Author David Foster Wallace discusses the importance of conscious awareness in shaping our experiences, challenging ingrained certainties, and making deliberate choices about what to focus on. He explores the implications of arrogance, the significance of choosing what to worship in life, and the value of a holistic education that fosters critical thinking and growth.

David Foster Wallace, American writer and novelist, discusses his experiences following the doomed campaign of John McCain for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000. The podcast explores the impact of negative campaigning and the rise of technology, comparing the 2000 election to the Trump era. It also contrasts Wallace's authenticity with Trump's cynicism as political figures and examines the influence of Trump's controversial remarks on the current political landscape.

We dive into David Foster Wallace’s sprawling 1993 essay “E Unibus Pluram: Television and U.S. Fiction.” How do TV and new forms of media keep their hold on us when we know at some level that they’re reinforcing our loneliness and passivity? That’s easy, Wallace says, post-modern cool. Flatter me, let me think we’re all in the joke together, give me “an ironic permission-slip to do what I do best whenever I feel confused and guilty: assume, inside, a sort of fetal position, a pose of passive reception to comfort, escape, reassurance.” But in the years since this essay, the TV landscape has completely transformed. Has it transcended its function as a surrogate companion for lonely people, or has it just found new ways to keep us isolated and passive? Plus, we talk about the recent new SPSP guidelines and Jon Haidt’s recent essay on why he’s resigning from the organization. (Sorry, Jon!) Sponsored By: BetterHelp: You deserve to be happy. BetterHelp online counseling is there for you. Connect with your professional counselor in a safe and private online environment. Our listeners get 10% off the first month by visiting BetterHelp.com/vbw. Promo Code: VBW Support Very Bad Wizards Links: The Two Fiduciary Duties of Professors - Heterodox Academy | Heterodox Academy SPSP DEI submission guidelines E Unibus Pluram: Television and U.S. Fiction by David Foster Wallace

David and Tamler dive into David Foster Wallace’s celebrated and surprisingly earnest Kenyon College commencement speech “This is Water”. How can we escape the prison and prism of our (literally) self-centered perspective? Can we choose to adjust our natural default settings, take a break from our running inner monologue, and pay attention to what’s in front of us right now? Is DFW appealing to Buddhist ideas or something more general that you can be found across all spiritual traditions? Plus we ask the AI ethics program “Ask Delphi” some tough moral questions (spoiler alert: "just the tip" is "rude"), and almost get into a big fight about the potential of AI ethical robots (but we’re saving that argument for a future episode). Sponsored By: BetterHelp: You deserve to be happy. BetterHelp online counseling is there for you. Connect with your professional counselor in a safe and private online environment. Our listeners get 10% off the first month by visiting Betterhelp.com/vbw. Promo Code: VBW GiveWell: GiveWell searches for the charities that save or improve lives the most per dollar. We recommend a small number of charities that can do an incredible amount of good. Your donation can make a meaningful difference for some of the poorest people in the world. First-time donors will have their donation matched up to $250 (until funds last). Promo Code: verybadwizards Support Very Bad Wizards Links: Artificial intelligence turns racist after learning from humans | Metro News Ask Delphi Very Bad Wizards Episode 91: Rage Against the Machines This is Water by David Foster Wallace (Full Transcript and Audio) - Farnam Street

Deborah Treisman reads and discusses “Good People,” by David Foster Wallace, which appeared in a 2007 issue of the magazine. David Foster Wallace, who died in 2008, was the author of three short-story collections and three novels, including “Infinite Jest,” and “The Pale King,” which was published posthumously, in 2011, and was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices