Life is one becoming an adult and making choices every day. David Foster Wallace uses "water" to symbolize life. During life, one thinks constantly, and a Liberal Arts education gives you the perspective of learning how to think. Without learning how to think, life becomes miserable, making it harder for one to be truly happy. The value of a liberal arts education is essential for not letting our thoughts control us.
On a broader perspective, Wallace says that he is self-centered, in addition, he suggests that everyone has the same negative issue deep down. Wallace continues with mentioning the reason this happens; it is a result of people all being born with this mindset. He compares this "automatic" mindset to a technology-based term "default …show more content…
Wallace warns these students that one's thoughts are dangerous and can control you overall. Wallace claims that it is very easy to "getting hypnotized by constant monologue inside your own head(2). This reduces one's chances of staying attentive to their surroundings, and implies that a Liberal Arts education is profoundly serious in aiding you to gain control over your thoughts. In Wallace's thought-provoking speech, he clearly portrays danger in thoughts and we must put our valuable Liberal Arts education into practice for the obstacles in adult life. He clearly states the meaning of learning how to think, "It means being conscious....enough to...choose how to construct meaning from experience"(2). Wallace wants to point out that one's choices must have meaning, that way they will not be choices from one's "default-setting." A Liberal Arts education is vitally valuable, since it will help you stay conscious and to not be a slave of one's own …show more content…
For instance, Wallace uses a traffic jam as an example of how this happens on an average day of adult life. Being stuck in a traffic jam, one is upset and in their worst mood while waiting for the other cars to move. In one's mentality, all the other drivers appear to be rude and inconsiderate for wasting your time to go home. To avoid this mentality, you must change your point of view, since this self lens is a self-centered view. In connection, the Liberal Arts education allows one to choose to make their own decisions instead of the easy "automatic" perspective. It can be better for one to know they have other options, as Wallace states, "But if you've really learned how to think...then you will know you have other options."(4). He points out that one has the privilege of choosing what to do, and it does not have to be the ugly, miserable
On a broader perspective, Wallace says that he is self-centered, in addition, he suggests that everyone has the same negative issue deep down. Wallace continues with mentioning the reason this happens; it is a result of people all being born with this mindset. He compares this "automatic" mindset to a technology-based term "default …show more content…
Wallace warns these students that one's thoughts are dangerous and can control you overall. Wallace claims that it is very easy to "getting hypnotized by constant monologue inside your own head(2). This reduces one's chances of staying attentive to their surroundings, and implies that a Liberal Arts education is profoundly serious in aiding you to gain control over your thoughts. In Wallace's thought-provoking speech, he clearly portrays danger in thoughts and we must put our valuable Liberal Arts education into practice for the obstacles in adult life. He clearly states the meaning of learning how to think, "It means being conscious....enough to...choose how to construct meaning from experience"(2). Wallace wants to point out that one's choices must have meaning, that way they will not be choices from one's "default-setting." A Liberal Arts education is vitally valuable, since it will help you stay conscious and to not be a slave of one's own …show more content…
For instance, Wallace uses a traffic jam as an example of how this happens on an average day of adult life. Being stuck in a traffic jam, one is upset and in their worst mood while waiting for the other cars to move. In one's mentality, all the other drivers appear to be rude and inconsiderate for wasting your time to go home. To avoid this mentality, you must change your point of view, since this self lens is a self-centered view. In connection, the Liberal Arts education allows one to choose to make their own decisions instead of the easy "automatic" perspective. It can be better for one to know they have other options, as Wallace states, "But if you've really learned how to think...then you will know you have other options."(4). He points out that one has the privilege of choosing what to do, and it does not have to be the ugly, miserable