Deep water Quote by Jack London
““On every side was the silence, pressing upon them with a tangible presence. It affected their minds as the many atmospheres of deep water affect the body of the diver. It crushed them with the weight of unending vastness and unalterable decree. It crushed them into the remotest recesses of their own minds, pressing out of them, like juices from the grape, all the false ardours and exaltations and undue self-values of the human soul, until they perceived themselves finite and small, specks and motes, moving with weak cunning and little wisdom amidst the play and inter-play of the great blind elements and forces.””
About This Quote
Silence and vastness overwhelm the mind, stripping away pretensions and revealing human finiteness amid indifferent forces.
In simple terms: Silence exposes our smallness.
Key Takeaway
Embrace humility before the unknown.
Themes
existential
nature
humility
Mood
reflective
melancholic
Type
philosophical
poetic
When to use this quote
- meditation
- nature immersion
- creative writing
Key Concepts
philosophy
psychology
cosmology
Questions to Reflect On
- What does confronting insignificance teach you?
- How can you balance awe with agency?
A Different Perspective
Such overwhelming awe can also paralyze rather than enlighten.
![“No one [Islanders] trod easily upon the emotions of another where the sea licked everywhere against an endless shoreline. And this was excellent and poor at the same time-excellent because it meant most people took care, poor because it meant an inbreeding of the spirit, too much held in, regret…” quote by David Guterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d68/david-guterson-8456_quote_no-one-islanders-trod-easily-upon-the-em_1613381.jpg)
