How I Met Your Mother: Show Analysis

One of my favorite TV shows I have actually watched all of the seasons is How I Met Your Mother (HIMYM). This is a hilarious show all about a man named Ted Mosby and how he met his wife. Nine seasons of stories about all of the adventures he faced and time it took to finally meet the right women. For Ted Mosby, the highest good is love. This is the highest good a person can achieve. In this paper, we will explore this idea and compare it to how Aristotle views the highest good. I will be using some quotes from season nine as well as talking about some events throughout the entire show. I will also use Aristotle and his book Nicomachean Ethics quoting from book one. Ted never comes out and says that his highest good is to be in love, but after …show more content…
I think Aristotle would disagree with Ted on his highest good. For Ted, it is all about love and for Aristotle it is about happiness. Aristotle would say Ted is wrong and needs to rethink what he is living for. He is living for something which can be turned on or off easily (or somewhat easily). Aristotle thinks that you should live for something that requires more and takes longer to acquire. Aristotle also puts more emphasis on it is something from the gods where Ted does not often mention a god in his life. He will say things about fate and ask the universe to show him things. Ted’s highest good is rooted more in people where Aristotle is not as much. Aristotle has rooted more in you and the circumstances/gifts you are given. It also is more about the person themself. Aristotle thinks you can take the highest good into your own hands. Obviously Ted cannot do it alone, but does not need the universe or gods to …show more content…
I think Ted is closer to being right. For me, I would say the highest good is strong relationships and close connection with friends and family. This is something which is very important to me and is why I continue to make an effort to keep in touch with old friends from high school. In the busyness of college and life, it can be easy to lose track of people. I do not want to do this. I know some of this is inevitable, but I try to not let it happen. It takes a lot of work to keep friendships and have felt myself want to give up on some because I am too busy. However, I know in the big picture of things, it will be worth it. People are always more important than my busyness. Aristotle and Ted Mosby have two different views on their highest good. For Ted Mosby, his highest good is love. Everything he does in life is to put him closer to finding “the one”. The one he can fall in love with and spend the rest of his life with. Aristotle has a different view of the highest good. For him, it is happiness. This is something which is learned over a lifetime and is not easy to turn on or off like we think today. For him, it is dependent on the gods and other people. I do not think either of these people are right, but I think Ted is closer to my highest