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There comes a time when the blankness of the future is just so extreme, it's like such a black wall of nothingness. Not of bad things like a cave full of monsters and so, you're afraid of entering it. It's just nothingness, the void, emptiness and it is just horrible. It's like contemplating a future-less future and so you just want to step out of it. The monstrosity of being alive overwhelms you.
Stephen Fry
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote explores the overwhelming nature of confronting an uncertain and void-like future.

Stephen Fry's quote reflects the existential dread that can accompany the contemplation of a future that feels devoid of purpose or direction. He describes the terrifying blankness of the future, not as a fearful threat, but as an unsettling emptiness that can overwhelm one's sense of being. This captures a profound philosophical struggle with existence and the fear of the unknown, suggesting that facing such voids can be a deeply unsettling emotional experience.

Themes

FutureNothingnessVoidExistenceDread

In practice

Example use cases

In a motivational speech about overcoming fears.

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Money is to Everything as an Aeroplane is to Australia. The aeroplane isn't Australia, but it remains the only practical way we know of reaching it. So perhaps, metonymically, the aeroplane is Australia after all.
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