This is Water

A hyper self-conscious attitude pervades “This Is Water,” which is an apotheosis of Wallace’s surgical philosophical thinking and critical gaze. He communicates many schools of thought at once, using humorous parables like the old fish and the atheist versus the religious man. Wallace also taps into philosophical history, particularly the work of Ludwig Wittgenstein, a significant 20th-century philosopher whose studies were concerned with language, particularly how things are communicated and how misunderstandings arise (Ryerson, James. “Philosophical Sweep.” Slate, 21 Dec. 2010). These ideas can be seen in the speech’s numerous angles of attack at the same problem: how people think.

Additionally, “This Is Water” has a Buddhist throughline that encourages the graduates to remain aware, be observant, and overcome their ignorance of life’s true nature. In doing so, the speech advocates for perspectivism, a theory promoted by 19th-century philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche that submits that knowledge of something is limited by one’s point of view and interpretation. Wallace draws on all these sources to stress the truths “hidden in plain.” He employs self-effacing statements like “please don’t think I’m giving you moral advice” to break down the barrier between speaker and audience (7). He does not cite obscure or authoritative sources; he does not address the students with a heavy instructional tone. Throughout the speech he subverts expectations by referring to the act and history of speech-giving, listing many cliches of the format. These subversions do not poke fun at speech-giving stereotypes, although Wallace acknowledges their banality. Rather, they signal Wallace’s metamodernist leanings, which convey sincerity, hope, and enthusiasm, though his sentiments are saturated with connotational baggage like irony and sarcasm.

Wallace was a literary and philosophical savant who garnered fame for publishing acclaimed works directly out of college. By all accounts, he had the markings of a popular American celebrity. Yet, in all his interviews, appearances, and especially in “This Is Water,” his endearing, uncertain, self-conscious, and almost ego-less nature comes to fore. His constant asides and rhetoric make it evident that Wallace wanted to give a successful speech, but he also wanted to appear approachable and relatable, and his rhetorical strategy is intended to stoke the audience’s empathy. In a 2009 New Yorker article, D. T. Max writes that Wallace believed good writing should help readers “become less alone inside” (Max, D. T. “The Unfinished.” The New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2009). That desire permeates “This Is Water.” Wallace reveals his vulnerabilities—his struggles with negativity and loneliness—to establish a rapport and serve as an example for the graduates. He wishes the students more than luck because, at first glance, he is a very lucky individual, and yet he admits to struggling with unhappiness. Wallace offers himself up as an archetype to contrast against: It is fine to succeed, gain fame, accumulate wealth, and material happiness, but the graduates will need more than materialism and luck to stay alive and feel alive.