This is Water

Wallace approaches the act of giving a speech from a metafiction angle. What effects does this have? How might it empower or detract from the points he makes in “This Is Water”? Can you cite parallels between metafiction and his speech’s lessons?

Pathos appeals to an audience’s emotions, ethos to their ethics, and logos to their reason. Citing examples, how does Wallace use these rhetorical techniques to convey his messages? Do you find his approaches successful, or does he fall short? How so, and why?

What are some strengths and weaknesses to a perspectivist approach? Do you believe truth and meaning to be subjective and unique to everyone? Choose a concept from “This Is Water” (e.g., compassion, belief, social consciousness) and examine how a perspectivist interpretation informs this idea.

Wittgenstein saw every problem from a religious angle. “This Is Water” states that “everybody worships.” What are some examples of pursuits—besides money, wealth, and power—that adopt entrenched belief systems? How does society reward these pursuits, and how might they lack worthwhile meaning?

How does Wallace’s reaction to postmodernism inform “This Is Water”? How do irony and cynicism versus sincerity and authenticity play a role in the speech? Pick one piece of media or writing from 2005 or later and describe its relationship to this conflict.

What are your thoughts on Wallace’s idea of a “default mode”? Do you agree with his stance that awareness must be cultivated to fight the brain’s deterministic nature? Why or why not? For example, do you believe Wallace has a uniquely pessimistic view of how humans operate?

Discuss how the speech’s content relates to today’s society. Does it still hold relevance or are some of its arguments outdated? What are some cultural, psychological, and social differences or similarities between Wallace’s depiction of America then and America now?

Take a counter position to the thesis of “This Is Water.” How might mindfulness or awareness detrimentally effect one’s life journey? Are there examples of extremes to these doctrines? What are the benefits to understanding the world from an objective and self-interested viewpoint?