Who Moved My Cheese Analysis

Who Moved My Cheese- Analysis
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Who Moved My Cheese- Analysis
The video Who Moved My Cheese is quite interesting and full of life-changing lessons. The story is based on four characters: two mice, Sniff and Scurry, and two little people, Haw and Hem (Keyvan, 2012). One common aspect about them is that they put on their gear each morning and go out searching for cheese in a maze. Unlike the little people, the mice had sharp instincts and responded to change fast. While Sniff sniffed the cheese's general direction, Scurry raced ahead. On the other hand, Haw and Hem, somehow limited by their complex brains, overanalyzed things and used guides and maps to find cheese. The metaphorical story is amazing and enlightening, with cheese representing whatever one wants in life.
The author's use of two mice and two little people was intended to show how different animals react to change compared to humans. I believe Johnson (1998) wanted to bring out how animals easily trust and follow their instincts while humans waste time analyzing situations and, in the end, may fail to fulfill their goals in life. As human beings, we often get comfortable once we get what we want. For example, I think most people fail to grow once they get that good job or are financially secure. Just like Haw and Hem, they do not anticipate change. On the other hand, animals like Scurry and Sniff are always on the move, following their instincts, and moving on quickly once their current situation changes. I think the author used the little animals and little people to bring out this difference.
In the story, cheese represents our aspirations, the goals we want to achieve in life. As shown in the story, this could be money, a good relationship, spiritual well-being, good health, and property, among others (Johnson, 1998). For Hem, the cheese meant becoming in charge of other people and owning a big house, while for Haw, it meant security and the prospect of having a loving family and living in a cozy cottage (Johnson, 1998). Therefore, cheese represents what we want in our lives, and as seen in the story, one can easily get comfortable after getting the cheese. This may make one fail to anticipate changes that may limit how we access or enjoy the cheese.
A major feature of the story is the maze, which the author uses to represent the setting in which people look for what they want. As such, it could be one's family setting, society, organization, or community (Johnson, 1998). Within these settings, we have specific aspirations we want to achieve. For example, in the societal setting, one may aspire to own a home. In this case, society is the maze, while the home is the cheese. In wanting to own a home, one has to go through the maze, encountering challenges and dead ends. If one fails to monitor changes and plan well, one may get comfortable along the way and not get the cheese. They may as well get the cheese, get comfortable, and fail to grow further. The maze is thus challenging but with determination and awareness, one can find their cheese.
The story's main message is about change and the need to always anticipate it. Change is necessary for life; without it, we cannot attain our potential. Perhaps where the story applies the most is the business setting. According...