I asked her, Are you an optimist or a pessimist? She looked at her watch and said, I'm optimistic. Then I have some bad news for you, because humans are going to destroy each others as soon as it becomes easy enough to, which will be very soon. Why do beautiful songs make you sad? Because they aren't true. Never? Nothing is beautiful and true. She smiled, but in a way that wasn't just happy, and said, You sound just like Dad.
In this excerpt from Jonathan Safran Foer's "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close," a conversation reveals a stark contrast between optimism and pessimism. The speaker challenges the woman's optimistic view by predicting that humans will soon turn against one another. This bleak outlook suggests a troubling belief about human nature, reflecting a cynicism that stands in stark opposition to her hopeful perspective.
The dialogue also touches on the nature of beauty and truth, as the speaker expresses that beautiful songs evoke sadness because they do not reflect reality. The woman's response, reminiscent of her father, implies a deeper connection to familial bonds and shared outlooks. This interplay of hope and despair prompts reflection on the complexities of life, art, and human relationships.
