Books Quote by Jorge Luis Borges
““If you sell, say, two thousand copies, it is the same thing as if you had sold nothing at all because two thousand is too vast—I mean, for the imagination to grasp. While thirty-seven people—perhaps thirty-seven are too many, perhaps seventeen would have been better or even seven—but still thirty-seven are still within the scope of one's imagination.””
About This Quote
Source Short story: “The Book of Sand”, Jorge Luis Borges, 1975
The quote highlights how large numbers become abstract and hard to visualize, while smaller, concrete numbers are easier for the mind to grasp.
In simple terms: Huge numbers feel abstract; small numbers feel concrete.
Key Takeaway
Use concrete examples to make ideas relatable.
Themes
perception
scale
communication
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
educational
explanatory
When to use this quote
- marketing pitches
- educational explanations
- data presentation
- budget planning
Key Concepts
cognitive psychology
numeracy
visualization
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you make big data understandable?
- When does detail become noise?
A Different Perspective
Large numbers can overwhelm and obscure meaning.
