David f. wallace commencement - Fresh

Real Freedom!

I am kind of sad that I decided to read this commencement speech late. I am most excited because it seems as though all of my classes tie in together which is indeed exciting. This speech made me think and see things through other prospective views in life. Society always tell us that “YES, we are in control of our own lives.” The U.S. Constitution, The Bill of Rights, and The Amendments even state that we have the Freedoms of various things. If u actually looks closely does it ever come close to telling u straight to the point that we are able to “think” a certain way?

Have you ever just thought about yourself all the time, like ONLY your thoughts, needs and wants are immediate, urgent and real? Now I finally get it thanks to David Foster Wallace. Our mind operates on self-mode all the time. Our brain was made into a hard-wired default setting to only see things through our point of view, which is a shame. I can honestly admit at times I am not a well-adjusted person, changing my natural settings all the time, I go with what I know and that’s that what I feel at that time in right.

The old cliché about “the mind being an excellent servant but a terrible master” is indeed true. You’re a slave to your head and your natural settings day in and day out never once contemplating anything else. Thinking one way tends to be so very easy to us all and automatic that it doesn’t have to necessarily be a choice. Who in their right mind wants to go around thinking that they are the King of the world and that they are always the center of attention and their immediate needs must be met by the world’s priorities. What about that child in Ghana, Africa starving? And you’re in a grocery store on a one tracked mind mission that you’re upset that they do not have Rice Krispy’s treats. What about on a highway when it is backed up and you’re cursing the cars in front of you to move faster. Has the thought ever crossed your mind that there may as well be a terrible accident ahead? And you’re worried about being late and all about yourself when someone may be hurt. Some days we are well aware of what is going on around us that we can give ourselves a choice. This is the real freedom, the real Truth.