In 2012,that would I was introduced to the work of the late David Foster Wallace, I had not heard of him prior to that. I listened to an excerpt from his commencement speech to the 2005 graduating class Kenyan College. His speech, entitled “This is Water” addressed the immense and fascinating power of choice. We are the masters what we choose to think about; obviously we are used the default way of thinking, which is very self-absorbed, narcissistic, and egotistical. Often we fail to realize that there is a universe of which we are not the brightest star, the largest sun, nor are we the center of said universe (ouch that does hurt a little). Mr. Wallace starts his speech with an anecdote about two young fish swimming merrily by in a fish bowl, when there passed by an older fish swimming in the opposite direction, who says to both the younger fish, “how’s the water boys”? The two young fish look at each other in confusion and ask “what the heck is water”?
The idea of teaching one to think, or to choose what to think about and to rewire their default setting the focal point of David Foster Wallace’s speech. One is considered well-adjusted once able to rewire their default way of thinking. Paying attention to the here and now is most difficult when your mind is loudest thing you hear. David states that the mind is a great servant but a terrible master, which is probably why most suicides committed with fire arms shoot themselves in the head; they want to kill the terrible master.
How do we prevent ourselves from living our lives as walking dead, slaves to our default setting? How do we keep ourselves from falling into “boredom, routine, and petty frustration”? I submit to you as David Foster Wallace did, that we CHOOSE TO THINK. We must be selective in our choice of thought (mind blowing concept), as opposed to thinking of yourself as the victim or the inconvenienced, take the time to consider others. Consider that someone’s situation is worse off than yours, and your concerns are the least of the worries in the world. “
Once we truly mastered how to think, how to pay attention, our eyes will be opened to the belief that we have other options. It is now within our power to experience a “crowded, hot, slow, consumer hell type of situation as not only meaningful but sacred, on fire with the same force that lit the stars; Love, fellowship” etc. We get to decide how we will see the situations; we decide what has meaning and what does not.
Freedom, the truly important kind, entertains discipline, attention and awareness, the ability indubitably care about others and to make repetitious sacrifices for them every day in ways that garner no recognition or praise. The alternative is our default setting, the rat race, the numbness of rote rehearsal and routine. Life before death, awareness, to stay conscious and alive is extremely difficult to do, and we literally have to remind ourselves daily “this is water, this is water, this is water” (THIS IS LIFE).
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Be Awesome Today! :-) 