# Quotes about emptiness - Quotes: 27 - Authors: 21 - Topic page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emptiness - JSON version (same data): https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emptiness.json ## Quotes > We don't have a great war in our generation, or a great depression, but we do, we have a war of the spirit. We have a great revolution against the culture. The great depression is our lives. We have a spiritual depression. [Chuck Palahniuk](https://www.leafyquotes.com/chuck-palahniuk.md) · [Fight Club](https://www.leafyquotes.com/chuck-palahniuk/fight-club.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/chuck-palahniuk/fight-club/we-dont-have.md) Topics: [culture](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/culture.md), [emptiness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emptiness.md) > [T]he recognition of the irredeemable vanity and falsity of all beauty and all greatness is itself a kind of beauty and greatness that fills the soul when it is conveyed by a work of genius. And the spectacle of nothingness is itself a thing in these works, and seems to enlarge the reader’s soul, to raise it up and to make it take satisfaction in itself and its despair. [Giacomo Leopardi](https://www.leafyquotes.com/giacomo-leopardi.md) · [Zibaldone: The Notebooks of Leopardi](https://www.leafyquotes.com/giacomo-leopardi/zibaldone-the-notebooks-of-leopardi.md) · p. 177 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/giacomo-leopardi/zibaldone-the-notebooks-of-leopardi/t-he-recognition-of-the.md) Topics: [art](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/art.md), [emptiness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emptiness.md) > Life had no colour. It was one endless blank sheet, so flat. There were no valleys, streams, no trees–nothing. [Ngugi wa Thiong'o](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ngugi-wa-thiongo.md) · [A Grain of Wheat](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ngugi-wa-thiongo/a-grain-of-wheat.md) · p. 112 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ngugi-wa-thiongo/a-grain-of-wheat/life-had-no-colour.md) Topics: [life](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/life.md), [emptiness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emptiness.md) > The problem lay buried, unspoken for many years in the minds of American women. It was a strange stirring, a sense of dissatisfaction, a yearning that women suffered in the middle of the twentieth century in the United States. Each suburban housewife struggled with it alone. As she made the beds, shopped for groceries, matched slipcover material, ate peanut butter sandwiches with her children, chauffeured Cub Scouts and Brownies, lay beside her husband at night, she was afraid to ask even of herself the silent question — “Is this all?” [Betty Friedan](https://www.leafyquotes.com/betty-friedan.md) · [The Feminine Mystique](https://www.leafyquotes.com/betty-friedan/the-feminine-mystique.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/betty-friedan/the-feminine-mystique/the-problem-lay.md) Topics: [women](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/women.md), [emptiness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emptiness.md) > American housewives have not had their brains shot away, nor are they schizophrenic in the clinical sense. But if … the fundamental human drive is not the urge for pleasure or the satisfaction of biological needs, but the need to grow and to realize one’s full potential, their comfortable, empty, purposeless days are indeed cause for a nameless terror. [Betty Friedan](https://www.leafyquotes.com/betty-friedan.md) · [The Feminine Mystique](https://www.leafyquotes.com/betty-friedan/the-feminine-mystique.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/betty-friedan/the-feminine-mystique/american-housewives-have.md) Topics: [women](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/women.md), [emptiness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emptiness.md), [human potential](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/human-potential.md) > The paradox of monotheism is that the desert God, refuting all other gods, demands acknowledgment within emptiness. The paradox of monotheism is that there is no paradox—only unfathomable singularity [Richard Rodriguez](https://www.leafyquotes.com/richard-rodriguez.md) · [Darling](https://www.leafyquotes.com/richard-rodriguez/darling.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/richard-rodriguez/darling/the-paradox-of-monotheism.md) Topics: [religion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/religion.md), [god](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/god.md), [emptiness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emptiness.md) > God, how pointless and empty the world is! Days filled with cheap and tarnished moments succeed each other, restless and haunted nights follow in bitter routine: the sun shines without brightness, and the moon rises without light. [Malcolm Lowry](https://www.leafyquotes.com/malcolm-lowry.md) · [Under the Volcano](https://www.leafyquotes.com/malcolm-lowry/under-the-volcano.md) · p. 346 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/malcolm-lowry/under-the-volcano/god-how-pointless.md) Topics: [despair](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/despair.md), [emptiness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emptiness.md) > Aside from earning their livings, what did your people do, mostly? Games. Sports. Casinos. Loud machines that went fast. Shopping. Lawsuits blaming other for whatever went wrong. What did they believe in? Conspiracy theories. Racial superiority. Heroes with superpowers. Faith healers. God-loves-you religions. State-supported lotteries. All that enormous energy expended to conquer nothing at all, stadia full of people watching no conquering going on. For every scientist or person in government who really tried to conquer, there were a thousand people buying lottery tickets, drinking beer, watching football, and growing old. [Sheri S. Tepper](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sheri-s-tepper.md) · [The Visitor](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sheri-s-tepper/the-visitor.md) · p. 460 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sheri-s-tepper/the-visitor/aside-from-earning.md) Topics: [consumerism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/consumerism.md), [play](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/play.md), [emptiness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emptiness.md) > There are men here and there to whom the whole of life is like an after-dinner hour with a cigar; easy, pleasant, empty, perhaps enlivened by some fable of strife to be forgotten — before the end is told — even if there happens to be any end to it. [Joseph Conrad](https://www.leafyquotes.com/joseph-conrad.md) · [Lord Jim](https://www.leafyquotes.com/joseph-conrad/lord-jim.