David Foster Wallace’s use of repetition in his short story “This is Water” is incredibly impacting in that it fully supports the theme of human unawareness throughout life. Through his word choice, Wallace illustrates this perspective of human unawareness, through the idea of human’s natural “default setting.” Specifically, Wallace uses the single word think in his writing to address humans natural “default setting” and to address the conscious effort needed by humans to break their hardwired natural “default setting” of selfishness and unawareness. 

Wallace identifies human’s natural “default setting” of selfishness as what defines humanity.  Wallace describes the hardwired “default setting” of humans as “the automatic, unconscious way that I experience the boring, frustrating, crowded parts of adult life” (Wallace). Wallace in this context is generally addressing the claim of how human natural default settings effect behavior in an automatic way that humans are unware off. The author claims “We rarely think about this sort of natural, basic self-centeredness because it’s so socially repulsive.” In this context, the author is now identifying the human natural default setting as something that humans should feel shame of and are not aware of. Generally, Wallace in this instance is claiming how human’s natural “default setting” is completely natural and unnoticed by humans. 

Wallace uses the word “think” in this instance to convey humans journey to self-actualization and awareness in life. The word “think” is describing how humans must be taught and made consciously aware of their natural “default setting” in order to reach simple awareness. “A liberal arts education is not so much about filling you up with knowledge as it is about teaching you how to think” (Wallace). The word “think” in this context creates a basis for Wallace’s viewpoint of education. In this context, Wallace’s underlying view on education claims that human’s reaching simple awareness in life cannot be directly measured by the amount of knowledge learned in school from kindergarten to graduation, but from humanities conscious effort to alter their default setting and no longer see the world through the “lens of self”. According to Wallace, “thinking” in this life is equivalent to being a “well-adjusted” human being.

The word think in the context of education by Wallace specifically defines human’s need to pay attention. “It is extremely difficult to stay alert and attentive instead of getting hypnotized by the constant monologue inside your own head” (Wallace). Wallace addresses the idea of humans “getting hypnotized” and falling into constant routine due to their natural default setting. Also, the need to pay attention to yourself, your thoughts, and others around you to reach simple awareness. Wallace’s viewpoint on education, displays education as learning to pay attention to yourself and the world.  This idea is supported in this context by Wallace encouraging humans to break the hardwired constant cycle of life. The word “Think” in this context is telling people to pay attention to the breaking of this hardwired cycle. 

Wallace references the word “think” as human’s personal choice on how to follow their everyday life in a productive way, and choosing to directly counteract the “default setting”. “This isn’t really about the capacity to think, but rather about the choice of what to think about.” (Wallace). Generally, Wallace in context is claiming how humans have a choice of thought and whether or not to alter their hardwired natural default setting. According to Wallace, although human thought is not limited under the natural default setting, human thought is completely controlled by humans hardwired natural default setting. Humans often forget that thought is in fact a choice. Just because human natural default setting is hardwired into every human does not mean there is no choice in it. “Thinking this way tends to be so easy and automatic it doesn’t have to be a choice” (Wallace). Wallace supports this thought in this context, the author also claims how living under the natural default setting is “automatic and “easy”. Many humans do not realize that they are living their life genetically selfish, unaware, and in constant routine. “It means being conscious and aware enough to choose what you pay attention to and to choose how you construct meaning from experience” (Wallace). Wallace claims in this context referring to choice that humans must make the conscious choice to pay attention to others and escape the life of constant routine, where everything is revolved around one’s self.  According to Wallace, human choice of thought can be mistaken by thought itself. Wallace in this context reminds humans of the choice that is always open, even when life feels “automatic” or “easy” the choice is always open to “think” and go against the human natural default setting. 

More specifically, the usage of the word “think” in this context describes the choice as humans to evaluate or question the origin of our natural default setting and principles as humans. Wallace is employing the usage of the word “think” to challenge and encourage humans to go against the natural default setting. Humans altering the default setting could eventually result in a different outlook on life that is no longer centered around one’s self circumstance. Wallace is employing the usage of the word “think” also to explain the conscious effort that humans must make each and every day to relate and “think” about others. Wallace can now further his argument of our claim of how humans are biologically hardwired to live self-absorbed lives due to their natural default setting. We can now relate this usage of “think” to the overall theme of unawareness, by not making the conscious choice to fight against your natural default setting you will never be completely self-aware of others around you.

Further, the usage of the word “think” in this context describes how unknowingly are actions are to ourselves and how unaware we are of our own morals as humans. Wallace is employing the usage of the word think to help humans realize the roots of humans flaws that are associated with the natural default setting as humans. Wallace can now further his argument of our claim that our natural default setting as humans results in being unnoticed, and is a direct cause of many behaviors by humans that relate to selfishness and unawareness. 

Wallace uses the word “think” to address the choice in thought that humans are faced with in life. Humans have the opportunity to “think” and choose to be mindful of this default setting to change the negative selfish actions associated with it. This results in living a much more fulfilling and happy life. Or humans can follow the natural setting of being selfish and living in an automatic world surrounded by self. The choice that Wallace presents through the word “think” is evident in everyday of life. As people are constantly searching for connections and ways to live a more fulfilling life; The answer lies in the simple word from Wallace’s Commencement speech of “This Is Water”: THINK. 