Darkness Quote by Haruki Murakami
““The world of the grotesque is the darkness within us. Well before Freud and Jung shined a light on the workings of the subconscious, this correlation between darkness and our subconscious, these two forms of darkness, was obvious to people. It wasn’t a metaphor, even. If you trace it back further, it wasn’t even a correlation. Until Edison invented the electric light, most of the world was totally covered in darkness. The physical darkness outside and the inner darkness of the soul were mixed together, with no boundary separating the two. They were directly linked. Like this.” Oshima brings his two hands together tightly. "But today things are different. The darkness in the outside world has vanished, but the darkness in our hearts remains, virtually unchanged. Just like an iceberg, what we label the ego or consciousness is, for the most part, sunk in darkness. And that estrangement sometimes creates a deep contradiction or confusion within us.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Discussing darkness and the subconscious, 2008
The passage links physical darkness before electric light to inner psychological darkness, suggesting that external illumination didn’t erase inner shadows, which remain tied to ego and consciousness.
In simple terms: External light doesn’t eliminate inner darkness; they’re still connected.
Key Takeaway
Explore and illuminate inner shadows.
Themes
psychology
philosophy
light vs darkness
Mood
introspective
philosophical
Type
interview
reflective
psychological
When to use this quote
- personal introspection
- therapy
- creative writing
- spiritual practice
Key Concepts
subconscious
ego
human nature
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you confront your inner darkness?
- What practices help illuminate the subconscious?
A Different Perspective
Inner darkness can be overwhelming without guidance.
