Brendan McBride

Professor Padgett
ENGL 101
September 8, 2015
David Foster Wallaces Meaning of Default Setting
David Foster Wallaces commencement speech This is Water examines the idea
of a persons default setting. He gives the speech to inform the graduates about the
difficulties they will face ahead of them in the real world. His speech varies from the
typical commencement speech because it is more honest and truthful. It is not the
ordinary inspirational speech that all graduates hear at graduation. Instead, Wallace
explains to the audience the meaning of their default setting. Wallace tells the audience
that their liberal arts degree taught them about learning to think. The graduates should
pay attention to the world around them and be more conscience in everyday life. In
David Foster Wallaces commencement speech, This is Water, he wants the audience
to understand the meaning of their default setting.
In his speech, Wallace focuses on the theme of a persons default setting. A
default setting is the natural reaction and emotion a person feels has to an event. It is an
automatic setting that a person has involuntarily. Wallace describes the default setting by
saying, It is our default-setting, hardwired into our boards at birth. Think about it: There
is no experience youve had that you were not at the absolute center of (Wallace XIII).
Wallace believes that people are too involved in themselves that they do not realize their
surroundings. Everyone is born with their own individual default setting. While in a
default setting, it can be difficult to think about others and their feelings. Wallace wants

Eric Lawrence 12/7/2015 11:49 PM

Comment [1]: Try making your thesis
statement more clear because I couldn't
see a direct statement about what you're
trying to say.
Sam Christoff 9/11/2015 1:28 PM
Comment [2]: Great introduction but try
to use key words to make your thesis clear
and direct

the audience to show compassion towards others and not make assumptions about people
without knowing their background story.
Wallace intends to inform the audience about their default setting to make them
realize the important things they miss in life. He uses a short parable in the beginning of
his speech in order to demonstrate the valuable lesson. There are these two young fish
swimming along, and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who

NARRO, AUGUST, 9/11/2015 1:15 PM

Comment [3]: Seems like a
summarization, what is the point?
Sam Christoff 9/11/2015 1:29 PM
Comment [4]: In your body paragraphs
you are summarizing the text rather than
analyzing if you change the beginning of
some of sentences from Wallace this then
it would sound better.

nods at them and says, "Morning, boys, how's the water?" And the two young fish swim
on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes, "What the
hell is water?" (Wallace XII). The fish are too oblivious to what is going on around them
that they do not see key things in life. The meaning behind Wallaces parable is to show

Sam Christoff 9/11/2015 1:30 PM

Comment [5]: Great use of direct quotes
in paper

the audience that they are too occupied in their own world. They need to slow down and
realize the valuable things in life. People often get lost in their default setting and do not
think about what is going on around them.
One of the intentions of Wallaces speech is to convince the audience not to fall
back into their default setting. A persons normal default setting is usually annoyed
society and the things around them. For example, Wallace says, Im going to be pissed

Eric Lawrence 12/7/2015 11:49 PM

Comment [6]: Try using something
other than "default setting" because I don't
really get what you mean by getting lost in
their default setting.
NARRO, AUGUST, 9/11/2015 1:16 PM
Comment [7]: Again, seems like a
summarization, make an interpretation and
relate it to your own thoughts

and miserable every time I have to food-shop, because my natural default-setting is the
certainty that situations like this are really all about me (Wallace XIV). The purpose of
the food-shopping story is to show the audience that they are too preoccupied with
themselves to care about others. People often get caught up in their boring daily routine
and do not realize what is going on around them. Wallace encourages the audiences to
understand other people and the problems they could have too.

NARRO, AUGUST, 9/11/2015 1:17 PM

Comment [8]: Elaborate on how

Wallace does not want the audience to fall back into their original default setting.

Sam Christoff 9/11/2015 1:30 PM

Comment [9]: Getting a little repetitive
but great points

Instead, Wallace wants people to experience new things by changing their automatic

NARRO, AUGUST, 9/11/2015 1:18 PM

Comment [10]: This seems like a
reoccurring theme that has already been
touched on.

response and emotions. People who can adjust their natural default-setting this way are
often described as being well adjusted, which I suggest to you is not an accidental
term (Wallace XIII). According to Wallace, the objective of changing your default
setting is to improve your happiness instead of living a boring day-to-day routine. He
finds value in changing and looking for improvement. A person that alters their default

NARRO, AUGUST, 9/11/2015 1:18 PM

Comment [11]: We know what Wallace
thinks, what do you think and how do you
view it?

setting will enjoy life more because they will be more observant. Ironically, Wallace
does not listen to his own advice and he commits suicide three years after he gave the
speech. In the beginning of his speech, Wallace states that he is not the wise fish. He
was not able to take his own suggestions in order to be happy.
By the end of the speech This is Water, the audience understands the meaning
of their own default setting. Wallace says, But if youve really learned how to think,
how to pay attention, then you will know you have other options (Wallace XVI). He
believes that every person has a natural reaction to every event that happens. People
often get too involved in themselves and do not realize other important things in life. The
purpose of the speech is to encourage the audience not to fall back into their default
setting. Instead, he encourages them to change their initial instinct. A person will live a
happier and more enjoyable life once they understand the meaning of a default setting.

NARRO, AUGUST, 9/11/2015 1:20 PM

Comment [12]: That is the blatant
overview of the speech, needs to be a more
personal interpretation for a better grade.