Fyodor Dostoyevsky – Quotes and Short Biography

  • Post category:Philosophy

Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky was born on 11 November 1821 to Dr. Mikhail Dostoevsky and Maria Dostoevskaya. From a young age, Fyodor was soaked in fantasy, religious reverence, and tragedy. The Dostoevsky family home was located on the grounds of the Mariinsky Hospital for the Poor. This area was a lower-class district in Moscow. Growing up in a lower-class neighborhood, the young Dostoevsky was subject to many disturbing sights and events. Most of these traumatic events would later be recounted in his novels. 

Dostoevsky’s Climb To Literary Fame

Dostoevsky, like most great writers, fell in love with literature at an early age. At a time where he would not have known his love for the stories of dragons, fairies, and knights was to be called a passion for literature. Dostoevsky would not be able to actualize this love until a much later age. He had joined the military as an engineer. Where he earned a handsome wage for both his service and from his side job translating books, it was at this time where he took his first stab at writing something of his own.

Fyodor Dostoevsky grew to literary fame after writing his novel Poor Folk. This book, primarily written for the purpose of making money, became his way into the literary community. After the publication of the book, he gained entrance and joined a literary group that discussed banned books that criticized Tsarist Russia. As a result of being a part of this group, he was arrested in 1849 and sentenced to death. Just before his execution, his sentence was commuted, and he was sent to a Siberian prison camp for four years before being forced into six years of military service in exile. 

After his imprisonment and military service, he became a journalist. He traveled across western Europe and picked up a gambling addiction along the way. It was this gambling addiction that eventually resulted in his immense financial hardship. It would be sometime before he would go from a begging man to one of the most celebrated Russian writers of all time. Along the way, he would undergo the death of a child, one failed marriage, and extreme political pressure.

Books Written By Fyodor Dostoevsky

Dostoyevsky, regardless of his terrible circumstances, persevered and produced a large volume of works. Each of his works covers topics in the areas of Psychology, Philosophy, and Christianity. It can be said of him that he never produced a work that lacked profundity. If he put pen to paper, he always said something that mattered. None of his works are trivial. That being said, I will list the books written by him that have become staples in our literary tradition and should be required reading for anyone with eyes.

Notes from Underground (1864) 

Summary Courtesy of GradeSaver.com

This novel expressed the liberal ideals of the 1860s, insisting that the spread of reason would eventually lead to a perfect world. In the Notes, Dostoevsky attacks this idea as overly naive. He opposes the spread of Western rationalist ideas, believing instead in the necessity of a return to purely Russian ideals. In place of reason and materialism, Dostoevsky wants to offer the Christian ideals of love and self-sacrifice, showing that the liberals miss these entirely. Dostoevsky also implicitly attacks the liberals’liberals’ tendency to blame Russia’sRussia’s problems on anything but themselves, insisting that human beings must take responsibility for themselves. The Underground Man demonstrates the absurdity of refusing responsibility most clearly, as he attempts to blame his depravity not on himself but on the laws of nature and on his own consciousness.

Altshuler, Roman. “Notes from Underground Study Guide.” GradeSaver, 1 July 2000 Web. 22 October 2019.

Crime and Punishment (1866)

Summary Courtesy of Wikipedia

Crime and Punishment focuses on the mental anguish and moral dilemmas of Rodion Raskolnikov, an impoverished ex-student in Saint Petersburg who formulates a plan to kill an unscrupulous pawnbroker for her money. Before the killing, Raskolnikov believes that with the money, he could liberate himself from poverty and go on to perform great deeds. However, once it is done, he finds himself racked with confusion, paranoia, and disgust for what he has done. His ethical justifications disintegrate completely as he struggles with guilt and horror and confronts the real-world moral consequences of his deed.

This content is from Wikipedia. Please use discretion, do not consider this content academic or citable. This summary is offered as a layman’s introduction to Crime and Punishment.

The Idiot (1868–1869)

Summary Courtesy of GradeSaver.com

Despite the fact that the story told in The Idiot does get bogged down by needless plot complications, at heart, the story is one of theme. What would happen in the modern world if a figure of goodness and light in the mold of Jesus Christ should appear? How would a society raised to worship the image of Christ through the teachings of religion actually treat someone who manifested those qualities which make Jesus so unique as a human? It is precisely because of the deep and universal resonance of this theme that The Idiot has been even more popular for adaptation by other artists than more well-know and better constructed Dostoevsky novels like Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov.

Sexton, Timothy. “The Idiot Background.” GradeSaver, 23 October 2017 Web. 22 October 2019.

