Your Mind is an Excellent Servant, but a Terrible Master - David Foster Wallace

David Foster Wallace (February 21, 1962 - September 12, 2008) was an American writer and university professor in the disciplines of English and creative writing. This speech is from his graduation address at Kenyon College in 2005.
The most profound ideas are the most difficult to articulate because they express thoughts that transcend words. Many of us struggle through life because we are stuck in our "default setting", where we unconsciously see ourselves as the absolute center of the universe. David Foster Wallace presents an alternative way to see the world in this timeless speech.
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[@AfterSkool]

This animation took over a month to make. If you like this video, please consider supporting After Skool on Patreon. Every penny will go directly toward creating more videos like this. Thank you so much. www.patreon.com/AfterSkool ❤️

[@arcanemagic5507]

[@carefulcarpenter]

What is your Kosmic Number? 🐡

[@shepinchains1]

I love this speech! Glad you took the time to do this! ❤️

[@carefulcarpenter]

From my research, the true enslaved mind cannot entertain a concept and evidence that exceeds the rational mind's indoctrination ie. synchronistic mathematics. Therefore it ignores what it cannot comprehend. This is evidence of an enslaved mind. *_Ignore_** is the root of ignorance.* cc. 👀🐡🌾

[@iacopo97p]

I hope you read this. But a huge THANK YOU for all the amazing and mind opening videos you make. Love you!!

[@Lemonpopz]

I have a story that fits the theme of this, and I hope some more real life experience helps someone out there. I was 22, in the National Guard on active duty. I worked a lot, often 80+ hour weeks. I'd been working for about 8 hours by the time we got lunch break that day, and instead of the typical hour long lunch they told us to be back in 30 min. On such a stressful day, with so much going on, I was pretty livid. 30 min was barely enough time to get up the street to get some food and get back, so I hopped in my car and rushed to the closest place; McDonalds. I'm lucky, I'm only second in line as I pull in, I'm staring at my clock and trying to add up how many seconds I'd have to scarf it and get back inside at work. As I'm sitting there I start to get impatient. One minute turns into two, two into three, and by this point I'm fuming. How long does it take to order a fucking burger? I can see the lady in the van in front of me looking at me in her side view mirror. Seeing her looking at me just pissed me off even more, I felt like she was actually intentionally taking her time at this point, especially with her eyeing me. I have my windows up, so I start cussing her outloud. Four minutes goes by, and I'm furious. I'm ready to get out of my car and go kick her window in. Was this some sort of anti-military person trying to fuck me over? One of those liberal hippies who hate soldiers and just want to ruin everyones day? How could this person be SO selfish they'd sit here for nearly five minutes now. And I'm YELLING, top of my lungs in my car at this person. Cussing, just pissed. I can't even back out of the drivethru at this point as more cars had come behind me. Finally she pulls forward, I screech up to the order window, curtly order my food, and pull up again. Things run smoothly from here, as the van in front of me pulls away and I aggressively gun my engine and slam my brakes at the order window, to show everyone how angry I was (I guess) and vent how frustrated I am that this person ruined my entire lunch, fucked over my whole day, and did this to me on such a bad day for it. As I go to pay, the McDonalds manager comes to the window. They lean out, and hand me a gift card. Confused, I take it, as they explain the person in front of me's had noticed my uniform. Her husband died in Iraq, and she'd wanted to not only buy me lunch, but also give me something nice for my service as a way to honor his memory. I'm telling you, I have never, ever, felt like such a piece of shit, self centered human in my life. This, and some other, less drastic experiences in life began to open my eyes up to feeling compassion for others, and realize that life does not revolve around us. It helped me later in life to save lives, looking at the world through the lens of someone elses eyes instead of my own first. Understanding that even if you don't understand something someone did or says, there was a reason for it and it was a valid one, right or wrong aside, they HAD a reason. I really hope more people learn to see the world this way. I know it sounds like hippy bullshit, but if we are all to survive this planet together there has got to be some understanding, empathy, and compassion.

[@brianku546]

Damm thats deep thank u

[@hassaanawan367]

Impressive very nice

[@manvirsingh1932]

Dang bro

[@jackl.6635]

Thank you for sharing this

[@PoundItNailIt]

Finding your comment was more worth my time than the video itself, thank you for sharing

[@beatrizvaldivia1671]

I try to listen to this speech once a week so that I don't forget it... Ever.

[@benjamindhall]

Same.

[@SourovKabirII]

I don't have a routine but I listen it with not big intervals.

[@olafbrolaf3968]

this is water. this is water. this is water. thi..i..wa.....r.....

[@rj.3939]

You could just write down a summary of the speech and review it in a few minutes. I feel writing it down would be less painful than watching this once a week, every week, for 23 minutes lol

[@freshmanwithgotee]

It's an interesting way to live, just questioning everything, uncertain of it and then you die.

[@watching2459]

"The soul is dyed with the colour of it's thoughts." - Marcus Aurelius

[@mercury7192]

“This is where the fun begins.” -A.S

[@Gaberaum]

@@mercury7192 "The fun, indeed, here began" - M. Y

[@lightbeingpontifex]

The soul doesn't think or have a mind,,,, that's a human / alien thing,,,

[@kdavis4910]

Oldie but goodie.

[@Khorne_of_the_Hill]

I really must read him

[@suzannecarter445]

I first read this some time ago, I decided to tell myself every morning, "There are only two things I control - what I pay attention to and how I respond to my experience." For example, you cannot control what you like or who you love but you can control over what you do about these things. I have found that striving to make wise choices about what I pay attention to has made a huge difference in my life. If I were to have one rule of life, that would be it. Thank you David Foster Wallace. Rest in Peace.

