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David Foster Wallace's Commencement Speech In Kenyon College

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David Foster Wallace has presented a commencement speech in Kenyon College on May 21, 2005. Kenyon College is a small private liberal art college in Ohio. His speech This is Water: Some Thoughts, Delivered on a Significant Occasion about Living a Compassionate Life was twenty-two minutes long and within that time it was motivational, emotional, and he made numerous recommendations for how to live your life. Wallace explains what he believes is the most important benefits of a college education. He wanted to send a message to the graduating college students that we can make the world a better place by being more self-aware and by being concerned for the well being of others because helping others won’t ever be damaging to society. Reading …show more content…

I agree with Wallace that we should treat others with respect however, we can be expected to be self-aware and well adjusted every day but that is just living in a perfect world, which is a utopia society. Where everyone and everything remains the same and no conflict in the world, which is impossible to achieve. Everyone is different and have there own bias on what they thing creating several of self-awareness. It is good that some people could be well adjusted every day because it balances out the negatives in the world. Being self-aware enhanced to better emotional regulation and growth toward self-improvement and contentment. Reading and listening Wallace’s This is Water, I have noticed there were some of his ideas that struck me. The stories that he has provided has struck me because it gave me an idea to understand that if we can, time to time, step back and reflect life, we will be surprise to find that the our own individual perspective allows us the freedom to lead basically and personally meaningful lives. This allowed me to agree and disagree on some of his advises on how to live life. Also, I learn that most important thing to realize is that your life is defined not by what happens to you but rather by how you react to

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