I cannot respect any theory of evil that so neatly immunizes itself against empirical disconfirmation," said Gordon. "All theodicies requiring belief… - James Morrow

A golden age, Londa calls it. She hopes it will return."
"Golden ages rarely return," I said "especially if they never existed.

As Jean-Paul Sartre reminds us, in the case of human beings this metaphysic is reversed: a person’s existence precedes his essence—he is a subject among objects. The danger, says Sartre, following Heidegger, is that he will “fall” into the world of objects, becoming ever after the prisoner of arbitrary strictures masquerading as universal principles.

The state flower of New Jersey is the common violet," she explained, smirking, "the state bird is the eastern goldfinch, and the state fragrance is unrefined petroleum.