Do people often think about what they think about before they think? In the commencement speech “This Is Water” by David Foster Wallace, he implies that throughout most of life, people just go day by day thinking impulsively. Life is constantly taken for granted. For a better outlook on life, when thinking in general, all thoughts should be premeditated. One can actually change how life plays out just by changing the way one thinks which would also change his or her reactions for the better, and not everyone knows that.
After reading his speech my mind took a hold on almost everything he is saying. Although a lot of what is being said seems cliché, no one truly understands the real meaning and value of life until they actually take the time to be considerate of others and what goes on with them physically and mentally. People could learn so much if they would just ponder genuinely into these situations. People perpetually live life not thinking about what anyone else is doing or what is going on outside of their personal world. Life is better experienced when being placed in other people’s shoes, giving a mutual understanding and respect of what others go through. “Well then you must believe now, after all, here you are, alive,” stated Wallace (2). Regardless of what religion one does or does not have, everyone worships someone or something. Every day in life there are obstacles that happen to make one acknowledge how real a religion is or even question it. Depending on how a person stands with religion, often times one would question and consider turning life around for his or her self. How many times has the average person thought about and questioned his or her purpose on earth? “It is about the real value of a real education, which has almost nothing to do with knowledge, and everything to do with simple awareness,” Wallace reiterated (9). Life is like achieving a Liberal Arts Degree but never applying it to everyday life. Knowing something is not always enough, one has to be aware and be able to apply it in life. Life is about being able to understand that even the simplest things in life have meaning, and know what that means. How is it beneficial to be the smartest person in the world but be not wise enough to know how to use his or her intelligence?
I really enjoyed the speech. His perspective on life is much more than just going day by day. Life has much more meaning than what people take it for. Especially graduating high school or even becoming a college student, when one gets out on one’ own, life can become so positive. Nothing is the same; people take so many every spectacle of life for granted and that is exactly what he is saying not to do. Life should feel meaningful. When someone who is your age is giving advice about life; which is probably is not taken serious, at least take the information into consideration because it is helpful. Most of the things he said I completely agree with, and that is because I have lived on my own while working and taking care of my child. People always underestimate how stressful things get until they are on their own.
Work Cited
Wallace, David Foster. "This Is Water." Transcription of the 2005 Kenyon
