David Foster Wallace and his commencement speech have many different ideas. David dove deep into his own experiences as an adult and how life would shortly be changing into a routine for the class of 2005 now that they had graduated college. Wallace’s first point is that “A liberal arts education is not so much about filling you up with knowledge as it is about teaching you how to think (Wallace,2).” This relates to me thanks to my education thus far. I spent my high school years in an International Baccalaureate school meaning that it’s meant for college prep work. Wallace later goes on to say that how to think is knowing what to choose to take in and what to tone out. Another point Wallace makes is that people have a very difficult time putting the ideas and needs of others in front of you. Wallace said “everything in my own immediate experience supports my deep belief that I am the absolute center of the universe (Wallace,3).” All of your past memories and experiences are centered around you, no one else. You can’t have memories of another person’s life just you witnessing another person live. Other people have to share their experiences or thoughts to convey an idea. A final theme of Wallace’s speech is the ability to make life fun as an adult. Wallace said “how to keep from going through your comfortable, prosperous, respectable adult life dead (Wallace,5).” This quote is very unique because although your life might seem to others to be going well the repetition can be deadly to a person. After you have the same schedule for the rest of your life you get bored and Wallace advises us to make light of our situations and entertain ourselves mentally.  

I agree with Wallace’s first two arguments however his final claim that as adults life becomes tedious is an overstatement. You can make the best of any situation, no one likes to get older but with age comes many different benefits. You’ll have more freedom and control over yourself. I am young and haven’t experienced adulthood for myself yet but I could imagine that there has to be more good than bad. 

DFW is not referencing empathy specifically but he is explaining many of his situations as if acceptance would be important. Wallace not only told the story about the two Alaskan men who were religious and atheist but he also said that closed mindedness was pointless and isn’t beneficial to people that can’t accept others for who they are.

“Everything in my own immediate experience supports my deep belief that I am the absolute center of the universe (Wallace,3).” All of your past memories and experiences are centered around you, no one else. You can’t have memories of another person’s life just you witnessing another person live.