This is Water - Part 1

[heirofstewie]

It recently turned out to be not as easy as assumed to notice all the most obvious things in life, when our cartel- office (GER) realized, that our fuel- price could maybe have risen due to the oil- monopolist's greed for profit. Currently an investigation is running on price- analogies of different brand's petrol stations. That is so fuckin poor that I would suggest D.F.Wallace to rewrite all laws that have ever been made for cartel prevention...I may vomit...

[Elciled]

So both atheists and religious folk disregard all he says because they get so easily offended? It's a sad day for irony.

[fishNchato]

Yoooooooooooooo i really hate reading stuff like this, but its really helping me get thrrough it

THANK YOU XD

[MrJivePirate]

Atheists are repulsive? You lose me there.

[ancook58]

....you can all choose not to argue on the internet. Ignorance just falls into one of those annoyances that you can decide to see in a different light if you so choose. Perhaps the religious comments are coming from someone who was raised in such a strict home that they know nothing else. Perhaps this is the first glimpse of "free thinking" they have ever heard. By arguing, you are judging and letting something bother you that shouldn't.

[winxclubmusafan66]

This is quite interesting. Glad my professor assigned this for homework. :o

[gr8barrierreef]

Some good observations here, pity so much fighting in comments though! Keep up the good work!

[SuperAxel68]

"Teaching you how to think is teaching you how to become less arrogant."

[dialone1974]

@Dazza3500 Hey fucknut, what inclines you to troll around and talk shit about an amazing man's observations? Your silly little god has shit to do with rational thought, so try keeping your cunt mouth shut, go ahead and waste your breath on the merits of Nickleback's latest single. Go on and fuck strictly for the sake of procreation, bury your head in a dead book, waste your short life calling people out for giving up.

[gb85]

This message combined with his abilities as a writer/speaker would make for quite the mindfuck if I was an anxious, excited graduate sitting in that auditorium.

Glad there's audio -- the text alone doesn't quite do it justice.

[RaoulDuke3221968]

Dazza3500 = troll

[1arianagrandeforever]

Dazza3500 wow you are a jerk! Have a little respect man! Depression is a horrible thing!!! And you do NOT have to be weak to be depressed!!! If your mate died, or child, or whatever you would be depressed!!

[adz123100]

Hahaha oh the irony of people arguing in YouTube comments about this, of all videos.

[Dazza3500]

Why the fuck would I listen to some moran who ended up killing himself? I'd rather read the autobiography off someone interesting and smart who didnt end up suiciding... lol... fucking idiot

[fathalpert92]

@Dazza3500 Have a little respect, man. You're free to disagree, but to me, he was a brilliant guy who battled depression for a long time. If you do disagree, it's still not right to make light of what he went through. And even though it did end up consuming him, that doesn't mean he doesn't have anything "interesting and smart" to share with the rest of us.

[Dazza3500]

@fathalpert92 wow how stupid are you? Damn theres some real R-tards on youtube. He commiterd suicide which is the worst sin in the eyes of God. And lol... depression is just for weak people who can't handle life like normal people... emo bitches lol

[SesameStAssassin]

@Dazza3500 you are the epitome of being an ignorant retard. look up epitome since there is a .0001% chance you know what it means. what an anti-humanist

[mrderp1000]

@Dazza3500 Hey. Dickhead. He said you can disagree. Don't start an argument.

[carsonnik]

@Dazza3500 Go complain to your make believe God, buddy.

[dannya108]

@Dazza3500 Whoa, I almost argued with you for a second. Then I realized you weren't worth it.

[grant1016]

@Dazza3500 you might want to learn how to spell "moron" before you call someone that, moron.

[rosewallaceg]

@grant1016 this is like, the fourth time in a day i've found youtube arguments about the spelling of, 'moron,' being an accurate gauge of moronism.

[m88888]

<3 Deep Thought

[ProudGeek1]

@ChrisPhuckitt It makes sense though that he would have such a good understanding of suicide since he battled with depression for 20 some-odd years. I do find it kind of eerie and actually very brave that even with his condition he is able to talk about suicide

[thealphasystem]

captions pleeeease!

[rjwilsonster]

@kakari0825 Try again, but pretend to be intelligent next time. Wallace was a master of the craft.

[ViperRob42]

This speech caught my attention when at a bookstore once I ran across a book of random & weird tattoos and someone had one that simply said 'This is Water' and under it it referred to this being a reference to a speech given by this man, so I watched this video a year ago and to this day, now that I'm re-listening ti it, it has been one of the most unique, creative, eye opening, and examinful (if that's even a word) speeches I've listen to, just brilliant.

[supaflyjohnson]

Protip: Don't take advice on how to live your life from a man who killed himself aged 46.

[paulderev]

@supaflyjohnson "But if you're worried that I plan to present myself here as the wise, older fish explaining what water is to you younger fish, please don't be. I am not the wise old fish."

