大衛·福士特·華萊士: 是日已過, 命則隨減, 如少水魚, 斯有何樂? / David Foster Wallace: This is Water !

已故作家 大衛·福士特·華萊士 對凱尼恩學院2005年畢業班的致詞開始如下:

一條老金魚向迎面來的兩位後輩打招呼: 「小兄弟,今天水氣不錯啊!」

数分鐘過後,兩條年輕的金魚回頭望着老魚的背影,不約而同地説: 「水? 那是什麼?」

没有錯,新鮮出爐的畢業生雄心勃勃,首先当然是要找份好入息的工,跟着就是拍拖,找個如意郎君或窈窕淑女,買楼買車,結婚同居,生兒育女。

不論在情場、商場、戰場,這些年輕人都要壓倒群雄英雌,生命和生活都是要唯我獨尊。

在上班下班交通阻塞高峰期,他們詛咒小販丶行人、和其他/她司機。 C'mon get going you jerk, you are blocking the traffic !!

在購物商場排長龍等待付錢時,她們向前面那些慢呑呑的人投以不耐煩和不屑的眼光。 C'mon coupon-lady, cash your welfare cheque somewhere else, you are holding up the line !!

但是朝九晩五数十年之後,他們有没有回想和明白当年戴四方帽離開最高學府的真正意義和使命?

在社会大染甕浸淫日久,她們有没有醒覺到自己已是同流合汚?

她們有没有想到浮沈多載: 是日已過, 命則隨減, 如少水魚, 斯有何樂?

還是 ....

繼續 ....

!!! 唯我獨尊 !!!

像那兩條年輕金魚一樣, 問:「水? 那是什麼?」



以下是節録 The Glossary 对這2013年5月特製視頻之簡介 // A nine minute video with Wallace's voice of the speech was produced by The Glossary and published on the internet in May 2013:

Published on 6 May 2013

In 2005, author David Foster Wallace was asked to give the commencement address to the 2005 graduating class of Kenyon College. However, the resulting speech didn't become widely known until 3 years later, after his tragic death. It is, without a doubt, some of the best life advice we've ever come across, and perhaps the most simple and elegant explanation of the real value of education.

We made this video, built around an abridged version of the original audio recording, with the hopes that the core message of the speech could reach a wider audience who might not have otherwise been interested. However, we encourage everyone to seek out the full speech (because, in this case, the book is definitely better than the movie).
-The Glossary

Listen to the full speech here:
http://www.brainpickings.org/index.ph...

Photo Credit: Screen shots and videos from The Glossary

References / Related Links:

* 普賢菩薩《法句經》: 「是日已過，命亦隨減，如魚少水，斯有何樂......」

* Wikipedia / 大衛·福士特·華萊士（英語：David Foster Wallace，1962年2月21日－2008年9月12日）出生於美國紐約州伊薩卡，美國著名作家，擅長寫作小說、短篇故事。

* Wikipedia / This Is Water: Some Thoughts, Delivered on a Significant Occasion, about Living a Compassionate Life is an essay by David Foster Wallace, first published in book form by Little, Brown and Company in 2009. The text originates from a commencement speech given by Wallace at Kenyon College on May 21, 2005. Before Little, Brown’s publication, a transcript of the speech circulated around the Internet. The essay was also published in The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2006.