Most people call something profound, not because it is near some important truth but because it is distant from ordinary life. Thus, darkness is profound to the eye, silence to the ear; what-is-not is the profundity of what-is.

Summary

This quote by philosopher and writer Guillermo Cabrera Infante suggests that people often perceive something as profound not because it is closely connected to essential truths, but because it seems far removed from everyday life. It implies that aspects such as darkness and silence appear profound to our senses because they differ greatly from what we typically experience. The quote also alludes to the idea that the absence or absence of something can offer depth and significance to what exists.

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