this is water: some thoughts, delivered on a significant occasion, about living a compassionate
TRANSCRIPT
Copyright©2009byDavidFosterWallaceLiteraryTrustAllrightsreserved.ExceptaspermittedundertheU.S.CopyrightActof1976,nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,distributed,ortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeans,orstoredinadatabaseorretrievalsystem,withoutthepriorwrittenpermissionofthepublisher.
Little,BrownandCompanyHachetteBookGroup
237ParkAvenue,NewYork,NY10017VisitourWebsiteatwww.HachetteBookGroup.com
FirsteBookEdition:April2009
Little,BrownandCompanyisadivisionofHachetteBookGroup,Inc.TheLittle,BrownnameandlogoaretrademarksofHachetteBookGroup,Inc.
ISBN:978-0-316-07100-0
Contents
CopyrightPage
Chapter1
AlsobyDavidFosterWallaceTheBroomoftheSystem(1987)GirlwithCuriousHair(1989)InfiniteJest(1996)
SignifyingRappers(withMarkCostello)(1997)ASupposedlyFunThingI’llNeverDoAgain(1997)BriefInterviewswithHideousMen(1999)Everything
andMore(2003)Oblivion(2004)ConsidertheLobster(2005)McCain’sPromise(2008)
DavidFosterWallacewasinvitedtospeaktothe2005graduatingclassofKenyonCollegeonasubjectofhischoosing.Itwastheonlysuchaddressheevermade.
Therearethesetwoyoungfishswimmingalongandtheyhappentomeetanolderfishswimmingtheotherway,whonodsatthemandsays,“Morning,boys.How’sthewater?”
Andthetwoyoungfishswimonforabit,andtheneventuallyoneofthemlooksoverattheotherandgoes,“Whatthehelliswater?”
ThisisastandardrequirementofUScommencementspeeches,thedeploymentofdidacticlittleparable-ishstories.
Thestorythingturnsouttobeoneofthebetter,lessbullshittyconventionsofthegenre…butifyou’reworriedthatIplantopresentmyselfhereasthewiseoldfishexplainingwhatwateristoyouyoungerfish,pleasedon’tbe.
Iamnotthewiseoldfish.
Theimmediatepointofthefishstoryismerelythatthemostobvious,ubiquitous,importantrealitiesareoftentheonesthatarehardesttoseeandtalkabout.
StatedasanEnglishsentence,ofcourse,thisisjustabanalplatitude—butthefactisthat,intheday-to-daytrenchesofadultexistence,banalplatitudescanhavealife-or-deathimportance.
OrsoIwishtosuggesttoyouonthisdryandlovelymorning.
OfcoursethemainrequirementofspeecheslikethisisthatI’msupposedtotalkaboutyourliberalartseducation’smeaning,totrytoexplainwhythedegreeyou’reabouttoreceivehasactualhumanvalueinsteadofjustamaterialpayoff.
Solet’stalkaboutthesinglemostpervasiveclichéinthecommencementspeechgenre,whichisthataliberalartseducationisnotsomuchaboutfillingyouupwithknowledgeasitisabout,quote,“teachingyouhowtothink.”
Ifyou’relikemeasacollegestudent,you’veneverlikedhearingthis,andyoutendtofeelabitinsultedbytheclaimthatyou’veneededanybodytoteachyouhowtothink,sincethefactthatyouevengotadmittedtoacollegethisgoodseemslikeproofthatyoualreadyknowhowtothink.
ButI’mgoingtoposittoyouthattheliberalartsclichéturnsoutnottobeinsultingatall,becausethereallysignificanteducationinthinkingthatwe’resupposedtogetinaplacelikethisisn’treallyaboutthecapacitytothink,butratheraboutthechoiceofwhattothinkabout.
Ifyourcompletefreedomofchoiceregardingwhattothinkaboutseemstooobvioustowastetimetalkingabout,I’daskyoutothinkaboutfishandwater,andtobracket,forjustafewminutes,yourskepticismaboutthevalueofthetotallyobvious.
Here’sanotherdidacticlittlestory.
TherearethesetwoguyssittingtogetherinabarintheremoteAlaskanwilderness.
Oneoftheguysisreligious,theother’sanatheist,andthey’rearguingabouttheexistenceofGodwiththatspecialintensitythatcomesafteraboutthefourthbeer.
