Nothing this guy says makes any sense to me. It is like he is speaking another language or something.

I listen to this on occasion just to remind myself life is about awareness.

To the fish and the water we drink, this is water. But, in regards to what David is talking about, the climate of human consciousness, this is our water, in grave need of learning from. What else the collective made up of, but the sum of its individuals, which means it begins with the individual that is you, not the world around you. The grand dilemma of a platitude to save and change the world, including God.

To the fish and the water we drink, this is water. But, in regards to what David is talking about, the climate of human consciousness, this is our water, in grave need of change. What else the collective made up of, but the sum of its individuals, which means it begins with the individual that is you, not the world around you. The grand dilemma of a platitude to save and change the world, including God.

Baudrillard once said- "everything in America has a laugh track to it. Except the news". Here we hear it too. They laugh at him and their own fate. Why? Because it's so, so far away from the Simulacrum of the American Society. And he laughs along with them. "It's funny 'cause it's true". A speech like this could either breed a morose, dead atmosphere full of depression, or laugh. At least, Americans are ready to laugh at their own fate, and that's something.

These two seem in high spirits for being employees of "Soulsucker Incorporated"!

This is genius

What is the connection between space and this story? What is the point of the story of two fish?

"most of these suicides are dead long before they pull the trigger"

I wish television would show meaningful speeches like this all day long.

Jesus is the way, the Truth, & the life. Nothing else matters, - your righteousness is as filthy rages, but His blood washes away all sins, and makes all things new.

This is an amazing speech!! Watch the part 2!! It is awesome!!

I stopped watching after hearing that pickup trucks had V12s - 1:27

BraveNewLife1, Do you know whether or not it would be legal to weave certain parts of this into a documentary film? (Who has, if anyone, the "rights" to it?) Thanks so much for the help.

Would it be legal for be to use certain excerpts of this video as part of a documentary film?

Sam Hamelin is a struggling writer and jealous of David Foster Wallace's success and hates people because we are all too dumb to see it.

its a sorry state when someone as base as this can be considered a genius,

That's mean

You're right that we all may find a new thing to be bored, crushed by (eg hover crafts and life together in carpooling). But, that doesnt mean we shouldnt be solving the problems as they come. Right now life is screwed up in some specific ways, and we can solve those specific issues. New problems will arise, but they will be solvable too.

Wats he talking about...let me enlighten...he's talking about overcoming cynical, pessimistic nihilism, he's talking about transcending objective primacy, about the abritary realization that ur perspectives are vane perpetualizations of cognitive bias. This is philosophy, therefore u might want to actually READ philosophy or u may not understand...then again its not MEANT to be understood by everyone.

can please can someone tell me what is he trying to say ?

I think people probably think you're insane because you give it a name. Not saying that I agree with them--I don't. But the sheer fact that you've thought about it so much and have a readily available name you use to bring up such a deep topic so suddenly, probably strikes them as "abnormal." If only they'd give it more time and thought, they'd understand. I'm sorry your gifted way of thinking is so negatively judged. :(

If people are smart, why do they die? People die. Wallace described suicide as being in a burning building. For people that live life day to day with depression, you have the choice of burning to death in slow agonizing pain or jumping out of the building. Faced with that choice, which would you choose? Wallace chose the latter. Reality was too much for him to bear, because he saw so much of it.

I think you may be missing the point that man always has been and always will be faced this same, core dilemma and challenge. If it wasn't cars that were in our way, it would be hovercraft. If we all carpooled, we'd be annoyed at others showing up late or making us late.

awesome.

dis is not it so fuk u

How is there arguing can't people just watch the video and leave a nice comment?

Re: his depression, I don't know what his personal life was like & don't mean to place any blame on anyone in his life. Clinical depression is one of the worst treated illnesses in the USA. If you are seriously depressed, it is next to impossible to find or even reach out for the help you need when you need it, especially if you feel you have to do it all alone. It's shameful some abnornal brain chemical levels are still such a stigma in today's society - all the more reason to heed his words!

I totally understand his suicide because he suffered from depression - especially if the people in his life didn't listen to what he said here, "The really important kind of freedom involves attention and awareness and discipline, and being able to truly care about other people and to sacrifice for them over and over in myriad, petty little unsexy ways every day." Seriously depressed people have an illness that needs serious treatment. Please be aware and care for others and also yourself.

Unfortunately, his message will probably be lost on most of the graduates.

Curiously enough, I consider both of you to be right. Wallace has that kind of attitude in some of his work. He states something almost tragic. And he states it seriously. But we are so accustomed to such things being mentioned as irony and/or sarcasm that we automatically laugh.

And you are free to do so.

The most obvious and important realities are the ones that are hardest to see.

I like McDonalds...

this guys the man!

Shut the hell up. Jesus Christ.

This is a funny and awesome speech, but it misses the point: that the boring, crushing parts of adult life are signs of how the world is screwed up. for example: Having a nice attitude while we all sit, 1 person per car, in never ending traffic misses the point that life is better together (car pool) vs our solitary bubbles that keep us lonely and bored, and that the choice to get a job in the city probably wasnt worth the few thousand extra dollars vs the 1000s of lost hours of life.

I spent most of the video trying to figure out if the picture was still zooming out

He tells you at 1:00.

they laugh because they know EXACTLY what he's talking about... being frustrated in traffic or on line in a supermarket. the fact that they're laughing shows that he's got their attention. there are many jokes the speaker makes that are appropriate to laugh at.

I think you might be missing the whole point of the speech if the audience laughing gets under your skin. there was plenty of jokes in there.

Ots called depression and when you deal with that you cant control it. His doctor put him on meds that didnt work. He is who he is and with mental illness it can actually be beautiful because they take much insight then the so called normal narrow minded selfish person

This must be the most moronic audience ever. No part of this speech was meant to be funny.

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you obviously have no idea what depression is or why people commit suicide

This is Zen from McDonald's. I HATE the way he pontificates. If he had all the answers, they why did he hang himself in 2008???

But who will remember Harold Bloom?

For the most part, if you're talking about the average American with a white collar job, sure, but that isn't necessarily true for all so keep that in mind. Not everyone's biggest threat is the boredom and mediocrity of daily life. Some people actually do have hard lives filled with legitimate problems. Just something to keep in mind because what you said does sort of undermine the real difficulties some people face.

I wish I'd heard this earlier. Captures beautifully the importance of not enslaving yourself to your unconscious and the inevitable unhappiness that it causes

"Real freedom". Brilliant and true.