David Foster Wallace Commencement Speech Analysis

Although being extremely intelligent suggests that an individual knows how to think doesn’t mean that they know how to choose what to think about. In David Foster Wallace’s commencement speech to college graduates, he explains to them that they must become more aware of others and by doing that must learn how to think. Getting educated doesn’t only include learning subjects such as science or math, but also controlling what and how you think about your everyday life and surroundings. Changing the way you think influences how you view others and the way you experience life. By changing their thoughts to take account of others each individual must go against how they have been thinking their entire lives which is only about themselves. Since in each person’s head they are their center of the universe, it’s difficult to think differently, but according to David being well-adjusted is becoming less arrogant and more considerate of others. Allowing yourself to not view people as hindrances to your life or obstacles you need to get over but, more as people will
Sometimes however you slip into these settings without even realizing. While you might think about things you desire unconsciously such as money, beauty or power the more you are operating on your default settings. The rest of the world, however isn’t going to tell you to stop thinking like this because the world is functioning this way. While yes that is freedom being able to think how you want and wanting to be the center of your universe is freedom that is not the most precious kind of freedom. David Foster Wallace believes that they most important kind of freedom is being aware, attentive to those around you. Having the ability to empathize with others and sacrificing yourself for others is called being