Andtheatheistsays,“Look,it’snotlikeIdon’thaveactualreasonsfornotbelievinginGod.
It’snotlikeIhaven’teverexperimentedwiththewholeGod-and-prayerthing.
Justlastmonth,Igotcaughtoffawayfromthecampinthatterribleblizzard,andIcouldn’tseeathing,andIwastotallylost,anditwasfiftybelow,andsoIdid,Itriedit:Ifelltomykneesinthesnowandcriedout,‘God,ifthereisaGod,I’mlostinthisblizzard,andI’mgonnadieifyoudon’thelpme!’”
Andnow,inthebar,thereligiousguylooksattheatheistallpuzzled:“Wellthen,youmustbelievenow,”hesays.“Afterall,hereyouare,alive.”
Theatheistrollshiseyeslikethereligiousguyisatotalsimp:“No,man,allthathappenedwasthatacoupleEskimosjusthappenedtocomewanderingby,andtheyshowedmethewaybacktothecamp.”
It’seasytorunthisstorythroughakindofstandardliberalartsanalysis:Theexactsameexperiencecanmeantwocompletelydifferentthingstotwodifferentpeople,giventhosepeople’stwodifferentbelieftemplatesandtwodifferentwaysofconstructingmeaningfromexperience.
Becauseweprizetoleranceanddiversityofbelief,nowhereinourliberalartsanalysisdowewanttoclaimthatoneguy’sinterpretationistrueandtheotherguy’sisfalseorbad.
Whichisfine,exceptwealsoneverenduptalkingaboutjustwheretheseindividualtemplatesandbeliefscomefrom,meaning,wheretheycomefrominsidethetwoguys.
Asifaperson’smostbasicorientationtowardtheworldandthemeaningofhisexperienceweresomehowautomaticallyhardwired,likeheightorshoesize,orabsorbedfromtheculture,likelanguage.
Asifhowweconstructmeaningwerenotactuallyamatterofpersonal,intentionalchoice,ofconsciousdecision.
Plus,there’sthematterofarrogance.
Thenonreligiousguyissototally,obnoxiouslyconfidentinhisdismissalofthepossibilitythattheEskimoshadanythingtodowithhisprayerforhelp.
True,thereareplentyofreligiouspeoplewhoseemarrogantlycertainoftheirowninterpretations,too.
They’reprobablyevenmorerepulsivethanatheists,atleasttomostofushere,butthefactisthatreligiousdogmatists’problemisexactlythesameasthestory’satheist’s—arrogance,blindcertainty,aclosed-mindednessthat’slikeanimprisonmentsocompletethattheprisonerdoesn’tevenknowhe’slockedup.
ThepointhereisthatIthinkthisisonepartofwhattheliberalartsmantraof“teachingmehowtothink”isreallysupposedtomean:tobejustalittlelessarrogant,tohavesome“criticalawareness”aboutmyselfandmycertainties…becauseahugepercentageofthestuffthatItendtobeautomaticallycertainofis,itturnsout,totallywronganddeluded.
Ihavelearnedthisthehardway,asIpredictyougraduateswill,too.
Here’soneexampleoftheutterwrongnessofsomethingItendtobeautomaticallysureof.
EverythinginmyownimmediateexperiencesupportsmydeepbeliefthatIamtheabsolutecenteroftheuniverse,therealest,mostvividandimportantpersoninexistence.
Werarelythinkaboutthissortofnatural,basicself-centeredness,becauseit’ssosociallyrepulsive,butit’sprettymuchthesameforallofus,deepdown.
Itisourdefaultsetting,hardwiredintoourboardsatbirth.
Thinkaboutit:Thereisnoexperienceyou’vehadthatyouwerenotattheabsolutecenterof.
Theworldasyouexperienceitisthereinfrontofyou,orbehindyou,totheleftorrightofyou,onyourTV,oryourmonitor,orwhatever.
Otherpeople’sthoughtsandfeelingshavetobecommunicatedtoyousomehow,butyourownaresoimmediate,urgent,real.
Yougettheidea.
Butpleasedon’tworrythatI’mgettingreadytopreachtoyouaboutcompassionorother-directednessoralltheso-called“virtues.”
