The quote "The mind abhors a vacancy & is wont to people it with phantoms" from David Mitchell's novel Cloud Atlas suggests that the human mind struggles with emptiness. When faced with a void, it instinctively fills it with thoughts, memories, or imaginations rather than allowing silence or nothingness to persist. This indicates a natural inclination to seek meaning and narratives, reflecting our desire to connect with experiences and ideas.

Mitchell implies that our brains relentlessly create mental constructs or phantoms to occupy our consciousness. This tendency can lead to a rich tapestry of thoughts and creativity; however, it can also result in confusion and distortions of reality. The quote highlights the complexity of the human psyche, emphasizing how essential it is for us to interpret our surroundings and internal landscapes to avoid confronting uncomfortable truths or emptiness.