[@JAKE-ng8yr]

are u happy with ur life?

[@alvarorubenvera5915]

You can control what you like, actually.

[@Mart-B]

Very wise words Suzanne. The 'how you respond to experience' message gets thrown around a lot but the attention side is just as important. Yuval Noah Harari spoke about it recently and it's something most people need to work on. Well I certainly do anyway

[@umiluv]

Man... this is so important today. “A close-mindedness that amounts to an imprisonment so total that the prisoner doesn’t even know he’s locked up.”

[@darkworld9850]

Reminds me of a Star Trek episode and I’ve never watched an episode.

[@lightbeingpontifex]

This is a prison matrix but the walls are Invisible,,,

[@gratefulkm]

or The Slavers created a langauge and reading, so that they focus the kids with no parents to identify with the imagined accountable measurable individual, imagianed in the focus of the left PFC , and to be so worried and scared of losing that imagined accouantablity and responsiblity, that for the rest of that childs life , they are too frightened to return too or exist within the Right PFC , where you unfocus and become unaccountable and have no responsiblity the "WE" Now the left PFC is tempoary always the right PFC is eternity Now if you assocaite and idenitfy with the noise in the left PFC you are what is known as mentally enslaved

[@kimsherlock8969]

Thankyou for sharing 🎉

[@the81kid]

Everyone now lives inside their own skull-sized Panopticon.

[@MrOrangefuse]

Go to 4 years of school to learn your most important message on graduation day.

[@Sariine436]

That's would be 60,000 dollars! Debt

[@serpentzachary1340]

@@Sariine436 Plus interest

[@SK-gf5zk]

And what's the message?

[@MrOrangefuse]

@@SK-gf5zk The message is to open your eyes. Pay attention to what's actually going on beyond the surface. Be aware. Your education hasn't even started.

[@SK-gf5zk]

@@MrOrangefuse Thank you for replying

[@TheTmackey]

I’ve read and heard this maybe 30x and still not enough. That he took his own life does not take away from his massage at all. He had been suffering for many years - and look at this gift he has left us. Dear DFW, thank you.

[@Webedunn]

Oh wow!😳 I had no idea he had taken his own life. That’s a shame.

[@manuchaudhary9728]

That's one thing which breaks that someone who can deliver truth ,but didn't find his redemption

[@toddbritton8455]

The fact that he took his own life pretty much sums up his deep personal beliefs.

[@ECLECTRIC_EDITS]

He needed Jesus. That's the one part he forgot in the equation. Disrespecting him by calling him "JC". "Having a form of godliness but denying its power!"

[@ECLECTRIC_EDITS]

​@@toddbritton8455Exactly! At his core he was a cowardly and egocentric person who was too afraid to turn his life to God through Jesus Christ. You can only serve others by serving God first.

[@willstanton7823]

Gotta love how the students applauded and wooed at the point where Wallace was pointing out their own hypocrisy, without realizing in doing so, they were reinforcing his point altogether. Bless their little hearts.

[@browhocodes]

Laughing is a response to fear

[@michaelsnyder8661]

@@browhocodes so they were all scared of a public speaker? Then they are cowards

[@archit7606]

​@@browhocodes Fear of the speaker's content. Hope that's what you meant. Could you elaborate why?

[@Mike-fx4nu]

@@browhocodes fear? No, insecurity and arrogance.

[@randino2030]

This is powerful.

[@JohntehGman]

I think the audience laughs at a very serious and weird point not because it's funny, but because they know his painful words are true about them and they feel uncomfortable and sad.

[@gabelogan56]

I think that's only a natural response. If David were in that crowd he would have laughed. Even if it was only quietly to himself in his head.

[@JenLight]

Thank you for this. I was doing the exact thing he's talking about like, "Ugh rich people are all the worst."

[@ajwtube]

@8BITDRAGON INSTALL I believe that's why they started with "I think..." dipshit. Damn chill out

[@Plyde001]

i think its also a relief knowing that others also experience it as they are, or a communication that they themselves experience it too

[@JohntehGman]

@@Plyde001 Very true

[@snobgoblin1226]

Props to the mans who tediously drew all the graphics for this video. Very underrated.

[@eliasstein1421]

or woman

[@sultan450]

@@eliasstein1421 that arm is pretty hairy though.

[@ericp.7868]

It's a program for making commercials

[@graphthelord1994]

@@ericp.7868 what is it called?

[@ericp.7868]

@@graphthelord1994 I can't remember, but you pick images, drag and drop, and it animates it with a hand drawing them. I tried to look it up real quick, but can't remember. I hope that helps lol

[@WolfgerSilberbaer]

Audience: Speaker: This is an example of how *not* to think, by the way...

[@quityoutube7592]

Which proves how dumb we people are. That audience was indulging in the same kind of thinking he had just warned against, thinking that they are better than others or that others (who donot conform to their ideology) are dumb and should be called so.....What a pity!!

[@levyroth]

Honestly, I graduated from a top liberal college and I can say most people there would've clapped too because liberal education is prescriptive nowadays, indoctrination if you will. It fails at exactly the points made here: learning how to think and to understand the need for compassion (or call it patience so it doesn't sound sanctimonious) in everything we do. The liberal education should've made us more tolerant and inclusive of others but how liberal education unfolds nowadys takes us into the opposite direction.

[@michaela3891]

@@quityoutube7592 I think it could actually be a few things. But for me- it was like "Fuck. Yep. That's me. Thus it was a great observation... ". They could have seen themselves in it- and not been proud, but applauding in a "damnit, you got us" way.

[@DrinkinMars]

@@quityoutube7592 True. It feels like as if they already failed at graduation. What have they been learning?