Thisisnotamatterofvirtue—it’samatterofmychoosingtodotheworkofsomehowalteringorgettingfreeofmynatural,hardwireddefaultsetting,whichistobedeeplyandliterallyself-centered,andtoseeandinterpreteverythingthroughthislensofself.
Peoplewhocanadjusttheirnaturaldefaultsettingthiswayareoftendescribedasbeing,quote,“well-adjusted,”whichIsuggesttoyouisnotanaccidentalterm.
Giventheacademicsettinghere,anobviousquestionishowmuchofthisworkofadjustingourdefaultsettinginvolvesactualknowledgeorintellect.
Theanswer,notsurprisingly,isthatitdependswhatkindofknowledgewe’retalkingabout.
Probablythemostdangerousthingaboutanacademiceducation,atleastinmyowncase,isthatitenablesmytendencytoover-intellectualizestuff,togetlostinabstractthinkinginsteadofsimplypayingattentiontowhat’sgoingoninfrontofme.
Insteadofpayingattentiontowhat’sgoingoninsideme.
AsI’msureyouguysknowbynow,itisextremelydifficulttostayalertandattentiveinsteadofgettinghypnotizedbytheconstantmonologueinsideyourhead.
Whatyoudon’tyetknowarethestakesofthisstruggle.
Inthetwentyyearssincemyowngraduation,Ihavecomegraduallytounderstandthesestakes,andtoseethattheliberalartsclichéabout“teachingyouhowtothink”wasactuallyshorthandforaverydeepandimportanttruth.
“Learninghowtothink”reallymeanslearninghowtoexercisesomecontroloverhowandwhatyouthink.
Itmeansbeingconsciousandawareenoughtochoosewhatyoupayattentiontoandtochoosehowyouconstructmeaningfromexperience.
Becauseifyoucannotorwillnotexercisethiskindofchoiceinadultlife,youwillbetotallyhosed.
Thinkoftheoldclichéaboutthemindbeing“anexcellentservantbutaterriblemaster.”
This,likemanyclichés,solameandbanalonthesurface,actuallyexpressesagreatandterribletruth.
Itisnottheleastbitcoincidentalthatadultswhocommitsuicidewithfirearmsnearlyalwaysshootthemselvesin…thehead.
Andthetruthisthatmostofthesesuicidesareactuallydeadlongbeforetheypullthetrigger.
AndIsubmitthatthisiswhatthereal,no-shitvalueofyourliberalartseducationissupposedtobeabout:Howtokeepfromgoingthroughyourcomfortable,prosperous,respectableadultlifedead,unconscious,aslavetoyourheadandtoyournaturaldefaultsettingofbeinguniquely,completely,imperiallyalone,dayinanddayout.
Thatmaysoundlikehyperbole,orabstractnonsense.
Solet’sgetconcrete.
Theplainfactisthatyougraduatingseniorsdonotyethaveanycluewhat“dayin,dayout”reallymeans.
TherehappentobewholelargepartsofadultAmericanlifethatnobodytalksaboutincommencementspeeches.
Onesuchpartinvolvesboredom,routine,andpettyfrustration.
TheparentsandolderfolksherewillknowalltoowellwhatI’mtalkingabout.
Bywayofexample,let’ssayit’sanaverageadultday,andyougetupinthemorning,gotoyourchallenging,white-collarcollege-graduatejob,andyouworkhardfornineortenhours,andattheendofthedayyou’retired,andyou’restressedout,andallyouwantistogohomeandhaveagoodsupperandmaybeunwindforacouplehoursandthenhittherackearlybecauseyouhavetogetupthenextdayanddoitallagain.
Butthenyourememberthere’snofoodathome—youhaven’thadtimetoshopthisweekbecauseofyourchallengingjob—andsonowafterworkyouhavetogetinyourcaranddrivetothesupermarket.
It’stheendoftheworkday,andthetraffic’sverybad,sogettingtothestoretakeswaylongerthanitshould,andwhenyoufinallygetthere,thesupermarketisverycrowded,becauseofcourseit’sthetimeofdaywhenalltheotherpeoplewithjobsalsotrytosqueezeinsomegroceryshopping,andthestoreishideously,fluorescentlylit,andinfusedwithsoul-killingMuzakorcorporatepop,andit’sprettymuchthelastplaceyouwanttobe,butyoucan’tjustgetinandquicklyout.
