “chaos” of his mind. What might seem like disorder or the “messy” aspects of the self are not flaws in his view, but raw material that can be transformed into meaningful art and shared with others.

Even at the age of seventy seven, Murakami acknowledges that he still does not fully understand himself. This reflects his belief that identity is something we search for throughout our entire lives, and that uncertainty can be a meaningful and even productive state for an artist.

This perspective aligns with his recurring idea of “facing one’s shadow.” He maintains that personal growth requires confronting the darker, less organized parts of the psyche, rather than avoiding or suppressing them.

 

“(Murakami Haruki) What I like about running is that it’s a very solitary thing, but only in a way. You’re alone, but then you’re also with other runners, with a vague kind of boundary between you. My book about running was translated into many languages, so wherever I go in the world, if I’m on a run, other runners recognize me and call out my name. So wherever I go, I have a friend.”

ð  While running is a one-person activity that requires mental isolation, it is not lonely. It is a shared experience where others are doing the same thing, creating a "vague kind of boundary" that allows runners to be together without the necessity of talking or formal engagement.

Because his book on running (i.e., What I Talk About When I Talk About Running) is translated worldwide, his act of running makes him part of a global "club." He is recognized by fellow runners in different countries, transforming an anonymous, solitary run into a friendly interaction with instantly formed “rapport”.

The act of running allows him to connect with people immediately, regardless of geography or language. The phrase "wherever I go, I have a friend" suggests that a shared, silent understanding exists among runners, fostering a sense of belonging in a world where he often works alone.

 

“I’m in a field in which there’s so much opinion on who’s the best, with all these rankings of who sold the most, who’s won the award – even though music is such a subjective thing and isn’t really tangible like that. The thing that I’ve found, in the rest of my life but particularly in running, is the idea of trusting myself to do exactly what I say I’m going to do. To say to myself I know that you can do something difficult, and that you can get up and train when you don’t want to train, and that you’re able to push through hard things.”

ð  Harry Styles points out that the music industry runs on opinions—charts, awards, and sales numbers—but emphasizes his belief that music itself is deeply subjective, not something that can be definitively measured by external validations. As a result, ranking artistic value becomes inherently arbitrary. In contrast to the noise and collaboration of fame, running offers solitude. While his music career involves many people shaping his image, running is something he does all by himself, relying entirely on his own effort. Through running, he measures his growth by discipline. It teaches him to keep promises to himself, especially when it comes to finding the motivation to train even when he doesn’t feel like it.

Running also becomes a metaphor for handling adversity. By pushing through physical and mental discomfort, he builds resilience and learns how to endure difficult moments.

 

** Jean’s Small Thoughts:

I was delighted to read this interview featuring two of my favorite artists: pop singer, songwriter, and actor Harry Styles, and novelist and fellow marathon runner Haruki Murakami. What struck me most was how differently they approach running. Styles sees it as a time to think deeply about his creative work, while Murakami views it as a way to clear his mind completely.

I find myself somewhere in between. When I’m under pressure, I run to stay grounded and escape from everyday worries. But when I feel inspired to create—writing, in my case—I run to sort through and untangle my thoughts. In that sense, running becomes a form of therapy for me, whether I’m feeling joyful or overwhelmed. Perhaps it’s the one kind of “addiction” that doesn’t require a therapy or a cure.