TOM: This isn’t inspirational. It’s suicidal. He tries that jump, I’m writing a sympathy card for that cat. That’s the last thing I want to be doing with my life. It’s bad enough writing these things for people.
VANCE: Hansen, this is a place of business. We don’t cut down our co- workers –
TOM: That’s cause we’re liars! It’s what we do here. Why don’t we level with people? Stop feeding them nonsense?CO-WORKER (RHODA): We’re a greeting card company.
TOM: Yes but think about it! Why do people buy these things? Not to say how they feel. There’s paper and pens for that. People give these cards when they can’t say how they feel. Or they’re afraid to. And we provide the service that lets ‘em get away with that!-500 days of summer
How many times have we dished out so-called “inspirational” quotes when someone is completely down in the dumps and is wallowing in immense self-pity? I do not doubt the true intentions of the person handing out Hallmark-worthy quotes but doubt the words themselves. At the back of my mind is a myriad of different cliched words and quotes that I dish out (on a silver platter nonetheless) to unsuspecting friends and acquaintances who are after proper advice or just a listening ear. Somehow we tend to think we know it all because we are all armed with an arsenal of politically correct feel-good quotes.
I promise myself and everyone who has a relationship with me to listen closely and to stop recycling from Hallmark because what we all really need is the truth and not sugar-coated mix concocted by a jaded office-worker who does for one second believe the nonsense he just made up.
