Why is it that we as humans are so inclined to self-centeredness? We could blame science, Darwin’s Theory, or just simply today’s culture. Either way, humans are naturally self-centered and are inclined to put our own needs before the needs of others. If we are hungry we become focused on what it is that we want to eat, our first instinct isn’t to see if others around us are hungry too. We always think through the words of “I, I, I” or “me, me, me. “David Foster Wallace recognizes this natural self-centeredness and condemns it through the symbolism of what he calls the “default setting.” Because the human mind is naturally selfish, Wallace challenges his listeners to break away from this common characteristic and instead be cognizant of others, as well as the world around. His main message is that we must first acknowledge the existence of others as well as the world around us before we may acknowledge ourselves. Through symbolization of the “default setting,” Wallace proves that the human mind must be manually controlled in order to fully experience life.

Wallace first introduces the “default setting” by explaining that it is automatic for humans. We must be able to recognize it as our own subconscious self-centered thought. Wallace states that virtue is “a matter of choosing to do the work of somehow altering or getting free of my natural, hard-wired default setting which is,,,to see and interpret everything through this lens of self.” The default setting is truly a lens that clouds our vision of the world and others. Because we are always so self-involved, we forget about the amazing occurrences happening around it. It is equivalent to ignoring something that is in plain sight right in front of your face. Wallace also makes an interesting point about the fact that humans experience difficulty trying to stay alert when we are always being hypnotized by our own constant thought. We cannot start to take in the world around us unless we first acknowledge our fault of self-centeredness and actively try to remove it from our minds.

Since most of the world is unable to acknowledge this natural self-centeredness, people are going through the motions of life without truly living. Wallace references this point first by stating the fact that most suicides are a result of a person shooting themselves in the head. He believes that this statistic comes from peoples’ want to shoot and get rid of what pains them the most: their own minds. Wallace also warns his audience about living “dead.” By this expression, he is talking about going through the motions of life with no control of your conscious thought. He tells the students that they must refrain from, “going through your comfortable, prosperous, respectable adult life dead, unconscious, a slave to your own head and to your natural default setting of being uniquely, completely, imperially alone day in and day out.” In order to live a life of true happiness people must take control of their own default settings. This means that we as humans must control our minds before they take control of us. If we force ourselves to take in the world around and be altruistic instead of self-centered, then we will never live our lives “dead.” 

A monumental part of life is human social interaction. Everyday people encounter one another whether we choose acknowledge it or not. However, during these encounters our minds remain stuck on their “default setting.” This means that people’s train of thought while in the presence of others is still self-centered. Wallace explains that during everyday activities, like going to the grocery store, or driving home from work, we are so caught up in our own worries and issues that we never think that maybe those around us have their own worries and issues too. Wallace says, 

“If you’re automatically sure that you know what reality is, and you are operating on your default setting, then you, like me, probably won’t consider possibilities that aren't annoying and miserable. But if you learn how to pay attention, then you will know there are other options.”

Here Wallace is encouraging students to break free from the default setting of self-centeredness and to acknowledge that others may be living under worse circumstances. By reminding ourselves to be empathetic towards others, we may overcome those strenuous activities, like grocery shopping and sitting in traffic with ease. In a twisted way, self-benefit comes from acknowledging and having empathy for others.

Throughout his commencement address, Wallace throws his advice as well as his warnings about life ahead into the crowd of students sitting before him. Wallace differentiates himself from other commencement speakers by the way he delivers his advice and warnings. Through his symbolism of the default setting, Wallace explains to students what he believes to be the key to success in life: control over our own minds. Like Wallace explains, the human mind is unbelievably powerful, and even more powerful having received a liberal arts education. However, Wallace emphasizes that because our minds are so powerful, they will control us if we don’t manually control them. By tying this idea into people’s default setting of self-centeredness, Wallace is explaining to the recent graduates that they must force themselves away from self-centeredness even in the most tedious of times to live a fulfilled life.