DFW's Commencement Speech

David Foster Wallace's Commencement Speech at Kenyon College

DFW, died of suicide at 46 or so, a few years back. His death shocked many literary-minded people, especially me. He was widely considered a genius, a successful and much respected writer, although I couldn't understand his fiction at all. Yes, he had mental problems and had to take medications, but he decided to stop taking them because of side effects, and a few months later, he killed himself. His wife found the body. I just reread his commencement speech. I strongly urge you to read it, not so much as I think he spoke for me as I think true wisdom lies in finding this life worth living, despite the horrors and absurdities. DFW, despite his awesome intelligence and achievements and love and respect, couldn't resist the impulse of killing himself. I am a lowly human compared to DFW, but somehow I have summoned the will to live. Living can be, and often is, a burden, but we must cling to a hope, a conviction, that life will be better if we hang on long enough. I strongly feel if DFW read and digested the book "The Myth of Sisyphus" by Camus, as I did, he might have found the reasons to push the rock up the mountain everyday; he might have realized in straining to push the heavy rock up, his face close to the rock, perspiration pouring down on his face, he was stronger than the rock. To live, we must be stronger than the circumstances. 

Several stupid and uninformed "humans" are of the opinion that my life is a failure and they cited the "reasons". In another reincarnation, I would issue a refutation, but i have learned that if a person has not got any wisdom when he gets to his 60's, he never will. You can only be a slow learner for so long. There comes a point in your life you must realize that perhaps you simply cannot learn at all. And I decided to not argue against folks who cannot learn, cannot see, cannot reason, cannot tell their ass from a hole in the ground. 

I am far stronger than several stupid and ignorant folks. I can show them my bank statements, can parade the evidence I am currently much loved and adored, can establish my superiority to them, but I won't. I refuse to come to the bait. 

Wissai

November 3, 2013