Book · 2009 · Self-Help
This Is Water
Some Thoughts, Delivered on a Significant Occasion, about Living a Compassionate Life
Why people recommend it
This Is Water by David Foster Wallace is a famous commencement speech delivered at Kenyon College in 2005 that was later published as a short book, offering philosophical reflections on awareness, empathy, and the meaning of daily life. On The Tim Ferriss Show, Hugh Jackman recommended the commencement speech as a short book that he frequently gives away as a gift to others, echoing similar sentiments expressed by fellow guest Marco Canora. Canora explained that he commonly gives the book out, praising its concise length and the perfection of its core message. Mel Robbins discussed the work on The Mel Robbins Podcast to illustrate the psychological concept of busyness, comparing the daily grind to the water that fish swim in without realizing it. Josh Waitzkin similarly brought up Wallace's insightful work on The Tim Ferriss Show to describe how people frequently fail to recognize the immediate environments, cultural constructs, or invisible assumptions they operate within every single day. Across these various podcast appearances, speakers consistently highlight the profound impact of Wallace's brief yet resonant observations. Whether used as a thoughtful holiday present for a team or as an intellectual framework for understanding human consciousness and habitual blindness, This Is Water continues to be celebrated for its ability to cut through the noise of modern existence and challenge readers to pay closer attention to their surroundings.
Who recommended it
- Hugh Jackman Recommended
- Mel Robbins Discussed
- Marco Canora Recommended
- Josh Waitzkin Discussed
Hugh Jackman — 2 mentions
“one is eie wh's here is New York and the other one is David Foster Wallace's speech this is water his commencement speech”
“and the other one is David Foster Wallace's speech this is water his commencement speech I've heard you talk about the David Foster Wallace once I know you know that”
Mel Robbins — 1 mention
“and in 2005 at Kenyan College he gave this address that was later turned into the book this is water”
Marco Canora — 1 mention
“this is Water by David Foster Wallace is one I commonly give because it's just it's so short and and the message is so perfect in my opinion”
Josh Waitzkin — 1 mention
“It's like that idea, that great David Foster Wallace discussion around, This is Water, built around the metaphor of a fish swimming in water doesn't know what water is.”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (2: passing, ad reads, own books)
“It reminds me a little bit of the old David Foster Wallace quote where a fish goes up to the other fish and is like, uh, it's crazy. We're swimming around in water and the fish says, "What's water?"”
“it reminds me of David Foster Wallace in a bit uh like that commencement speech where he says what is water”