This Is Water by David Foster Wallace Full Speech

What Hacker News said

Strong rec jimwhite · 2020-06 · on “Ask HN: I implemented the life I designed: perfect but I feel lost. What now?”

Thanks to your exceptional focus and determination you've arrived early at what is widely called Midlife Crisis. The aphorism your story brings to my mind is "Don't just do something, sit there!". Not sure what will help you but I highly recommend a 23 minute investment in David Foster Wallace's "This is Water": [this video]

Strong rec coip · 2022-05 · on “Tell HN: The loneliness of a pretty good developer”

As someone far younger than you, yet at times infinitely jaded, through what have >0% odds of being at least related circumstance: If you haven’t come across DFWs This is Water, I’d highly recommend you give it a sincere listen: [this video] What is your goal? Have to make hay while the sun shines, if you perform so we’ll see if you can find another opportunity to realize that gap you’re in? If that’s not fruitful, try and try again and at the end of the day, find resolve in knowing you’re doing what you can and, while you have that going wrt opportunities, give your thoughts and time to things around you that do inspire you and provide some degree of fulfillment. As someone in the field as a mod

Recommends _Microft · 2018-11 · on “A Brand New Interview with David Foster Wallace”

Nobody has mentioned "This is water" from a commencement speech [1] at a college yet, so let me do that. [1] [this video]

Recommends hprotagonist · 2018-12 · on “Why Aren’t Rich People Happy With the Money They Have?”

I’m immediately reminded of the denouement of “This is Water”: [this video] . It’s become/ perhaps always has been a little trite or on the nose, but it’s also not wrong. If you worship money and things-if they are where you tap real meaning in life-then you will never have enough. Never feel you have enough. It's the truth. Worship your own body and beauty and sexual allure and you will always feel ugly, and when time and age start showing, you will die a million deaths before they finally plant you. On one level, we all know this stuff already-it's been codified as myths, proverbs, clichés, bromides, epigrams, parables: the skeleton of every great story. The trick is keeping the truth up-front

Recommends JeremyNT · 2022-05 · on “Ask HN: Thoughts on being “boring””

There's a truism: life is what you make of it. The longer version, which might get you thinking a little more than the aphorism, is in the famous graduation speech by David Foster Wallace: "This is Water" [0] (you can also read a transcript [1]). [0] [this video] [1] [LINK]

Cites fny · 2015-03 · on “Ask HN: Do you meditate?”

For five years now, I've struggled against torrents of thought and anxiety. I meditated and prayed begging for some relief to no avail. About four months ago, I found Ashtanga yoga, and to say that it has changed my life is an understatement. Mentally, I have reawakened. I now think patiently and deliberately with a discipline and focus I've never experienced. A child-like enthusiasm about the world, despite its suffering and strife, relit within me: hope and faith abounds. Occasionally, of course, I still do struggle, but I struggle in peace and with confidence. The physical changes have been equally striking. I've always had poor posture, mild scoliosis, and a hip imbalance. Now, that's al