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/joseph-conrad/lord-jim/there-are-men.md) Topics: [life](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/life.md), [emptiness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emptiness.md) > It echoed loudly within him because he was hollow at the core. [Joseph Conrad](https://www.leafyquotes.com/joseph-conrad.md) · [Heart of Darkness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/joseph-conrad/heart-of-darkness.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/joseph-conrad/heart-of-darkness/it-echoed-loudly.md) Topics: [emptiness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emptiness.md) > What was the use of money-grubbing, eating, and playing games? That was all he did or had ever done. [E.M. Forster](https://www.leafyquotes.com/em-forster.md) · [Maurice](https://www.leafyquotes.com/em-forster/maurice.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/em-forster/maurice/what-was-the.md) Topics: [meaning of life](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/meaning-of-life.md), [emptiness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emptiness.md) > That feeling of uselessness is no respecter of age and never asks permission, but corrodes people’s souls, repeating over and over: ‘No one is interested in you, you’re nothing, the world doesn’t need your presence.’ [Paulo Coelho](https://www.leafyquotes.com/paulo-coelho.md) · [Manuscript Found in Accra](https://www.leafyquotes.com/paulo-coelho/manuscript-found-in-accra.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/paulo-coelho/manuscript-found-in-accra/that-feeling-of-uselessness.md) Topics: [emptiness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emptiness.md) > Having shown the beneficial impact of meaning orientation, I turn to the detrimental influence of that feeling of which so many patients complain today, namely the feeling of the total and ultimate meaninglessness of their lives. They lack the awareness of a meaning worth living for. They are haunted by the experience of their inner emptiness, a void within themselves; they are caught in that situation which I have called the "existential vacuum". [Viktor Frankl](https://www.leafyquotes.com/viktor-frankl.md) · [Man's Search for Meaning](https://www.leafyquotes.com/viktor-frankl/mans-search-for-meaning.md) · p. 128 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/viktor-frankl/mans-search-for-meaning/having-shown-the.md) Topics: [meaning of life](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/meaning-of-life.md), [emptiness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emptiness.md) > I hated myself. I had created nothing, I belonged to nothingness, to the néant, and it seemed to me that my own death was the only thing that I could create; and still, even then, I thought it might accuse everyone who had ever known me. It would validate all my cynicism, it would prove all my solitary selfishness; it would stand, and be remembered, as a final dark victory. [John Fowles](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-fowles.md) · [Daniel Martin](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-fowles/daniel-martin.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-fowles/daniel-martin/i-hated-myself.md) Topics: [suicide](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/suicide.md), [emptiness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emptiness.md) > Serious reflexion about one's own character will often induce a curious sense of emptiness; and if one knows another person well, one may sometimes intuit a similar void in him. (This is one of the strange privileges of friendship.) [Iris Murdoch](https://www.leafyquotes.com/iris-murdoch.md) · [Sartre](https://www.leafyquotes.com/iris-murdoch/sartre.md) · p. 119 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/iris-murdoch/sartre/serious-reflexion-about.md) Topics: [friendship](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/friendship.md), [emptiness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emptiness.md) > "The strongest guard is placed at the gateway to nothing," he said. "Maybe because the condition of emptiness is too shameful to be divulged." [F.Scott Fitzgerald](https://www.leafyquotes.com/fscott-fitzgerald.md) · [Tender is the Night](https://www.leafyquotes.com/fscott-fitzgerald/tender-is-the-night.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/fscott-fitzgerald/tender-is-the-night/the-strongest-guard.md) Topics: [shame](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/shame.md), [emptiness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emptiness.md) > Is power that—an emptiness? [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ursula-k-le-guin.md) · [Tehanu](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ursula-k-le-guin/tehanu.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ursula-k-le-guin/tehanu/is-power-that-an.md) Topics: [power](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/power.md), [emptiness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emptiness.md) > “You exist: without name, without form. You cannot see the light of day; you cannot see the dark. You sold the green earth and the sun and stars to save yourself. But you have no self. All that which you sold, that is yourself. You have given everything for nothing. And so now you seek to draw the world to you, all that light and life you lost, to fill up your nothingness. But it cannot be filled. Not all the songs of earth, not all the stars of heaven, could fill your emptiness.” [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ursula-k-le-guin.md) · [The Farthest Shore](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ursula-k-le-guin/the-farthest-shore.