Demons (1871–1872)

Summary Courtesy of GradeSaver.com

Demons is the sixth novel written by Fyodor Dostoevsky and published in 1871-1872. It’sIt’s one of the most politicized novels, which Dostoevsky wrote under the impression from the occurrence of shoots of the terrorist and radical movements among the Russian intellectuals and people not of noble birth. The immediate prototype of the plot of the novel was Ivan Ivanov, a murdered a student, whose case caused a great resonance in society and was planned by S. G. Nechayev in order to strengthen his power in the revolutionary terrorist group. The novel reflects the phenomenon of political life of the country that struck all people – “Nechaevism.”

Marchyn, Aleksei. “Demons Background”. GradeSaver, 12 June 2016 Web. 22 October 2019.

The Brothers Karamazov (1879–1880)

Summary Courtesy of Wikipedia

The Brothers Karamazov is a passionate philosophical novel set in 19th-century Russia that enters deeply into the ethical debates of God, free will, and morality. It is a spiritual drama of moral struggles concerning faith, doubt, judgment, and reason, set against a modernizing Russia, with a plot that revolves around the subject of patricide. Dostoevsky composed much of the novel in Staraya Russa, which inspired the primary setting. Since its publication, it has been acclaimed as one of the supreme achievements in world literature.

This content is from Wikipedia. Please use discretion, do not consider this content academic or citable. This summary is offered as a layman’s introduction to The Brothers Karamazov.

Without further ado, below you will find 60 quotes by Fyodor Dostoyevsky that will introduce you to his wit, heart, and literary style.