Youhavetowanderalloverthehuge,overlitstore’scrowdedaislestofindthestuffyouwant,andyouhavetomaneuveryourjunkycartthroughalltheseothertired,hurriedpeoplewithcarts,andofcoursetherearealsotheglaciallyslowoldpeopleandthespaceypeopleandtheADHDkidswhoallblocktheaisle,andyouhavetogrityourteethandtrytobepoliteasyouaskthemtoletyouby,andeventually,finally,yougetallyoursuppersupplies,exceptnowitturnsouttherearen’tenoughcheckoutlanesopeneventhoughit’stheend-of-the-dayrush,sothecheckoutlineisincrediblylong.
Whichisstupidandinfuriating,butyoucan’ttakeyourfuryoutonthefranticladyworkingtheregister,whoisoverworkedatajobwhosedailytediumandmeaninglessnesssurpasstheimaginationofanyofushereataprestigiouscollege…butanyway,youfinallygettothecheckoutline’sfront,andyoupayforyourfood,andwaittogetyourcheckorcardauthenticatedbyamachine,andyougettoldto“Haveaniceday”inavoicethatistheabsolutevoiceofdeath.
Andthenyouhavetotakeyourcreepyflimsyplasticbagsofgroceriesinyourcartwiththeonecrazywheelthatpullsmaddeninglytotheleft,allthewayoutthroughthecrowded,bumpy,litteryparkinglot,andtrytoloadthebagsinyourcarinsuchawaythateverythingdoesn’tfalloutofthebagsandrollaroundinthetrunkonthewayhome,andthenyouhavetodriveallthewayhomethroughslow,heavy,SUV-intensiverush-hourtraffic,etcetera,etcetera.
Everyoneherehasdonethis,ofcourse—butithasn’tyetbeenpartofyougraduates’actualliferoutine,dayafterweekaftermonthafteryear.
Butitwillbe,andmanymoredreary,annoying,seeminglymeaninglessroutinesbesides…
Exceptthat’snotthepoint.
Thepointisthatpetty,frustratingcraplikethisisexactlywheretheworkofchoosingcomesin.
Becausethetrafficjamsandcrowdedaislesandlongcheckoutlinesgivemetimetothink,andifIdon’tmakeaconsciousdecisionabouthowtothinkandwhattopayattentionto,I’mgonnabepissedandmiserableeverytimeIhavetofood-shop,becausemynaturaldefaultsettingisthatsituationslikethisarereallyallaboutme,aboutmyhungrinessandmyfatigueandmydesiretojustgethome,andit’sgoingtoseem,foralltheworld,likeeverybodyelseisjustinmyway,andwhothefuckareallthesepeopleinmyway?
Andlookathowrepulsivemostofthemareandhowstupidandcow-likeanddead-eyedandnonhumantheyseemhereinthecheckoutline,orathowannoyingandrudeitisthatpeoplearetalkingloudlyoncellphonesinthemiddleoftheline,andlookathowdeeplyunfairthisis:I’veworkedreallyhardalldayandI’mstarvedandtiredandIcan’tevengethometoeatandunwindbecauseofallthesestupidgoddamnpeople.
Or,ofcourse,ifI’minamoresociallyconscious,liberalartsformofmydefaultsetting,Icanspendtimeintheend-of-the-daytrafficjambeingangryanddisgustedatallthehuge,stupid,lane-blockingSUVsandHummersandV-12pickuptrucksburningtheirwasteful,selfish,forty-gallontanksofgas,andIcandwellonthefactthatthepatrioticorreligiousbumperstickersalwaysseemtobeonthebiggest,mostdisgustinglyselfishvehiclesdrivenbytheugliest,mostinconsiderateandaggressivedrivers,whoareusuallytalkingoncellphonesastheycutpeopleoffinordertogetjusttwentystupidfeetaheadinthetrafficjam,andIcanthinkabouthowourchildren’schildrenwilldespiseusforwastingallthefuture’sfuelandprobablyscrewinguptheclimate,andhowspoiledandstupidandselfishanddisgustingweallare,andhowitalljustsucks,andsoonandsoforth…
Look,ifIchoosetothinkthisway,fine,lotsofusdo—exceptthatthinkingthiswaytendstobesoeasyandautomaticitdoesn’thavetobeachoice.
