This Is Water David Foster Wallace Commencement Speech

Summary

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Takeaways

• 😀 Real freedom comes from daily, conscious choices and self-awareness, not from escaping routine.
• 😀 Education is about learning how to think, not just accumulating knowledge.
• 😀 The default setting of life is unconsciousness, which leads to a sense of loss and the rat race.
• 😀 True freedom is achieved by staying aware and engaged in daily life, despite its mundane nature.
• 😀 Life before death is more important than grand philosophical questions about the afterlife.
• 😀 Real education isn’t about facts or information, but about the awareness of what is truly important.
• 😀 The truth about life is often hidden in plain sight, requiring constant reminders to stay conscious of it.
• 😀 Awareness of the ordinary, day-to-day experiences is what gives life its true meaning and value.
• 😀 The job of education is a lifelong process that continues beyond formal schooling.
• 😀 Staying present and aware in adult life is incredibly difficult but necessary for a fulfilling existence.
• 😀 The capital T truth is not about morality or dogma, but about embracing the reality of life and staying mindful of it.

Q & A

What does David Foster Wallace mean by 'this is water'?

David Foster Wallace uses 'this is water' as a metaphor for the essential and often unnoticed realities of life that surround us. It represents the idea that we are so immersed in the ordinary, mundane aspects of existence that we often fail to recognize them, even though they are fundamental to our experience.

What is Wallace's main point about education in his speech?

Wallace argues that true education goes beyond the acquisition of knowledge. It is about learning to be aware of the world around us, to think critically, and to stay conscious and present in our everyday lives. He stresses that the job of education is a lifelong pursuit.

Why does Wallace warn against seeing his message as a sermon or moral lesson?

Wallace cautions against interpreting his message as a sermon or a set of moral instructions because the essence of his message is not about dogma or abstract life questions. Rather, it is about practical awareness in everyday life, which he believes is more crucial than traditional ideas of morality or religion.

How does Wallace define 'real freedom'?

Wallace defines 'real freedom' as the ability to choose how we think, to think independently, and to be conscious of the small, repetitive aspects of life. It involves overcoming the 'default setting'—the autopilot mode that people often live in—allowing us to make deliberate choices rather than being swept away by the routine.

What does Wallace mean by 'the default setting'?

The 'default setting' refers to the automatic, unconscious way in which people often live their lives. It's the mindset that leads to routine, unexamined behaviors, and thoughts, which may keep individuals trapped in a cycle of dissatisfaction or lack of awareness.

Why does Wallace emphasize the difficulty of staying conscious in the adult world?

Wallace points out that staying conscious and alive in the adult world is incredibly difficult because we are constantly bombarded with distractions and pressures that encourage us to go through life on autopilot. The demands of daily life often pull us away from being present and aware of the world as it truly is.

What does Wallace mean by 'awareness' in the context of education?

In the context of education, Wallace describes awareness as the ability to see and appreciate the basic, fundamental truths of life that are often hidden in plain sight. It involves being mindful of the world around us and recognizing the importance of seemingly trivial details, such as the routine activities and interactions we experience daily.

How does Wallace view the role of knowledge in education?

Wallace suggests that knowledge is important but is not the primary focus of education. True education, he argues, is about learning to observe and think critically, rather than merely accumulating facts. It is about the process of becoming aware and conscious of the world around us.

What is the significance of the 'rat race' in Wallace's speech?

The 'rat race' symbolizes the relentless, often unconscious cycle of striving for success, status, and material rewards. Wallace describes it as a state of constant dissatisfaction, where people feel they are losing something infinitely important but are unaware of what it is or how to escape it.

What does Wallace hope to achieve with his commencement speech?

Wallace hopes to encourage the graduates to think critically about their lives and to make conscious choices about how they live. He wants them to recognize the value of true freedom, which comes from awareness and the ability to choose how they think, rather than simply following the default patterns of behavior and thought.