Coco Chen
English IV
Oct 31, 2013 "This is water" by David Foster Wallace, is the one of best speech I ever read. The speech mostly argues about how to think. I think the theme of the speech is consciously decided what to think about. Wallace used several examples to proved his idea. At the beginning of the speech Wallace argued that the really significant education in thinking that we're supposed to get in a place like this isn't really about the capacity to think, but it about the choice of what to think about. He used a example: A story about a religious and a atheist talks about the existence of god. Wallace argued that the exact same experience can mean two different belief templates and two different ways of constructing meaning from experience. Wallace used the two different beliefs and way of thinking demonstrate people should have a choice about the way they think of; and people should think consciously about what would they think. Wallace had support the theme and he provided the thinker should be less arrogant, and to have critical awareness about yourself and your certainties. Because every single person have different thinking, only by yourself could decided what to think and how to think. Next then, Wallace point out his theme again from another example; A simple day, after work he goes to shop but the checkout line is incredibly long, but long check out line give him time to think. And Wallace told if he doesn't makes a decision about how to think and what to pay attention to, he gonna be pissed. Here Wallace supported the theme again by telling people being conscious, and know what should they pay attention to, especially during