Thinkingthiswayismynaturaldefaultsetting.
It’stheautomatic,unconsciouswaythatIexperiencetheboring,frustrating,crowdedpartsofadultlifewhenI’moperatingontheautomatic,unconsciousbeliefthatIamthecenteroftheworldandthatmyimmediateneedsandfeelingsarewhatshoulddeterminetheworld’spriorities.
Thethingisthatthereareobviouslydifferentwaystothinkaboutthesekindsofsituations.
Inthistraffic,allthesevehiclesstuckandidlinginmyway:It’snotimpossiblethatsomeofthesepeopleinSUVshavebeeninhorribleautoaccidentsinthepastandnowfinddrivingsotraumaticthattheirtherapisthasallbutorderedthemtogetahuge,heavySUVsotheycanfeelsafeenoughtodrive;orthattheHummerthatjustcutmeoffismaybebeingdrivenbyafatherwhoselittlechildishurtorsickintheseatnexttohim,andhe’stryingtorushtothehospital,andhe’sinawaybigger,morelegitimatehurrythanIam—itisactuallyIwhoaminhisway.
OrIcanchoosetoforcemyselftoconsiderthelikelihoodthateveryoneelseinthesupermarket’scheckoutlineisprobablyjustasboredandfrustratedasIam,andthatsomeofthesepeopleactuallyhavemuchharder,moretediousorpainfullivesthanIdo,overall.
Andsoon.
Again,pleasedon’tthinkthatI’mgivingyoumoraladvice,orthatI’msayingyouare“supposedto”thinkthisway,orthatanyoneexpectsyoutojustautomaticallydoit,becauseit’shard,ittakeswillandmentaleffort,andifyou’relikeme,somedaysyouwon’tbeabletodoit,orelseyoujustflat-outwon’twantto.
Butmostdays,ifyou’reawareenoughtogiveyourselfachoice,youcanchoosetolookdifferentlyatthisfat,dead-eyed,over-made-upladywhojustscreamedatherkidinthecheckoutline—maybeshe’snotusuallylikethis;maybeshe’sbeenupthreestraightnightsholdingthehandofherhusband,who’sdyingofbonecancer,ormaybethisveryladyisthelow-wageclerkatthemotorvehiclesdepartmentwhojustyesterdayhelpedyourspouseresolveanightmarishred-tapeproblemthroughsomesmallactofbureaucratickindness.
Ofcourse,noneofthisislikely,butit’salsonotimpossible—itjustdependswhatyouwanttoconsider.
Ifyou’reautomaticallysurethatyouknowwhatrealityisandwhoandwhatisreallyimportant—ifyouwanttooperateonyourdefaultsetting—thenyou,likeme,probablywillnotconsiderpossibilitiesthataren’tpointlessandannoying.
Butifyou’vereallylearnedhowtothink,howtopayattention,thenyouwillknowyouhaveotheroptions.
Itwillactuallybewithinyourpowertoexperienceacrowded,hot,slow,consumer-hell-typesituationasnotonlymeaningful,butsacred,onfirewiththesameforcethatlitthestars—compassion,love,thesubsurfaceunityofallthings.
Notthatthatmysticalstuff’snecessarilytrue:Theonlythingthat’scapital-TTrueisthatyougettodecidehowyou’regoingtotrytoseeit.
This,Isubmit,isthefreedomofrealeducation,oflearninghowtobewell-adjusted:Yougettoconsciouslydecidewhathasmeaningandwhatdoesn’t.
Yougettodecidewhattoworship….
Becausehere’ssomethingelsethat’strue.
Intheday-to-daytrenchesofadultlife,thereisactuallynosuchthingasatheism.
Thereisnosuchthingasnotworshipping.
Everybodyworships.
Theonlychoicewegetiswhattoworship.
Andanoutstandingreasonforchoosingsomesortofgodorspiritual-typethingtoworship—beitJ.C.orAllah,beitYahwehortheWiccanmother-goddessortheFourNobleTruthsorsomeinfrangiblesetofethicalprinciples—isthatprettymuchanythingelseyouworshipwilleatyoualive.
