David Foster Wallace – This is Water Assignment Questions
Please address each of the following questions in separate paragraphs. As mentioned above, your original post should be at least 150 words (in total), or about fifty words per question.
1. According to David Foster Wallace, what is the “default setting”? How does he view this matter, and what advice does he offer his listeners over the course of his commencement speech? Try to address one or two specific points from the reading.
2. Wallace makes the case that worshiping “worldly” matters is deeply threatening to our personal well-being; this is why it is easier to worship perpetual, intangible, or spiritual entities. Do you agree with this assessment? Is it possible to worship “worldly” entities, goals, or personal qualities in a healthy or practical manner? (Note: Consider Wallace’s constant distinction between conscious and unconscious behavior)
3. Wallace’s speech addresses the value of liberal education (i.e., the traditional college experience of general education and major-specific courses). Do you agree that liberal education contributes to a more open, empathetic worldview? Is it necessary? Explain your answer.
