Throughout the commencement speech made by David Wallace, he continuously brings up stories, clichés and straight out facts about how we as human beings are born to be self-centered. Stories being the ones like, the fish story or the Alaskan men story. All of these stories and cliches really mean that we as human beings don’t notice the world around us and just care about what is going on in our own lives. We don't stop to think about the air we breathe, the people we meet or any other of the many things going on around us. "Everything in my own immediate experience supports my deep belief that I am the absolute center of the universe," says Wallace on page two. He goes on to explain how that they (the student body that Wallace was speaking to) need to learn how to balance their lives and become "well-adjusted" adults not just through academics but socially and all around as well.
I feel that he's completely right in these matters. People today, I feel more than ever, are becoming more and more self-centered and concerned with only themselves and not the world around them. They care about personal gain, and ignore trying to better themselves and the world. It’s sad and more people should open their eyes and think more deeply, as Wallace does. “The really important kind of freedom involves attention and awareness and discipline, and being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice for them over and over in myriad petty, unsexy ways every day.” We have to think about people and the world and just care a little bit less about ourselves, and a little bit more about them, all the while maintaining balance and that “well-adjusted” nature, so that way we can still have time to sit and think for ourselves. Maybe then, the world will be a little better of a place. I feel that if every college graduating class was given a speech like this, it just might be possible.
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