Choice Quote by David Foster Wallace
““Steeply’s face had assumed the openly twisted sneering expression which he knew well Québecers found repellent on Americans. ‘But you assume it’s always choice, conscious, decision. This isn’t just a little naive, Rémy? You sit down with your little accountant’s ledger and soberly decide what to love? Always?’ ‘What if sometimes there is no choice about what to love? What if the temple comes to Mohammed? What if you just love? without deciding? You just do: you see her and in that instant are lost to sober account-keeping and cannot choose but to love?’ Marathe’s sniff held disdain. ‘Then in such a case your temple is self and sentiment. Then in such an instance you are a fanatic of desire, a slave to your individual subjective narrow self’s sentiments; a citizen of nothing. You become a citizen of nothing. You are by yourself and alone, kneeling to yourself.’ A silence ensued this.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Infinite Jest, David Foster Wallace, 1996
The passage questions whether love can be a conscious choice or an involuntary, overwhelming experience that bypasses rational calculation.
In simple terms: Love may happen without deliberate decision.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and accept love’s spontaneous nature.
Themes
love
choice
free will
subjectivity
identity
Mood
conflicted
thoughtful
introspective
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- personal relationships
- artistic creation
- philosophical debate
- self‑reflection
Key Concepts
determinism
existentialism
subjective experience
romantic idealism
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you ever feel love is a decision?
- Can love be both choice and impulse?
A Different Perspective
Some argue love can be cultivated deliberately, contrary to the claim of pure spontaneity.