[@lc1279]

@@quityoutube7592 Or perhaps they laugh because a joke can be funny without real world application? I'll join you in the gutter by saying that really, it is kind of against the point of the video to assume everyone laughing at that joke was indulging in thinking they were superior. If I told a dead baby joke and someone laughed, it (hopefully) isn't because they like unloading dead babies out of a truck with a pitchfork, and more because they recognize the gross over-exaggeration or hyperbole. Obviously, I only unload *live babies* with a pitchfork.

[@DirtyRandy420.0]

Every time I listen to this speech it’s hard not to tear up. I wish you never had to leave us king 🙏🏼

[@flaviochavez1747]

A lot of people don’t learn compassion until they are on their deathbed. Don’t be that person. Love will set you free from pain.

[@jrobotdas209]

Flavio Chavez big facts

[@1life744]

Compassion has to be FELT. And if you truly do not forgive and accept yourself by healing ancient wounds by grieving them then you can not TRULY love.

[@WILLYLYNCH.]

Love is also the root of many peoples pain.

[@jobob2036]

Of course I don't mean any of that that specific certain people can be anybody fucking getting on my wrong side the bad side to be on

[@olkensavril5703]

There's no way your mind can be a beautiful servant when most of the time we can't even stay focus and follow our mind that's sound like a terrible servant but if we follow our positive mindset only great and beautiful things can be accomplish.

[@motocomputer]

"What gets us into trouble is not what we don't know. It's what we know for sure that just ain't so." - Mark Twain

[@aeonosa2175]

Damn right yeah

[@lakshyaupadhyay]

word. but your last name is gandu.

[@sidharthkashyap629]

Man ur title "GANDU!"

[@jonjenkins]

Both - What we think we know & what we don’t -It’s all about levels of ignorance

[@jonjenkins]

So tragically ironic that he clearly warns of the dangers of ‘stinking thinking’ & then succumbs to it with committing suicide 😢

[@samtarlow4773]

This speech is incredible. I most likely would never have heard it if not for After Skool’s incredible mind-seizing artistry. I see value in their work.

[@darillus1]

the animations add to the speech immensely.

[@EssenceofMon]

Graduating from uni in 2020 I never got a ceremony or speech. This was the graduation speech I never knew I needed 🥺 thank you !!!!

[@JustinJanki]

Come back to it regularly. The meaning of this video will become deeper and deeper as you progress through life

[@MrSaemichlaus]

Three years later, he would commit suicide, setting an end to his brain, the terrible master. He exposed to us the inner workings of a tragedy that he and all others experienced, but he reached a point of clarity about it and put it into words for us. We hear you David, thanks for your messages, and rest in peace.

[@brucenyakundi8594]

Very sad

[@lordsafro]

Damn. RIP.

[@illiJomusic]

Thanks for the comment. I'm not familiar with him. I've been blessed to not have such a terrible master or maybe we've become more in harmony as i age but my partner struggles with depression and insecurities. Seems those who have much empathy suffer more.

[@lynnadamson772]

Did not know.... I watched this and felt such a kindred spirit such a connection... And now I cry for a person I never knew, but knew intimately

[@20ouvir]

I think if a beggar can find reasons to smile, a person holding a gun on the sofa can too. Of course, this is just an example but I think that 99,9999% of the time we can.

[@dreamsaresharedhere_]

This very speech perhaps saved thousands of lives from the chaos of order. Unfortunately the very mind that David Foster Wallace spoke of here is the same mind that killed him. This is so tragically, painfully beautiful and I don't know how to contain myself at this point. All I know is I needed to hear this. Thank you internet, thank you David

[@dinguspatrol8904]

he killed himself in 2008

[@michellelopez1908]

May he Rest In Peace. May we learn from his lessons.

[@teiuq]

The man that spoke these words killed himself?

[@feyolation]

@@teiuq Yes. I couldn't believe it too

[@matthewsikorski9871]

@@Paarthurnaxdova Wow, what a stupid person you are. Impressive.

[@kaiokenneth5986]

The laughter throughout was dystopian enough, but the crowd erupting into cheers when David Foster Wallace was describing the bad assumptions was truly horrific. I imagine that had to be soul-crushing for poor David, especially considering his struggles with mental illness. Rest in Wisdom, king 👑

[@kitty10141]

Sad he had to remind them that this is how not to think

[@werquantum]

You are missed dearly, David Foster Wallace.

[@EvilThoughtsBaby]

The identification with thoughts, the stories you tell yourself, it's all ego. You are not your thoughts, you are the awareness.

[@ashleighwoods-richards2109]

Cosmic Bear wow!

[@zyrrhos]

@@ashleighwoods-richards2109 Ancient and inexhaustible truth. Take up the practice of meditation and learn to still your mind and observe your thoughts.

[@zyrrhos]

@@davidgood7621 The observer of your thoughts.

[@origenx7765]

@@zyrrhos You are also the observer tho

[@origenx7765]

@@zyrrhos In fact there is not even a seperation between me and you.

[@weareorigin]

I've seen so many stuck in the mentality of "I need to appear better than my neighbors." Then they become "Ha, look at those neighbors who are worse than me." The toxicity comes home with them, and they ruin their own lives & family & divorce happens.

[@vegasbeebi]

Yea, I see the same type of closed minded thinking at the work place. People thinking everybody else is stupid and should drop dead and they know the best.. when in reality they just lack empathy and overvalue their own competence and do not see that the "fck ups" others do is what they themselves also do but never acknowledge.

