Meaning of Life

Please view the following video – “This is Water,” by David Foster Wallace – and then answer the following questions in your Discussion for this unit/module. Wallace gave this speech to the Kenyon College (Ohio) graduating class of 2005. And as I think you’ll quickly find out, he approaches a commencement speech very different than other speakers. 🙂  The questions are: Choosing Compassion – Do you resonate with what Wallace is talking about in this speech? Which parts stick out to you the most, and why? Can we choose to see people and situations differently? Is it possible to choose compassion for others? And how does this impact the quality of your life? Could he be onto something on a profound and deep level, something about the meaning of life itself?  Meaning of Life – Are you pessimistic or optimistic about life? And why? After describing both approaches, say which one resonates with you.  Philosophy and Life – Has this class helped you? In what ways? How could it be made better for future students? How might you apply these ideas to your life?