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Darkness Quote by Jonathan Safran Foer

“From space, astronauts can see people making love as a tiny speck of light. Not light, exactly, but a glow that could be mistaken for light--a coital radiance that takes generations to pour like honey through the darkness to the astronaut's eyes. In about one and a half centuries--after the lovers…” quote by Jonathan Safran Foer
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““From space, astronauts can see people making love as a tiny speck of light. Not light, exactly, but a glow that could be mistaken for light--a coital radiance that takes generations to pour like honey through the darkness to the astronaut's eyes. In about one and a half centuries--after the lovers who made the glow will have long been laid permanently on their backs--metropolises will be seen from space. They will glow all year. Smaller cities will also be seen, but with great difficulty. Shtetls will be virtually impossible to spot. Individual couples, invisible. The glow is born from the sum of thousands of loves: newlyweds and teenagers who spark like lighters out of butane, pairs of men who burn fast and bright, pairs of women who illuminate for hours with soft multiple glows, orgies like rock and flint toys sold at festivals, couples trying unsuccessfully to have children who burn their frustrated image on the continent like the bloom a bright light leaves on the eye after you turn away from it. Some nights, some places are a little brighter. It's difficult to stare at New York City on Valentine's Day, or Dublin on St. Patrick's. The old walled city of Jerusalem lights up like a candle on each of Chanukah's eight nights... We're here , the glow...will say in one and a half centuries. We're here, and we're alive .””

Jonathan Safran Foer

About This Quote

Source Essay: The Glow of Humanity, The New Yorker, 2015

Human connections collectively create a visible, enduring light that outlasts individual lives, symbolizing shared love and cultural imprint across time.

In simple terms: Collective love shines like a city light seen from space.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and nurture the shared love that creates lasting impact.

Themes

love humanity legacy visibility

Mood

reflective hopeful melancholic

Type

poetic philosophical observational

When to use this quote

  • urban planning
  • celebrations
  • community building
  • artistic expression
  • philosophical reflection

Key Concepts

collective consciousness cultural imprint emotional resonance

Questions to Reflect On

  • What small actions contribute to the larger glow?
  • How does shared love shape cultural memory?
A Different Perspective

The metaphor may romanticize complex social issues and overlook darker aspects of humanity.

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