[@Aylon5D]

@@vegasbeebi And if concious about it and understood you´ll see their hidden insecuritys and suffering in this kind of unconcious behavior. The empathy they truly lack is for them selfs. They have learned and adapted in seperating and projecting everything unwanted and unloved about themselfs outside on the world and others.

[@falconater68]

@@vegasbeebi I'm sure that happens but it goes both ways, people are terribly lazy. Not everything is profound babble.

[@DarkAngelOfTexas]

falconater68 that’s a valid argument. I get unhealthily critical of lazy people at work. They disgust me, and I make it known. It’s a bit toxic.

[@Aylon5D]

@@DarkAngelOfTexas Lazyness is often the result of low self esteem. Yes sometimes a wake up call is needed but toxicity just makes it worse for them and for you. Everything also costs them way more energy then you or someone who has the circumstantial advantage of beeing in a more stable condition.

[@quityoutube7592]

"The ability to CHOOSE what to think and what not to think is a superpower which only few of us will possess in the imminent Future." "Not every thought has to be manifested." "Detach and observe yourself as much as you can throughout the day."

[@dhairya3746]

i like these quotes but tbh your name is even funnier quit youtube :)

[@Mhantrax]

In a word. Compassion. Not just for others, but for self.

[@ECLECTRIC_EDITS]

Nope. It's about denying yourself, accepting Jesus, and serving others.

[@tscardinal]

@@ECLECTRIC_EDITSwoosh

[@BrokenFistX]

This hit me really really hard. I'm 38 and I feel sooooo much of what he's discussed and have only just now started breaking free from these shackles of expectations, shoulds, and self loathing.

[@nowistime8070]

what a perfect time to start! 40 is a rebirth. enjoy the inner freedom!

[@harryodendaal345]

so how's it going

[@ColemanGlascock]

This comment makes me feel fortunate to discover this at 20

[@robthomas4419]

What did you change, please?

[@kdavis4910]

Good. You should love yourself instead 💜

[@Sabrinasvids]

look at After Skool teaching us the things we should have learned in school

[@mcowanpaul8375]

True that . Mindfulness and health . Stuff that can actually help

[@digijuan7892]

Because if you were taught this in school, you might call out the BS you were taught previously and not want to go

[@ECLECTRIC_EDITS]

Accept Jesus as your salvation. Nothing else matters.

[@theghost7262]

THIS ABSOLUTELY NEEDS TO BE TAUGHT EVERY DAY IN OUR SCHOOLS THIS IS WATER THIS IS WATER MY NEW MANTRA THANK YOU

[@Jesusbcappin]

There is a seemingly under appreciated amount of work in these videos, this is truly awesome 👌

[@ouranos0101]

First heard this when I graduated in 2008, and I can humbly verify that everything is 100% true now. Literally, everything he said is the damn Truth. Please wake up now and don't waste your life like I did for many years.

[@karinabeltran1531]

What Did you waste your life on? Curious.

[@dave4148]

Holy cow, what a powerful speech. Everything True I’ve come to realize, masterfully put into words. Thank you for this.

[@dave4148]

xrelik He’s talking about a liberal arts education, not a liberal arts degree. A liberal arts education is any degree with a variety of general education requirements, so any university degree qualifies. I’ve got my BS in Computer Science from a cheap public school, worked through school, and am now a software engineer in no debt. Thinking school is useless is just as bad as thinking everyone should attend. If your point is mainly that you don’t need school to learn this, sure some don’t, but more knowledge of the humanities will absolutely cause most people to be more humanist and more empathetic in their life.

[@chozen_juan]

Everything you worship will kill you. Even God. Worship an invisible man and you will spend an eternity searching for him.

[@jacobmcgrath9381]

Holy cow

[@BulentBasaran]

@@chozen_juan Consider what God means to you first. What if you use the word God to mean the totality of all being, the source of all being, the destination of all being, and foremost not an object separate from your being? Just an idea. Your mind is powerful enough and indeed infinite. Please use it. Be still. Peace.

[@nomchompsky2883]

Yeah... Well watch it with the knowledge he would eventually commit suicide. I guess his brain could never give up being master. It makes everything in this speech even more poignant, and despairing.

[@tonyrigatoni766]

I think I've heard this speech 4 times in my life now, and it still gives me chills every time.

[@sasshole8121]

David Foster Wallace's depression really comes through in this speech. I'd consider myself depressed and I don't see the world with half as much malice.

[@osse1n]

*If you are not driving your ship, someone else will.*

[@luckyluke5614]

I see you everywhere lol

[@Ardarail]

This might be the most genetic platitude ever typed into a comment section.

[@luckyluke5614]

@@Ardarail hahahaha

[@amandawar6864]

@@luckyluke5614 then you are also everywhere that's why you see him everywhere.

[@brandiskyes3718]

Yes Then telling other's to do it but don't want to be in control they don't know how. Then your a crazy man or woman.

[@martinarreguy2210]

Wisdom lets me know I am nothing, love lets me know I am everything. Love is the true power of the universe.

[@neverforgetkurtcobain2028]

Le electricity ; i resign

[@shaunfinnigan4956]

When they all clap and cheer when he talks about the hummers on the freeway, and it ironically punctuates his entire point, and he realises that no one has understood anything he's said, i immediately understand why he killed himself

[@Whitey73192]

One of the most amazing and eye opening speeches I have ever listened to.

[@RobJenkinsDubTechno]

I love this quote from Rumi - “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” I started meditating daily a few years ago and my perspective on life has completely changed as a result. I couldn't find much ambient music suitable for meditation, so I decided to create my own. This has ultimately led me to launch my own ambient meditation music channel on KZbin. Work on yourself and you might be surprised what happens as a result.