“This is my last message to you: in sorrow, seek happiness.”― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
“Right or wrong, it's very pleasant to break something from time to time.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“Man is a mystery. It needs to be unravelled, and if you spend your whole life unravelling it, don't say that you've wasted time. I am studying that mystery because I want to be a human being.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“I swear to you gentlemen, that to be overly conscious is a sickness, a real, thorough sickness.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, Notes from Underground
“Man is sometimes extraordinarily, passionately, in love with suffering...” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“I can see the sun, but even if I cannot see the sun, I know that it exists. And to know that the sun is there - that is living.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
“If you wish to glimpse inside a human soul and get to know a man, don't bother analyzing his ways of being silent, of talking, of weeping, of seeing how much he is moved by noble ideas; you will get better results if you just watch him laugh. If he laughs well, he's a good man.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“You can be sincere and still be stupid.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“It is not the brains that matter most, but that which guides them — the character, the heart, generous qualities, progressive ideas.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“Beauty will save the world.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Idiot
“Don’t let us forget that the causes of human actions are usually immeasurably more complex and varied than our subsequent explanations of them.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Idiot
“It is better to be unhappy and know the worst, than to be happy in a fool's paradise.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Idiot
“Besides, nowadays, almost all capable people are terribly afraid of being ridiculous, and are miserable because of it.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
“Nothing is easier than to denounce the evildoer; nothing is more difficult than to understand him.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“The more stupid one is, the closer one is to reality. The more stupid one is, the clearer one is. Stupidity is brief and artless, while intelligence squirms and hides itself. Intelligence is unprincipled, but stupidity is honest and straightforward.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
“The cleverest of all, in my opinion, is the man who calls himself a fool at least once a month.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“I used to analyze myself down to the last thread, used to compare myself with others, recalled all the smallest glances, smiles and words of those to whom I’d tried to be frank, interpreted everything in a bad light, laughed viciously at my attempts ‘to be like the rest’ –and suddenly, in the midst of my laughing, I’d give way to sadness, fall into ludicrous despondency and once again start the whole process all over again – in short, I went round and round like a squirrel on a wheel.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment
“My God, a moment of bliss. Why, isn't that enough for a whole lifetime?” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, White Nights
“Love in action is a harsh and dreadful thing compared to love in dreams.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
“There is something at the bottom of every new human thought, every thought of genius, or even every earnest thought that springs up in any brain, which can never be communicated to others, even if one were to write volumes about it and were explaining one's idea for thirty-five years; there's something left which cannot be induced to emerge from your brain, and remains with you forever; and with it you will die, without communicating to anyone perhaps the most important of your ideas.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Idiot
“Lack of originality, everywhere, all over the world, from time immemorial, has always been considered the foremost quality and the recommendation of the active, efficient and practical man.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Idiot
“I am a dreamer. I know so little of real life that I just can’t help re-living such moments as these in my dreams, for such moments are something I have very rarely experienced. I am going to dream about you the whole night, the whole week, the whole year.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, White Nights
“A hundred suspicions don't make a proof.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment
“Grown-up people do not know that a child can give exceedingly good advice even in the most difficult case.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Idiot
“The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to such a pass that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love, and in order to occupy and distract himself without love he gives way to passions and coarse pleasures, and sinks to bestiality in his vices, all from continual lying to other men and to himself.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
“The fear of appearances is the first symptom of impotence.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment
“The man who has a conscience suffers whilst acknowledging his sin. That is his punishment.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment
“Love all God’s creation, both the whole and every grain of sand. Love every leaf, every ray of light. Love the animals, love the plants, love each separate thing. If thou love each thing thou wilt perceive the mystery of God in all; and when once thou perceive this, thou wilt thenceforward grow every day to a fuller understanding of it: until thou come at last to love the whole world with a love that will then be all-embracing and universal.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
“Lying to ourselves is more deeply ingrained than lying to others.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“One can't understand everything at once, we can't begin with perfection all at once! In order to reach perfection one must begin by being ignorant of a great deal. And if we understand things too quickly, perhaps we shan't understand them thoroughly.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Idiot
“Right or wrong, it's very pleasant to break something from time to time.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“This is my last message to you: in sorrow, seek happiness.”― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
“Man is a mystery. It needs to be unravelled, and if you spend your whole life unravelling it, don't say that you've wasted time. I am studying that mystery because I want to be a human being.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“I swear to you gentlemen, that to be overly conscious is a sickness, a real, thorough sickness.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, Notes from Underground
“Man is sometimes extraordinarily, passionately, in love with suffering...” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“I can see the sun, but even if I cannot see the sun, I know that it exists. And to know that the sun is there - that is living.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
“If you wish to glimpse inside a human soul and get to know a man, don't bother analyzing his ways of being silent, of talking, of weeping, of seeing how much he is moved by noble ideas; you will get better results if you just watch him laugh. If he laughs well, he's a good man.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“You can be sincere and still be stupid.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“It is not the brains that matter most, but that which guides them — the character, the heart, generous qualities, progressive ideas.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“Beauty will save the world.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Idiot
“Don’t let us forget that the causes of human actions are usually immeasurably more complex and varied than our subsequent explanations of them.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Idiot
“It is better to be unhappy and know the worst, than to be happy in a fool's paradise.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Idiot
“Besides, nowadays, almost all capable people are terribly afraid of being ridiculous, and are miserable because of it.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
“Nothing is easier than to denounce the evildoer; nothing is more difficult than to understand him.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“The more stupid one is, the closer one is to reality. The more stupid one is, the clearer one is. Stupidity is brief and artless, while intelligence squirms and hides itself. Intelligence is unprincipled, but stupidity is honest and straightforward.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
“The cleverest of all, in my opinion, is the man who calls himself a fool at least once a month.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“I used to analyze myself down to the last thread, used to compare myself with others, recalled all the smallest glances, smiles and words of those to whom I’d tried to be frank, interpreted everything in a bad light, laughed viciously at my attempts ‘to be like the rest’ –and suddenly, in the midst of my laughing, I’d give way to sadness, fall into ludicrous despondency and once again start the whole process all over again – in short, I went round and round like a squirrel on a wheel.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment
“My God, a moment of bliss. Why, isn't that enough for a whole lifetime?” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, White Nights
“Love in action is a harsh and dreadful thing compared to love in dreams.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
