Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Default setting

I don't usually pass around links to speeches or videos, but I think this would be similar to what I would say to h.s. and college graduates if I was a better writer & speaker and it's a way of thinking that I've worked on since before my injuries.

http://www.theworldsbestever.com/2013/05/08/this-is-water/
David Foster Wallace 2005 commencement address

If you don't need the visuals, here's the full speech
http://web.archive.org/web/20080213082423/http://www.marginalia.org/dfw_kenyon_commencement.html

 I'd love to read or hear your comments on this (Even if you think he's an idiot)
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I was not familiar with the speech or the speaker, but I think at that moment he "got it".
The strange thing is that he reportedly suffered from depression for most of his life and hanged himself at 46 yrs old - only 3 yrs after giving this speech.

I'm grateful that my default setting is much different than his, but I constantly work to stay aware.