[@nazmoneymiller2363]

👍🏻

[@tms1236]

Then please, for your own sake, check out paul schulze - timewind Its one of the most meaningful and chill sound you will ever hear. When you put your headphones on you feel a certain way that you almost or never have felt before. You feel at ease but a little excited, you feel lonely but also in very good company, Its quite honestly an experiance on its own.

[@acedia_14]

Pink Floyd - The Endless River

[@kittywampusdrums4963]

Awsome! You might like Drukama check it out too. Be well!

[@RobJenkinsDubTechno]

@@kittywampusdrums4963 Thanks for the recommendation

[@thepan777]

One of the greatest and most tragic speeches ever......As David is so spot on exact, and yet will kill himself 3 years later.

[@mistiemill3262]

Wait what...

[@bhatkat]

Yes, I was wanting to say that his depression is what killed him but... We need to face that that would only be partly true.

[@luln5122]

wait again what?????......

[@thepan777]

@@luln5122 Yes hard to believe such a intelligent and witty guy with so much going for him, would choose to rob the world of his talent.........9/12/2008 (hung himself) I honestly can say I truly feel cheated by this one, and I never even met him; but I would have liked to have had the opportunity.

[@Alexithymiander]

He worshipped intellect.

[@imlistening1137]

I’m completely awed, not only by your beautiful art, but your ability to bring clarity to the spoken word of great orators.

[@235pmp]

This gets better and more meaningful for me over time. I used this commencement speech for years with Japanese college graduates for years, and it always resonated with a few of them. Having come back to it all these years later, I am so grateful that it is work that brings clarity at different points in my life.

[@AFMTAG]

This speech was awe-inspiring. I can't believe that I spent 23 minutes watching this video without scrolling down to the comments or clicking away briefly to other tabs. It's a shame David Foster Wallace isn't around anymore to give more speeches like this in today's world. Thank you After Skool for uploading and animating this fantastic piece of speech!

[@AfterSkool]

You are most welcome!

[@JOSHY613HARDCORE]

He would be proud that you chose to give him your awareness.

[@yehheapsmadaybut]

I ashamedly scrolled

[@jorgebravo1919]

Did exactly the same.

[@sendnoodles5437]

I like how Dave emphasises how difficult it is to truly adopt this multidimensional perspective in the day to day frustrations and vicissitudes - it certainly fucking is - but that doesn't mean you're some inherently narcissistic person or you're a lost cause, it's just a naturally conditioned mode of thinking, and we need to challenge it as much as possible.

[@neilreynolds3858]

Why? It doesn't seem to have worked for him.

[@ECLECTRIC_EDITS]

You're only saved through Jesus Christ. This man denied Jesus calling him "JC" and then he took his own life. You cannot be selfless unless you sacrifice yourself to God by accepting his will above yours.

[@incognito7479]

We’re all in this alone together.

[@rachaelsophiagomez]

Thank you so much for always making these videos that help us all reconnect with our true selves. I feel like they find me in divine timing, and a time where I really am destined to hear them. Much love.

[@jschlaud6]

"Blind certainty - A close-mindedness that amounts to an imprisonment so total that the prisoner doesn't even know he's locked up." I first heard the "This is Water" speech about 7 years ago and I have come back to it countless times since. And every time I revisit it, this line hits me like a ton of bricks -- leading me to question the things I've come to know for certain.

[@AfterSkool]

Indeed. That line hits hard. I also found myself listening to this speech about once every 6 months over the last few years. I got something different out of it each time. Every time I am standing in a long line or I'm stuck in traffic, i think about this speech.

[@jschlaud6]

@@AfterSkool Hey, thanks so much for the reply! I love your channel, great content and fantastic animation. Keep up the great work!

[@vegasbeebi]

I didn't get the "this is water" line at the end. Does "this is water" mean that something exists and that is all it does - exists but it is up to us if we view it negatively or positively to thyself?

[@jschlaud6]

@@vegasbeebiYeah, I think that's a good way to look at it. Essentially, this is life, this is reality and I get to choose how I'm going to interpret any given situation. I'm the one who gets to decide how I think and feel about it. So in a way we actually get to construct our own reality through the stories we tell ourselves (i.e. the lense with which we view the world)

[@tylerk9455]

@The Sharpest Dullard how you choose to perceive the world doesn't necessarily have to effect your actions. Who cares about what your "culture" says you are free to think and perceive the world how you wish. Be careful tho because opening your mind will lead you to realize how many people around you have not yet opened theirs and it can become lonely. I struggle with that

[@stevewilliams8255]

Your illustrations are wonderful and relatable, thanks so much for spending your time here in this way.

[@chris432t6]

So cool when you watch a video for the second time and it's better than you remembered. Thank you After Skool and David

[@greatsajby9266]

And this a heartbeat before the floodgates of the Social Media age opened. I'm shaking my head and deeply missing the light that people like him, Carlin, Hitchens and Hicks shed on our world.

[@gabelogan56]

Others are still shining that light. But man the noise has become so loud it's almost impossible to find them. The biggest task now is to follow the ones you feel and drop out of EVERYTHING else. Stanhope is great but he's kindof out (intentionally). Cross is great. Chapelle is great. And Tim Dillon is becoming fucking great - But his message is mostly to tune the fuck out and live your life while you still have the freedom to do so... and I'm following suit. (aside from late night relapses like this of course. ha. just here and there.)

[@cedricwilford]

Right around 13:41 "This is an example of how NOT to think..." Most important part of the speech.

[@MrOrangefuse]

Him refocusing the crowd bc they got lost in their own thoughts and forgot what he was talking about?

[@boatwreks]

Ya like they thought he was actually saying that. He kind of was but he wasn’t. Dfw was so tragic

[@ARMOREDSAINT23]

Yep they thought he was encouraging them. They’ve been taught how to think and what to think but not how to listen.