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ursula-k-le-guin/the-farthest-shore/you-exist-without.md) Topics: [emptiness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emptiness.md) > If he needs a million acres to make him feel rich, seems to me he needs it 'cause he feels awful poor inside hisself, and if he's poor in hisself, there ain't no million acres gonna make him feel rich, an' maybe he's disappointed that nothin' he can do'll make him feel rich. [John Steinbeck](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-steinbeck.md) · [The Grapes of Wrath](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-steinbeck/the-grapes-of-wrath.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-steinbeck/the-grapes-of-wrath/if-he-needs.md) Topics: [wealth](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/wealth.md), [emptiness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emptiness.md) > It is a major defect of our present organized system and the economy of abundance that, without providing great goals, it has taken away some of the important real necessities, leaving people with nothing to do. > > The void is soon filled. Behavior like going into debt on the installment plan, gives an artificial but then real necessity, something to do, paying up. This is the Rat Race, but I doubt that it would be run if people did not need its justifying necessity, for the commodities themselves are not that attractive. [Paul Goodman](https://www.leafyquotes.com/paul-goodman.md) · [Growing Up Absurd](https://www.leafyquotes.com/paul-goodman/growing-up-absurd.md) · p. 154 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/paul-goodman/growing-up-absurd/it-is-a-major.md) Topics: [consumerism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/consumerism.md), [emptiness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emptiness.md) > He's a hollow man. He believes in anything. Hollow men are vulnerable to anyone who offers them something that might fill the void and make them feel less empty. [Dean Koontz](https://www.leafyquotes.com/dean-koontz.md) · [From the Corner of His Eye](https://www.leafyquotes.com/dean-koontz/from-the-corner-of-his-eye.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/dean-koontz/from-the-corner-of-his-eye/hes-a-hollow.md) Topics: [emptiness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emptiness.md) > When you're as hollow as Enoch Kane, the emptiness aches. He's desperate to fill it, but he doesn't have the patience or the commitment to fill it with anything worthwhile… So a man like Kane obsesses on one thing after another — sex, money, food, power, drugs, alcohol — anything that seems to give meaning to his days, but that requires no real self-discovery or self-sacrifice. [Dean Koontz](https://www.leafyquotes.com/dean-koontz.md) · [From the Corner of His Eye](https://www.leafyquotes.com/dean-koontz/from-the-corner-of-his-eye.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/dean-koontz/from-the-corner-of-his-eye/when-youre-as-hollow.md) Topics: [emptiness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emptiness.md) > In every way that counted, I was dead. Inside somewhere maybe I was screaming and weeping and howling like an animal, but that was another person deep inside, another person who had no access to the face and lips and mouth and head, so on the surface I just shrugged and smiled and kept moving. [Neil Gaiman](https://www.leafyquotes.com/neil-gaiman.md) · [Fragile Things](https://www.leafyquotes.com/neil-gaiman/fragile-things.md) · p. 82 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/neil-gaiman/fragile-things/in-every-way.md) Topics: [despair](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/despair.md), [emptiness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emptiness.md) > ... even in the folly of youth we know that nothing lasts, but ... even in that folly we are afraid that maybe Nothing will last, that maybe Nothing will last forever, and anything is better than Nothing.... So now, as another poet sings, That Fancy passed me by And nothing will remain; which, praise the gods, is a damned lie since, praise, O gods! Nothing cannot remain anywhere since nothing is vacuum and vacuum is paradox and unbearable and we will have nothing of it even if we would, the damned-fool poet's Nothing. [William Faulkner](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-faulkner.md) · [The Town](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-faulkner/the-town.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-faulkner/the-town/even-in-the.md) Topics: [youth](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/youth.md), [transience](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/transience.md), [emptiness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emptiness.md) > Erosion of our being by our infirmities: the resulting void is filled by the presence of consciousness, what am I saying? — that void is consciousness itself. [Emil Cioran](https://www.leafyquotes.com/emil-cioran.md) · [The Trouble With Being Born](https://www.leafyquotes.com/emil-cioran/the-trouble-with-being-born.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/emil-cioran/the-trouble-with-being-born/erosion-of-our.md) Topics: [suffering](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/suffering.md), [consciousness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/consciousness.md), [emptiness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emptiness.md) > I dream of wanting — and all I want seems to me worthless. [Emil Cioran](https://www.leafyquotes.com/emil-cioran.md) · [A Short History of Decay](https://www.leafyquotes.com/emil-cioran/a-short-history-of-decay.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/emil-cioran/a-short-history-of-decay/i-dream-of-wanting.md) Topics: [desire](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/desire.md), [emptiness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emptiness.md) > We define only out of despair, we must have a formula... to give a facade to the void. [Emil Cioran](https://www.leafyquotes.com/emil-cioran.md) · [A Short History of Decay](https://www.leafyquotes.com/emil-cioran/a-short-history-of-decay.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/emil-cioran/a-short-history-of-decay/we-define-only.md) Topics: [despair](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/despair.md), [emptiness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/emptiness.md)