Ifyouworshipmoneyandthings—iftheyarewhereyoutaprealmeaninginlife—thenyouwillneverhaveenough.
Neverfeelyouhaveenough.
It’sthetruth.
Worshipyourownbodyandbeautyandsexualallureandyouwillalwaysfeelugly,andwhentimeandagestartshowing,youwilldieamilliondeathsbeforetheyfinallyplantyou.
Ononelevelweallknowthisstuffalready—it’sbeencodifiedasmyths,proverbs,clichés,bromides,epigrams,parables:theskeletonofeverygreatstory.
Thetrickiskeepingthetruthupfrontindailyconsciousness.
Worshippower—youwillfeelweakandafraid,andyouwillneedevermorepoweroverotherstokeepthefearatbay.
Worshipyourintellect,beingseenassmart—youwillendupfeelingstupid,afraud,alwaysonthevergeofbeingfoundout.
Andsoon.
Look,theinsidiousthingabouttheseformsofworshipisnotthatthey’reevilorsinful;itisthattheyareunconscious.
Theyaredefaultsettings.
They’rethekindofworshipyoujustgraduallyslipinto,dayafterday,gettingmoreandmoreselectiveaboutwhatyouseeandhowyoumeasurevaluewithouteverbeingfullyawarethatthat’swhatyou’redoing.
Andtheso-called“realworld”willnotdiscourageyoufromoperatingonyourdefaultsettings,becausetheso-called“realworld”ofmenandmoneyandpowerhumsalongquitenicelyonthefueloffearandcontemptandfrustrationandcravingandtheworshipofself.
Ourownpresentculturehasharnessedtheseforcesinwaysthathaveyieldedextraordinarywealthandcomfortandpersonalfreedom.
Thefreedomalltobelordsofourtinyskull-sizedkingdoms,aloneatthecenterofallcreation.
Thiskindoffreedomhasmuchtorecommendit.
Butofcoursetherearealldifferentkindsoffreedom,andthekindthatismostpreciousyouwillnothearmuchtalkedaboutinthegreatoutsideworldofwinningandachievinganddisplaying.
Thereallyimportantkindoffreedominvolvesattention,andawareness,anddiscipline,andeffort,andbeingabletrulytocareaboutotherpeopleandtosacrificeforthem,overandover,inmyriadpettylittleunsexyways,everyday.
Thatisrealfreedom.
Thatisbeingtaughthowtothink.
Thealternativeisunconsciousness,thedefaultsetting,the“ratrace”—theconstant,gnawingsenseofhavinghadandlostsomeinfinitething.
Iknowthatthisstuffprobablydoesn’tsoundfunandbreezyorgrandlyinspirationalthewayacommencementspeech’scentralstuffshouldsound.
Whatitis,sofarasIcansee,isthetruth,withawholelotofrhetoricalbullshitparedaway.
Obviously,youcanthinkofitwhateveryouwish.
Butpleasedon’tdismissitassomefinger-waggingDr.Laurasermon.
Noneofthisisaboutmorality,orreligion,ordogma,orbigfancyquestionsoflifeafterdeath.
Thecapital-TTruthisaboutlifebeforedeath.
Itisaboutmakingittothirty,ormaybeevenfifty,withoutwantingtoshootyourselfinthehead.
Itisabouttherealvalueofarealeducation,whichhasnothingtodowithgradesordegreesandeverythingtodowithsimpleawareness—awarenessofwhatissorealandessential,sohiddeninplainsightallaroundus,thatwehavetokeepremindingourselvesoverandover:
“Thisiswater.”
“Thisiswater.”
“TheseEskimosmightbemuchmorethantheyseem.”
Itisunimaginablyhardtodothis—toliveconsciously,adultly,dayinanddayout.
Whichmeansyetanotherclichéistrue:Youreducationreallyisthejobofalifetime,anditcommences—now.
Iwishyouwaymorethanluck.
DavidFosterWallacewrotetheacclaimednovelsInfiniteJestandTheBroomoftheSystemandthestorycollectionsOblivion,BriefInterviewswithHideousMen,andGirlwithCuriousHair.HisnonfictionincludestheessaycollectionsConsidertheLobsterandASupposedlyFunThingI’llNeverDoAgain,andthefull-lengthworkEverythingandMore.Hediedin2008.