Philosophy offers the rather cold consolation that perhaps we and our planet do not actually exist; religion presents the contradictory and scarcely more comforting thought that we exist but that we cannot hope to get anywhere until we cease to exist. Alcohol, in attempting to resolve the contradiction, produces vivid patterns of Truth which vanish like snow in the morning sun and cannot be recalled; the revelations of poetry are as wonderful as a comet in the skies -- and as mysterious. Love, which was once believed to contain the Answer, we now know to be nothing more than an inherited behavior pattern.

Summary

This quote highlights the different perspectives on the nature of existence. Philosophy suggests that the reality of our existence is uncertain and that we and our planet may not truly exist. Religion, in contrast, acknowledges our existence but suggests that true fulfillment can only be achieved after death. Alcohol, as a means of escape, offers fleeting insights that are lost upon sobering up. Poetry, like a comet, offers beautiful revelations but remains enigmatic. Lastly, love, once seen as an ultimate solution, is now regarded as a learned behavior rather than an inherent answer to life's mysteries.

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