The Kenyon commencement speech, also known as "This Is Water," was delivered by David Foster Wallace in 2005 at Kenyon College in Ohio. In this speech, Wallace addresses the graduating class and speaks about the importance of developing a sense of purpose and meaning in life.
At the beginning of the speech, Wallace acknowledges that the graduating class is likely feeling a mix of excitement and anxiety about the future. He notes that this anxiety is a normal and natural part of the process of transitioning from college to the real world. However, he also argues that it is important for individuals to find ways to cope with this anxiety and to find meaning and purpose in their lives.
To illustrate this point, Wallace tells a story about two young fish who are swimming along when they encounter an older fish swimming in the opposite direction. The older fish asks the younger fish where they are going, and the younger fish reply, "We're going to the ocean." The older fish then says, "The ocean is this way," and swims off in the opposite direction. The younger fish are confused and ask, "What's the matter with you? You're swimming the wrong way." The older fish responds, "You're only young once, but you can be clueless forever."
Wallace uses this story to illustrate the importance of paying attention to the world around us and developing a sense of purpose and meaning in life. He argues that it is easy to get caught up in our own thoughts and concerns and to become oblivious to the world around us. However, he asserts that it is essential to actively seek out meaning and purpose in life and to make conscious choices about how we live.
To this end, Wallace encourages the graduating class to be mindful of the choices they make and to try to live lives that are meaningful and purposeful. He argues that this requires a certain amount of self-awareness and effort, but he believes that it is worth it in the end. He concludes the speech by saying, "The really important kind of freedom involves attention, and awareness, and discipline, and effort, and being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice for them, over and over, in myriad petty little unsexy ways, every day."
In summary, the Kenyon commencement speech is a call to action for individuals to actively seek out meaning and purpose in their lives and to make choices that are mindful and purposeful. Through his storytelling and his encouragement to be self-aware and to care about others, Wallace encourages the graduating class to embrace the challenges and opportunities of the real world and to live meaningful and purposeful lives.