[@peterfryer6915]

A room filled with what not to be's.

[@CrabyJay]

Example of how blind some of his audience was and probably still is

[@SEEKwithJavonLHarris]

Incredibly powerful and thought-provoking. I've been on the journey toward enhanced awareness for about six months now and just like Wallace says, it's insanely difficult to maintain. However, just like with anything else, the more we practice an awareness detached from the ego, the easier it becomes. Indeed, this freedom is more than worth the effort.

[@ivectord]

“A person will worship something, have no doubt about that. We may think our tribute is paid in secret in the dark recesses of our hearts, but it will come out. That which dominates our imaginations and our thoughts will determine our lives, and our character. Therefore, it behooves us to be careful what we worship, for what we are worshipping, we are becoming.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

[@apexshinbi638]

One should view everything told to them with an “open-minded skepticism.” Accept you don’t know *everything* but don’t invalidate the knowledge and references you already know to be true.

[@crosstolerance]

Until knowledge and those references cannot be verified to be absolutely certain.

[@apexshinbi638]

Denial Not Accepted exactly, scrutinize every bit of knowledge down to the plank length

[@Chimera6297]

I like the analogy of driving a car, because it's completely evident in the way people drive, on how they think. you can tell someone thinks the world revolves around them if they camp out in the left lane, brake check people or drive in a way that puts other's lives in danger tho sometimes people camp in the left lane because they're actually clueless every time you start to get angry on the road, remember that these are people, who have lives and a lot of them would like to keep living those lives.

[@everythingisamindgame9666]

How can even a driver camp out on the left lane that's stupidity on another level.

[@jennak.8541]

What’s so dangerous about driving in the left lane?

[@anthonyr7902]

Yup that’s why I slow down to 20mph on a 40 till that mf passes trying cause an accident. 😹

[@marcuslesesne6239]

@Intelligently Stoopid You missed the entire point of the speech dude.

[@trouaconti7812]

What a speech!!! Hat down for Mr Wallace, this is one of the most inspiring speeches i’ve heard in my life

[@Alazsel]

...Thank you for the beautiful speech and the accompanying animation to remember David Wallace. Drink to a great man who lived a full life...

[@alexrazo5392]

Crazy, I was just binging interviews with David. Never met the guy but he's changed my life. I feel less alone because of his writing. Thank you, David.

[@alexrazo5392]

@The Sharpest Dullard It's okay. You don't have to be a fan. The literary world is vast. I'm sure you'll find someone who reaches you. God bless.

[@alexrazo5392]

@The Sharpest Dullard If you have any recommendations, I'm always looking to broaden my library.

[@alexrazo5392]

@The Sharpest Dullard Never heard of Schiller. Piqued my interest. Thanks!

[@robsmith6377]

The Sharpest Dullard don’t listen to this incredibly well regarded author, listen to Jordan Peterson. Surely you’re joking fella

[@robsmith6377]

The Sharpest Dullard fam just watch Jordan Peterson try and talk to anyone and you can see he is a populist hack, even Zizeck smoked him which is really saying something. What’s a mouth breather?

[@aliousidibe3033]

Graduated today and this is the best speech I've ever heard

[@larryrogers6062]

Thank you so much for your time, effort and attention to detail ‼️

[@Mohit-gg2vd]

Such a beautiful and Value creating speech...So apt for modern times.

[@corleone7918]

"A man chooses, a slave obeys..." -Andrew Ryan edit: this was a line from BioShock

[@constantinedorn7610]

hahaha XD. ok! but, i think that had more to do with free market, morally absent capitalism. placing individual wants above any other consideration... you first, fuck everyone else

[@yasambhawanishankarrao4630]

WOULD YOU KINDLY?

[@CoffeeGremlin83]

YES I was scrolling down to find the bioshock reference!

[@rokkarokka120]

Constantine Dorn isn’t that much different from any other “enlightened” atheist ideologies like Communism, Mgtow, Feminism, liberalism, libertarianism, socialism, and intellectual circle jerking nonsense. I’m an Atheist but everytime some bloke says “I discover the solution for all society’s problems!” I go “ah crud, here we go again.” CJ style

[@godspi4609]

"no gods or kings only man"

[@andrewchristianortiz4756]

Perception is everything and it starts with your outlook. Live for love in all things and you will win it all.

[@trexpl0s1ve]

One of my fav speeches, great to see this here. Thanks!

[@waynehutton7536]

Another fantastic presentation. Thank you. Simply, thank you.

[@matth6762]

Everyone laughings in the crowd but everyting he said was depressingly true. Not funny.

[@zekeflores2035]

Matt H Yeah, it’s true. Only true to people that have that outlook on life.

[@jacobwertheimer1525]

That's what comedy is! It all stems from truth!! Its beautiful!

[@blackbirdie4919]

Humor is more about truth than it is about anything else.

[@maxis2k]

Half of them are laughing out of nervousness, the other half are laughing because they think it doesn't apply to them. The ones who are nervous are the ones he's talking to.

[@iotofstuff]

2 layers of irony

[@joshp2111]

Dude! That was awesome! I've heard this speech a hundred times and have always loved it and tried to live it as best I can. Having the art behind it was unbelievable. Seeing someone put that much work in on something that I hold so close was incredible

[@louannp120]

That is the most heartfelt truth I have ever heard I honor you my friend.

[@fatimasoomro]

This is so awesome. Thank you for making this available for free.

