Brain Quote by Margaret Atwood
“Confronted by too much emptiness ... the brain invents. Loneliness creates company as thirst creates water. How many sailors have been wrecked in pursuit of islands that were merely a shimmering?”
About This Quote
Source Novel: "The Blind Assassin" by Margaret Atwood, 2000
Emptiness drives the mind to create imagined companions, similar to how thirst creates water.
In simple terms: Loneliness spawns imagined friends.
Key Takeaway
Seek genuine connection over fantasy.
Themes
loneliness
imagination
desire
Mood
melancholic
thoughtful
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- mental health
- creative writing
- relationship building
- spiritual seeking
Key Concepts
psychology
existentialism
Questions to Reflect On
- When do you turn to imagination for comfort?
- What real connections could replace imagined ones?
A Different Perspective
Imagined companions may prevent confronting real issues.
![“Mac [Barnett] and I prank each other during our presentation. We show baby pictures of each other looking completely ridiculous. I can't believe the frilly shirt that I'm in, and Mac's wearing a sailor suit and playing a toy piano. That's a perfect example of a good prank, where we have three…” quote by Jory John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/afb/jory-john-60334_assembly_mac-barnett-and-i-prank-each-other-durin_50495.jpg)