[Paycheckpics]

@supaflyjohnson Maybe he was just done with his life. Because he killed himself doesn't take away from what he said when he was alive.

[kakari0825]

@supaflyjohnson is better take advice from a genius than take advice from you, little crap. and, anyway, he wasn't speak about give or not advices.

[supaflyjohnson]

@kakari0825

Try again, but in English next time.

[SamildanachEmrys]

@supaflyjohnson kakari0825 is in Italy. Perhaps you'd like to rebutt his/her point in fluent Italian?

[methodm988]

"This is Water" has sort become a mantra for me. When I feel overwhelmed/angry/depressed, I reminded myself "This Is Water, This Is Water"

[piratemonkeydcharles]

hi jason!!

[kentoncard]

Where is the video version?

[stephantom]

"I submit that this is what the real no-bullshit value of your liberal arts education is supposed to be about. How to keep from going through your comfortable, prosperous, respectable adult life dead, unconscious, a slave to your head and to your natural default setting of being uniquely, completely, imperially alone, day in and day out."

I like that idea a lot, but unfortunately, I kind of suspect that a liberal arts education may CREATE that problem more than solve it.

[sbmegypt3]

@stephantom Beyond his larger point, which has more to do with the human condition than the academic, by his own admission that's the very reason Wallace constructed this speech.

"Probably the most dangerous thing about an academic education--least in my own case--is that it enables my tendency to over-intellectualise stuff, to get lost in abstract argument inside my head, instead of simply paying attention to what is going on right in front of me"

[stephantom]

9:00 I can't believe he killed himself. Fuck.

[conorjpmcq]

wonderful.

[wuzcloopin]

A cousin of mine was graduating during this commencement. I remember hearing how powerful it was. 

[epik151]

Good thoughts and he took his own life 3 years later. I like this guy.

[fardarter2010]

I heard this speech. I was there when he delivered it. Its impact on my life was dramatic. After hearing it, I thought this guy was reaching the end of his life. He killed himself a few years later. This speech is devastatingly beautiful. And humble - humbling. I am still earning how to exercise some control over what I think.

[2bsirius]

@fardarter2010 "I am still learning how to exercise some control over what I think."

I've spent a long time thinking about DFW & trying to control my thoughts, not just seeing him through my default ego filter.

There was so much to him which he put only into his writing. It's not enough to listen  to this one speech, beautiful & thought provoking as it is. Reading him attentively makes arrogance impossible

I come back to his final choice over and over and I can't resolve it.

[Postscript624]

@2bsirius I used to think I understood it, but I don't anymore. Like he said though, this day to day stuff is hard, sometimes it seems easier to just throw in the towel.

[simonnewtboy]

@2bsirius Read the chapter in Infinite Jest where he describes (as Kate Gompert) what depression feels like. It's incredibly moving. If he felt what his character felt, and I suspect he did, then his death makes more sense.

[gotgayed]

he hates US

[cvg1099]

@gotgayed Water you talking about?

[spyfoxguy]

I am completely obsessed with the way he says "choose" at 8:25.

[junkhead1992]

he didn't want us to make his mistakes again...he has gone too far... :( david, thank you for this. this is water.

[7RiversDeep]

Δεν περίμενα ποτέ να βρω αυτή την ομιλία εδώ. Η μόνη λέξη: συγκίνηση.

[roygump]

thank you so much for posting this.

[artrock1970]

Requirement for class. Only wish I can see him speak, now that would be most interesting. Heard he committed suicide. It's a shame, such a loss. He's a great speaker.

[Ematched]

@artrock1970 Read some of his short stories. He's an even better writer than he is a speaker, hard as it is to believe. Infinite Jest is one of the most heartfelt books ever written. I'd also recommend his essay collections: A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again, and Consider the Lobster. He addresses what it means to be young and living in the U.S. in an age of absolute confusion. And he manages to find heart beneath the seemingly self-destructive behavior, and he reminds us, This is water

[jovenmedia]

This is water...this is water...this is water.

[ViperRob42]

I saw in a book someone had a tattoo on their arm and it said 'this is water' and it said it's from this speech, great stuff, RIP

[nolanborn510]

Finally!!!!! You have no idea how long I have looked for full audio of this speech.

[lina25]

It's so strange to me when he speaks about suicide...it makes me uncomfortable. Also when he's talking about 'being alone', I wonder if he had these feeling at the time,,,

[ossian1977]

For some reason I badly needed to hear something like this just today, and I bumped into the speech through utube vlog brothers. Nice posting of the audio, thanks for uploading it :)

[R0WR0WR0W]

@ossian1977

If you must rest, do not.

If you must not rest, do.

Tell me a story about the great Ossian.

[thewalljk]

I've been looking for this audio for some time now. Thanks very much for putting this up. As much as I love reading it, it's great to hear him speak it.

[nimo987]

Thank you so much for posting this. Read this speech two years ago and it has guided much of my life since.

[sandstonio]

One of the best commencement speeches ever given - it deserves the fame it gets.