This is Water
 

Trending on the intarsets is this video, which is a 9 minute short film based on an excerpt of a 22 minute commencement address given by one David Foster Wallace.



But since it cuts out a lot of what Mr Wallace said, you may wish to be more well-informed, and watch listen to the full 22 minute version, below. Or you may watch the above version to figure out if you want to watch listen to the longer version. Whatevs.

Yeah, this.

Finally a taker. Cmon people there is a slight chance than watching at least the first one will Improve Your Life.

I watched it last night, and I heard a tremendous amount of truth in it. And I recommend it.

It's something I already try to practice (often successfully) but slip out of all too often.

Day before yesterday, a white BMW SUV drove a little too close to me in its lane as it exited the highway. I didn't see the driver, but they were probably on their phone. About half the drivers coming off that exit are on their phones. Anyway, they unnecessarily hit a huge puddle that had gathered in the gutter, and seriously drenched me as I walked past on the sidewalk. I never do this, but I stopped, and turned, and gave them the finger as they drove away. I bet they didn't see me, but other cars behind them saw the whole thing. I wished them ill. I rarely wish people ill.

That's exactly the kind of negativity that is no good for anyone. It was about an hour before I forgave them in my heart and regretted my reaction. It's a lot easier and and makes you happier to forgive people. I don't know their story, and besides, they were driving away. I'll never be able to talk to them about it, so any negativity will only hurt me.

his message kind of wandered around a little. he spent a lot of time painting amusing pictures of the funny things we think about people, but just touched on the real message. I only watched the abbv version, so maybe he goes into it more unedited.... bu he's saying BE AWARE.....which is the same thing as STAYING PRESENT IN THE MOMENT. which is what Tolle, among others, says.

Don't just coast through life on auto pilot. pay attention. actively pay attention to your present moment...NOW.

Number one, it improves your experience of NOW, and perhaps more importantly for some people, it keeps you from dreading the future or regretting the past.

There is of course a ton of negativity and angry people at the prawn shop, and by the end of my full time there I started to think, some of these people are having a really bad day. Few people come to the shop because it's a good day. I started to be more genuine with my "have a good one" parting salutations.

When someone would give me a terrible story, I might say "I truly hope for better times for you." or even personalizing, "Best of luck with that leg injury, look after yourself."

I would notice that "have a good one" or "have a good day" was always dismissed because it was routine, expected, but if you actually took notice of the person's cares, they would experience a moment of a little positivity.

I realized that it was very fulfilling if I could just turn it around, give someone a good feeling. It made ME have a good one.

We are all in this together.

some of us are in this together.

some of us are just assholes that don't give a fuck about anything but themselves.
so, fuck them... they can eat a dick. When I finish with a customer, instead of have a nice day, I tell people to "drive fast, take chances!"
they laugh because I'm kidding.... but sometimes, I'm not kidding. sometimes, they need to have a REALLY bad day in order to recognize the things this guy is saying.

I enjoyed this very much ... have shared.

Assholes for life? Or just assholes when they have their interaction with you?

That's like the thought experiment of the speech... you can have any narrative on these people. You can invent any response. They are assholes, so I hope they eat a bag of dicks and crash and die. Or, how about: they are assholes, so I hope they realize that someday, and stop. Or: they are assholes, maybe their mom died two days ago and they can't think about anybody but themselves because their world is upside down. You write the script in your head.

Ever met an asshole kid? Sometimes theyre born that way. Just like gay people.

OR

maybe they're just full of their own narrative from jump, and never get taught otherwise.

it's chicken and egg, I suppose.

After watching the short video and listening to the first 9 min of the 2005 speech,
I came to the conclusion it's message can be sent in much less time.

As per xoB:

I've never met one whose life wasn't being fucked by an asshole adult. Other kids have something more organic going on so an asshole they cannot be.

So you refute the nature argument?

How about when a dog just hates a particular kid? A really young one.

My dad had a neighbor like that. At 4 yrs, he was a terror. For some unknown reason, my sisters dog would go bananas when he came around.

I guess I'm making excuses for the nature bit.