Response to David Foster Wallace's Commencement Speech

This speech affects my view of college in the sense that what we choose to study and get a degree in will be what we have when we graduate and are plunged into the "real world." However, in addition to learning about our specific field of study, we must also know much more about life and people. Being educated is not just about the major we pick. It is also about the way we think about everything else as well. I liked a lot of parts of this speech where he talked about awareness of others and coming to terms with the fact that we are not the center of the universe. People must be acknowledge that everyone has their own problems to face and that we must not be so selfish and self-centered. I also liked when he talked about "freedom" in the real world and how having freedom in our minds can allow us to better our lives and not be so burdened with boredom or routine. I did not really like the part when he talked about different things that people worship and how they can cause death (figuratively) and that what you worship "will eat you alive." I do not agree with that statement because I think that there can be positive outcomes as a result of worship. For example, worshipping a certain religion can cause you to lead a life filled with compassion and concern for others. It will not necessarily "consume us," it may just be something we place a lot of importance on.