David Foster Wallace wrote "Shipping Out" primarily as a commentary on the underlying insidious nature of cruise ships and vacation services, rather than merely recounting his personal, miserable experience on a week-long cruise.
Deeper Purpose Beyond the Surface Narrative
While "Shipping Out" appears on the surface to be a detailed, often humorous, and self-deprecating account of Wallace's time aboard a luxury cruise liner, its true intent lies beneath this superficial layer. Wallace used his personal journey as a vehicle to explore and critique the broader implications of modern vacation culture.
His motivation stemmed from an interest in:
- Critiquing Commercialized Leisure: Wallace delved into how the commercial cruise industry meticulously crafts an environment designed to provide "total relaxation" and "ultimate pampering," often at the expense of genuine human experience or critical thought. He aimed to expose the artificiality and engineered happiness that underpin such services.
- Examining the Insidious Nature of Service: The essay scrutinizes the dynamic between the endlessly serving staff and the endlessly consuming passengers, highlighting the subtle ways in which such a system can be dehumanizing for both parties. It challenges readers to consider the true cost and meaning of being catered to in an all-encompassing, artificial environment.
- Exploring American Consumerism and Entitlement: Wallace subtly critiques the mindset of American consumers who seek effortless escapism and expect constant gratification, often oblivious to the complex realities that make such services possible. The cruise ship serves as a microcosm for broader societal trends in consumption and leisure.
In essence, "Shipping Out" goes beyond a simple travelogue to offer a sharp, insightful, and often uncomfortable examination of an industry designed to pacify and entertain, revealing the deeper, more complex truths about modern leisure and its impact on the individual and society.
