I remember a conversation with Kafka which began with present-day Europe and the decline of the human race.

'We are nihilistic thoughts, suicidal thoughts, that come into God's head', Kafka said. This reminded me at first of the Gnostic view of life: God as the evil demiurge, the world as his Fall.

'Oh no', said Kafka, 'our world is only a bad mood of God, a bad day of his'.

'Then there is hope outside this manifestation of the world that we know'.

He smiled. 'Oh, plenty of hope, an infinite amount of hope – but not for us'.

Max Brod