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Shariebrady Posted 15 years ago
Essay & Composition Writing
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Sharie Brady
Eng 119
Fast Track
Speech Critique
I do not think Wallace means self-centeredness in the traditional way. I think he means self-centeredness in that how we understand the world around us. According to Wallace’s speech, “ Commencement Speech Kenyon College”, he makes a claim that we have a “natural default setting”. He also goes on to say: “I tend to be automatically sure: everything in my own immediate experience supports my deep belief that I am the absolute center of the universe, the realist, most vivid, and important person in existence” (14). What does he mean by this? I think what he means when he is talking about self-centeredness is that it’s not necessarily putting ourselves first and caring only about ourselves, but what we feel and experience is through our own eyes and thoughts. Therefore we are at the center of everything. This is what I think he means when he calls it a “default setting”.
The main point Wallace makes is that we are all naturally self-centered. I can say from my own personal experience that we live in a self-centered society. We are always in a hurry for instant gratification. For example in that we have fast food, drive thru pharmacies and speedy check-outs. Wallace says we have a “default setting” and I like that he says this because it makes me curious as to what my “default setting” is. One way of looking at what Wallace is trying to explain is that our “default setting” is how our society automatically thinks or responds to life situations. Then Wallace goes on to talk about changing the way we are “hard wired”. To try to be able to see through others eyes, to try to understand a situation from another’s point of view. To step out from your own self-centeredness.
Wallace tries to explain to the graduating class about the day to day “day in, day out” (15). He explains that only the older people that have been though it, and have experienced it, can relate. He gives an example of a “regular” day whereas someone goes to work all day at a very challenging job. At the end of the day, all that person wants to do is go home, relax, then go to bed. This is all to well known by the large portion of today’s adult society, including myself. But that person cannot do that because they need to go to the grocery store to get food. Instead of going home this person heads to the store. On the way to the store this person sits in heavy traffic. When this person finally gets to the store there are a lot of people there and its crowded. This person who could easily be you or I, is frustrated because it is difficult to just get in, get what they need, and get out. They must deal with trying to get down the aisle, through all the people that are in their way and do it as politely as possible. At the checkout the lines are super long, but eventually they make it through.
This is when Wallace begins to tie in what he means about adjusting your “natural default setting”. He says to make a “decision about how to think and what to pay attention to”(15). At this point you could try to put yourself in another’s shoes, to understand that you may not be the only one that is tired from a long day at work. And that your are not the only one that is hungry and just wants to get home to relax. That others may be worse off than you, and most of all your are not the only one that matters. I think Wallace does a good job of helping the reader of his speech, to understand what he is trying to say about the “natural default setting” and how we can choose to adjust it. When is it appropriate to just be self-centered and to only care about what is important to you? I think it is easier to just react without thinking. Its important that you get to make the choice on how you handle yourself. To change your “default setting” is something we have to force ourselves to do. You must decide on how much you value “what has meaning and what doesn’t”(15). According to Wallace we all have the choice to either react in one way which is by “instinct” or by choosing to adjust the way we think. This is what it takes to get through the “day in day out”.
Work cited:
“Commencement speech Kenyon college” by Wallace, David Foster.
English 119
Course Packet.
Ed Leslie Henson.
Butte College, Oroville, CA: Spring 2011.
14-16. Print.
Eng 119
Fast Track
Speech Critique
I do not think Wallace means self-centeredness in the traditional way. I think he means self-centeredness in that how we understand the world around us. According to Wallace’s speech, “ Commencement Speech Kenyon College”, he makes a claim that we have a “natural default setting”. He also goes on to say: “I tend to be automatically sure: everything in my own immediate experience supports my deep belief that I am the absolute center of the universe, the realist, most vivid, and important person in existence” (14). What does he mean by this? I think what he means when he is talking about self-centeredness is that it’s not necessarily putting ourselves first and caring only about ourselves, but what we feel and experience is through our own eyes and thoughts. Therefore we are at the center of everything. This is what I think he means when he calls it a “default setting”.
The main point Wallace makes is that we are all naturally self-centered. I can say from my own personal experience that we live in a self-centered society. We are always in a hurry for instant gratification. For example in that we have fast food, drive thru pharmacies and speedy check-outs. Wallace says we have a “default setting” and I like that he says this because it makes me curious as to what my “default setting” is. One way of looking at what Wallace is trying to explain is that our “default setting” is how our society automatically thinks or responds to life situations. Then Wallace goes on to talk about changing the way we are “hard wired”. To try to be able to see through others eyes, to try to understand a situation from another’s point of view. To step out from your own self-centeredness.
Wallace tries to explain to the graduating class about the day to day “day in, day out” (15). He explains that only the older people that have been though it, and have experienced it, can relate. He gives an example of a “regular” day whereas someone goes to work all day at a very challenging job. At the end of the day, all that person wants to do is go home, relax, then go to bed. This is all to well known by the large portion of today’s adult society, including myself. But that person cannot do that because they need to go to the grocery store to get food. Instead of going home this person heads to the store. On the way to the store this person sits in heavy traffic. When this person finally gets to the store there are a lot of people there and its crowded. This person who could easily be you or I, is frustrated because it is difficult to just get in, get what they need, and get out. They must deal with trying to get down the aisle, through all the people that are in their way and do it as politely as possible. At the checkout the lines are super long, but eventually they make it through.
This is when Wallace begins to tie in what he means about adjusting your “natural default setting”. He says to make a “decision about how to think and what to pay attention to”(15). At this point you could try to put yourself in another’s shoes, to understand that you may not be the only one that is tired from a long day at work. And that your are not the only one that is hungry and just wants to get home to relax. That others may be worse off than you, and most of all your are not the only one that matters. I think Wallace does a good job of helping the reader of his speech, to understand what he is trying to say about the “natural default setting” and how we can choose to adjust it. When is it appropriate to just be self-centered and to only care about what is important to you? I think it is easier to just react without thinking. Its important that you get to make the choice on how you handle yourself. To change your “default setting” is something we have to force ourselves to do. You must decide on how much you value “what has meaning and what doesn’t”(15). According to Wallace we all have the choice to either react in one way which is by “instinct” or by choosing to adjust the way we think. This is what it takes to get through the “day in day out”.
Work cited:
“Commencement speech Kenyon college” by Wallace, David Foster.
English 119
Course Packet.
Ed Leslie Henson.
Butte College, Oroville, CA: Spring 2011.
14-16. Print.
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