The author acknowledges the widespread use of didactic stories in commencement addresses in the United States, drawing attention to the instructive and parable-like aspects of these stories. This recognition gives the impression that the author is aware of the established rules in speeches of this kind and provides a clue that a deviation or unique perspective is on the horizon, so creating anticipation for what is to come. Consequently, it establishes the stage for an unorthodox investigation of the genre of commencement speeches.

In order to hammer home a more complicated concept, this section of the text tells a story about two guys who are enjoying themselves in a bar in a remote part of Alaska. It demonstrates how the use of related events can assist in the communication of deeper ideas, hence making the information more interesting and easy to comprehend. It would appear that the author wants us to connect with the story to have a better understanding of the ideas that are being discussed. Using this method is a brilliant technique to make the message more remembered and accessible to the audience.

The author questions the common idea of liberal arts education by stressing that it's more than just thinking; it also includes the very important job of choosing what to think about. This idea made me think about how schooling has a big effect on how we make choices. I was forced to see intellectual growth in a more complex way. It made me realize how important it is to not only improve our thinking skills but also our ability to choose where our thoughts go. It made me think that education is more than just learning facts; it's also about making choices about how we think which is well-informed and deliberate.

In my point of view, the author's emphasis on conscious choice has a strong resonance with the concept that our default settings can frequently cause us to misinterpret the world that surrounds us. The author emphasizes the relevance of actively engaging with our thoughts and viewpoints by drawing attention to the potential implications that could arise in adulthood if we do not exercise this kind of choice. It is a strong call to mindfulness, encouraging us to break free from automatic responses and take responsibility for our mental processes to negotiate the complexities of the adult world more efficiently.

The author says that a lot of people who think about committing suicide are mentally and spiritually dead before they do it. The implicit argument is based on the idea that people who are suicidal feel a deep emptiness or despair and that their inner state is one of universal deadness. The conclusion is that suicide is just the physical form of a spiritual death that already exists. This shows how deeply people fight emotionally before they take such extreme actions. This passage gets deep!