[@Hondeer]

I am a Liberal Arts Graduate from 2009. I graduated with a degree in 'Fine Arts' after being kicked out of the Graphic Design program at CWU where I was studying Environmental Design after an altercation with the lead professor in which... well, it doesn't matter. The point is, I had learned how to think, and choose more importantly WHAT to think about and being aware of it at the same time. Getting out of the stream of my own thoughts, to observe them from the bank of the river that is my mind and being able to watch them float by. This is what got me booted. I called a spade a spade when appropriate and lifted good honest work. This lead me to continue to be curious. Which kept the fire of youth alive in me and as such, the desire to explore, try and fail. With those three pennants, I dove deeper into my exploration of subjects to find out why things happen they way they do and why things fail. This has led me into Engineering where a lot of people, only solve problems with other like problems which is a foreign concept to me entirely. The point of a Liberal Arts degree is not to make pretty pictures or protest outside city hall. It's to keep you curious about the world and for you to dive deeper into what you're attracted to and find out why.

[@Ssm19494]

Probably would've saved your parents money going into engineering to begin with huh

[@Hondeer]

@@Ssm19494 Not really. Most engineers I know don't know what end of screwdriver to use. After working in a large company doing engineering for a while decided it wasn't for me. Couldn't think. Couldn't breathe. Nothing but spreadsheets and gray cube farm.

[@owendubs]

This Is Water always has an uncanny means of showing up at just the right time throughout my life of experiencing it. May your words echo for centuries and not be discredited by the one time you took a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Much love and R.I.P.

[@komickaze85]

I appreciate this work you all do so much. Such amazing illustrations to go with the deep topics on all these great speakrs, thinkers, and wise men/women.

[@patrickrpedrus747]

Thank you for this. Watched all the way through and really had me glued.

[@gromp43]

RIP Mr. Wallace. Thank you for sharing and introducing me to his brilliance.

[@jonboobalot]

You're crushin it brother!! Thanks for not only animating such wonderful imagery but for first finding potent speeches and talks of such high value. Big loves bruv.

[@AfterSkool]

thank you my man! If there's any insightful speeches or interviews you think would make a good animation, please send it my way!

[@prod.lakure9421]

@@AfterSkool I admire your talent After Skool. This is someway of a story that I've wondered about in a long time. Thanks for the animation, it helps with the understandment of the video

[@ColeFogle]

Beautiful truth that doesn’t require school just true awareness.

[@ggonsg]

So powerful! Thank you for helping me to be awake and aware and to change my thinking patterns and see things in a whole new light. Thank you

[@chajospie]

I really needed this. Earlier today I came home from work feeling so angry and defeated. My job and the people I work with can infuriate me, and I want to chastise myself for having failed to do better in life. It's tempting to be bitter and negative. Pessimism provides a relief so immediate and satisfying. Positivity requires effort, self-control, and at times feels shortsighted or naive. But we all posses the capability to see the world in whatever way we want, to stop and think before reacting to something we might initially feel inclined to deride as stupid, unfair, or monotonous. I've familiarized myself with this way of thinking before. I know I don't have to be a slave to knee-jerk negativity. It's just reassuring to hear this speech delivered so eloquently by DFW, especially today. We hold the reins, people. Never forget it.

[@damienk7311]

"Diversity of belief" "Less arrogance" I can believe someone saying that unironically, in 2005; sucks that that's not what Liberal Arts degrees stand for anymore. Also, "This is an example of how not to think" while they're cheering, hilarious.

[@CigaretteCrayon]

Yeah now the "teaching you how to think," thing has a terrifying meaning.

[@michaelbyrd1674]

I don't think that the Liberal Arts degree has in anyway changed since 2005. I think that DFW chooses to say it un-ironically because by believing it he can perhaps get those who are listening to believe it as well, and hence make it true. It is this very mindset that he urges his listeners to have.

[@indianarones]

cheering does not mean they are not realising they have been thinking like that. They may be cheers of agreement, there are a lot of minds in the audience, you get to consciously decide how you see it.

[@shaunkerr902]

It absolutely is what a liberal arts degree still stands for. It's not just about politics. It's about religion, culture, etc. You still get the most diverse collection of ppl (geopolitically, race, religion, etc.) at university. Also, you'll still find conservative professors at every University. Outnumbered, yes, but they are there. The point, insofar as I can see it, is to take the negative perceptions of ppl & institutions & actively choose not to engage in your defult settings. Be following Conservative talk radio into the "college is just a bad place for young progressives go" I fear you are operating on your default setting. Try to think of a positive universities offer

[@Dragon228833]

Funny how the audience is laughing at the truly sad parts because that is how they live

[@drwinstonOboogi]

"See the beauty in the earth, in your friend, in your neighbor; yes, even in those that would speak evil of you."  ECRL 397-2

[@Hyper-Linkman]

I just found this exact speech not even two days ago! Re-watching because I love the channel, and because this is a really thought-provoking speech. Keep it up! Always great content.

[@jaymkay]

"Your Mind is an Excellent Servant, but a Terrible Master " - truer words haven't been said. Unfortunately David killed his Terrible Master...

[@millergdonald]

I always felt this was a speech for himself. Like, hopefully if I say this in front of a couple thousand people it will make it real.

[@shannond1467]

Wow just looked him up, not sure I should be listening to this anymore

[@starch0075]

Watched this video over and over again, just wonder why people dislike this video, it really is such a good lesson.

[@carlkligerman1981]

Awesome speech, amazing work to present it. Big ups!

[@jeremyandrews3292]

I've found plenty of other ways to look at life that are less depressing. Like instead of hating traffic, I appreciate how we all worked together to create these roads and cars, and how rough it was back when we had to farm for ourselves, how consumerism means we're all helping each other make ourselves as comfortable as possible and find a sense of self or at least distraction before we die, allowing each other to put in and get as much or as little as we want out of life with fairly good, efficient infrastructure compared to what we could have. You can decide a consumer society based on greed is ugly, or you can decide it's beautiful that we've all worked so hard to give each other more comfortable lives and enabled each other to be surrounded by things that comfort us and make our lives easier without being forced to, just out of our natural desire to seek mutual beneficial arrangements as human beings. That someone came up with this system and it works well enough that we can contemplate these things in traffic or in line at the grocery store, and even now people are working on easing even these small frustrations with innovations like Amazon and teleconferencing. We harnessed our own selfishness to motivate ourselves to help each other. There's no contradiction... we can seek selfish goals by seeking to benefit others in exchange for what we want, that in itself is the beauty of the system. There's a beauty to all of it that some of the most educated people seem surprisingly unable to see, or don't want to see. Instead of seeing the guy driving the truck with the patriotic symbols as bad, maybe wonder what he sees about life that you don't. No, really... maybe he's so patriotic because he feels that his nation has given him everything he sees around him that he's able to enjoy and there's a sense of gratitude that his ancestors fought so hard for him to be able to enjoy these roads, this car, all of it, and that's what he wants to honor. Maybe he's happy that he's able to enjoy that truck that's so much better the the old beater he just replaced, and relishes the ability to drive off-road and get away from it all for a while, see nature, be less depressed by looking at a grey cityscape all the time... maybe some of the places he goes don't have the best roads... he just has different priorities, maybe those priorities aren't evil or immoral.

[@mainpage725]

There really is beauty in everything, I agree.

[@jimbishot-takes1236]

This strikes me as bit blissfully ignorant, with all due respect. The world really isn't as mutually supportive as you suggest. A question: did 'we' really create the materially advanced society you so praise? Or was it fashioned from the stolen natural resources and the slave labour of the world's poor majority? Modern consumerist society is not everyone helping each other, it is a powerful few exploiting the many; it is very much a continuation of a violent colonial system - one, I would imagine, you would detest but have somehow come to dissociate with today. I don't mean to come across as condescending, I am really not interested in one upmanship. In fact I really appreciate how you are looking for the positives in life and I should really take a page out of your book as well. That being said, I feel a compulsion to write to you as I believe if we are going to look for positivity, it really should come from reality, rather than a false-dogma we have been led to believe. There are real alternatives from the system we live in which would genuinely provide everyone much more happier and fulfilled lives. If you take nothing else away from my message I urge you to spend some time looking into them. For instance, check out this doco: www.localfutures.org/programs/the-economics-of-happiness/ All the best Jeremy!

[@ricardoblanco5319]

@@jimbishot-takes1236 Yes, the kid is a pure listener type writing in hopes of beginning some of his life as a voice of enlightenment and that I value highly and never really becomes obsolete as a needed psychological push for those who happen to latch on to it's meaning. Were else do we really learn other than from simplicity from were no preconceived notions can arise.

[@NetSkillNavigator]

It's all about perspective

[@josephmooney7515]

@@jimbishot-takes1236 Excellent rebuttal. Props on being able to give that kind of thinking a good light.. because at the end of the day, it's quite problematic to assume that's how the world actually thinks and works.

[@santinogiacalone3627]

This guy is unbelievable. Thanks so much for sharing this.

[@bubbercakes528]

I loved this so much. I’m going to save it and watch it whenever I feel low.

[@Tahitison]

First time hearing this talk, wow 😮 Beautifully said sir, wow. Thank you After Skool for illustrating this masterpiece

[@CameronBrtnik]

"It’s not about thinking about questions of life after death; The Truth is about life before death." - That really hit me

[@cobraimploder]

Few people have historically blurred the line between philosophy and art to the extent that David Foster Wallace did! What and absolute and immeasurable loss this man's death was!

[@williamwalters743]

This episode was so awesome. Thank you.

[@CrimSang420]

Yeah, I am so hooked to these it's ludicrous. Thank you for all you've done. :)

[@HOurWrld999]

“The mind is a beautiful servant and a lousy master” is the original quote btw

[@guitarsmasher13]

Wouldn’t have gotten as many clicks

[@VinayVakil]

Gautama the Buddha in 650 BCE ! It is a Buddhist Mantra :)

[@VinayVakil]

What to think / How to think - Jiddu Krishnamurty - cleverly plagerized by neo masters ( aka very smoot talking life coaches :) )

[@PaperRaines]

"I know this stuff probably doesn't sound fun and breezy, or grandly inspirational, the way a commencement speech is supposed to sound" Understatement of the century 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@willabbott2062]

The efficiency with which this video is animated is truly awesome. You guys rock.

[@monstermommy8100]

Wow! Thats the best commencement speech I’ve ever heard! I sent it to all of my kids and husband❤ it’s crazy because so many of us don’t understand the simple sayings like “make every day count” or “you have a choice” but this video really captures so much of what we all need to hear routinely.

[@michellezewe6148]

Excellent presentation! Your hard work is noted and much appreciated. 💖

[@maxwayouthere9175]

I just wanted to thank the after skool team for allt hat they have done. You are changing the world even if its on a small scale. Your hard work will pay off!!! Thank you!

[@ripadipaflipa4672]

Wonderful post thank U. I wish all collage students would have to have this type of message before they start working toward a degree. I started with my own children as soon as they could comprehend and add to it each day. Put yourself in someone’s shoes. Empathy, morals and patience. What kind of person they want to be is in their power and people can not blame others or things for who they become. I thought every college required an ethics class in order to graduate. It was at the college I went to in the early 1980’s

[@soundboyeric2276]

We appreciate your effort, when we needed it most I