“There is something at the bottom of every new human thought, every thought of genius, or even every earnest thought that springs up in any brain, which can never be communicated to others, even if one were to write volumes about it and were explaining one's idea for thirty-five years; there's something left which cannot be induced to emerge from your brain, and remains with you forever; and with it you will die, without communicating to anyone perhaps the most important of your ideas.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Idiot
“Lack of originality, everywhere, all over the world, from time immemorial, has always been considered the foremost quality and the recommendation of the active, efficient and practical man.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Idiot
“I am a dreamer. I know so little of real life that I just can’t help re-living such moments as these in my dreams, for such moments are something I have very rarely experienced. I am going to dream about you the whole night, the whole week, the whole year.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, White Nights
“A hundred suspicions don't make a proof.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment
“Grown-up people do not know that a child can give exceedingly good advice even in the most difficult case.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Idiot
“The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to such a pass that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love, and in order to occupy and distract himself without love he gives way to passions and coarse pleasures, and sinks to bestiality in his vices, all from continual lying to other men and to himself.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
“The fear of appearances is the first symptom of impotence.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment
“The man who has a conscience suffers whilst acknowledging his sin. That is his punishment.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment
“Love all God’s creation, both the whole and every grain of sand. Love every leaf, every ray of light. Love the animals, love the plants, love each separate thing. If thou love each thing thou wilt perceive the mystery of God in all; and when once thou perceive this, thou wilt thenceforward grow every day to a fuller understanding of it: until thou come at last to love the whole world with a love that will then be all-embracing and universal.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
“Lying to ourselves is more deeply ingrained than lying to others.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“One can't understand everything at once, we can't begin with perfection all at once! In order to reach perfection one must begin by being ignorant of a great deal. And if we understand things too quickly, perhaps we shan't understand them thoroughly.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Idiot
“There is only one thing that I dread: not to be worthy of my sufferings.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“What makes a hero? Courage, strength, morality, withstanding adversity? Are these the traits that truly show and create a hero? Is the light truly the source of darkness or vice versa? Is the soul a source of hope or despair? Who are these so called heroes and where do they come from? Are their origins in obscurity or in plain sight?” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“But I always liked side-paths, little dark back-alleys behind the main road- there one finds adventures and surprises, and precious metal in the dirt.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
“I believe the best definition of man is the ungrateful biped.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“The whole work of man really seems to consist in nothing but proving to himself every minute that he is a man and not a piano key.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky
“But man is a fickle and disreputable creature and perhaps, like a chess-player, is interested in the process of attaining his goal rather than the goal itself.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky
“The man who lies to himself can be more easily offended than anyone else. You know it is sometimes very pleasant to take offense, isn't it? A man may know that nobody has insulted him, but that he has invented the insult for himself, has lied and exaggerated to make it picturesque, has caught at a word and made a mountain out of a molehill--he knows that himself, yet he will be the first to take offense, and will revel in his resentment till he feels great pleasure in it.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
“My friend, the truth is always implausible, did you know that? To make the truth more plausible, it's absolutely necessary to mix a bit of falsehood with it. People have always done so.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Demons
“It is not as a child that I believe and confess Jesus Christ. My hosanna is born of a furnace of doubt.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky
“I go to spread the tidings, I want to spread the tidings — of what? Of the truth, for I have seen it, have seen it with my own eyes, have seen it in all its glory.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky
“We sometimes encounter people, even perfect strangers, who begin to interest us at first sight, somehow suddenly, all at once, before a word has been spoken.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“What is hell? I maintain that it is the suffering of being unable to love.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“The soul is healed by being with children.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“If there is no God, everything is permitted.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“Much unhappiness has come into the world because of bewilderment and things left unsaid.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“Man grows used to everything, the scoundrel.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“To live without Hope is to Cease to live.” - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
“To love someone means to see him as God intended him.” - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
“Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
“For socialism is not merely the labour question, it is before all things the atheistic question, the question of the form taken by atheism to-day, the question of the tower of Babel built without God, not to mount to heaven from earth but to set up heaven on earth.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
“Man only likes to count his troubles; he doesn't calculate his happiness.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“Talking nonsense is the sole privilege mankind possesses over the other organisms. It's by talking nonsense that one gets to the truth! I talk nonsense, therefore I'm human.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“People speak sometimes about the "bestial" cruelty of man, but that is terribly unjust and offensive to beasts, no animal could ever be so cruel as a man, so artfully, so artistically cruel.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky
“It takes something more than intelligence to act intelligently.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment
“But how could you live and have no story to tell?” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, White Nights
“The mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive, but in finding something to live for.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
“Nothing in this world is harder than speaking the truth, nothing easier than flattery.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“The world says: "You have needs -- satisfy them. You have as much right as the rich and the mighty. Don't hesitate to satisfy your needs; indeed, expand your needs and demand more." This is the worldly doctrine of today. And they believe that this is freedom. The result for the rich is isolation and suicide, for the poor, envy and murder.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
“There is only one thing that I dread: not to be worthy of my sufferings.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“What makes a hero? Courage, strength, morality, withstanding adversity? Are these the traits that truly show and create a hero? Is the light truly the source of darkness or vice versa? Is the soul a source of hope or despair? Who are these so called heroes and where do they come from? Are their origins in obscurity or in plain sight?” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“But I always liked side-paths, little dark back-alleys behind the main road- there one finds adventures and surprises, and precious metal in the dirt.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
“I believe the best definition of man is the ungrateful biped.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“The whole work of man really seems to consist in nothing but proving to himself every minute that he is a man and not a piano key.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky
“But man is a fickle and disreputable creature and perhaps, like a chess-player, is interested in the process of attaining his goal rather than the goal itself.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky
“The man who lies to himself can be more easily offended than anyone else. You know it is sometimes very pleasant to take offense, isn't it? A man may know that nobody has insulted him, but that he has invented the insult for himself, has lied and exaggerated to make it picturesque, has caught at a word and made a mountain out of a molehill--he knows that himself, yet he will be the first to take offense, and will revel in his resentment till he feels great pleasure in it.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
“My friend, the truth is always implausible, did you know that? To make the truth more plausible, it's absolutely necessary to mix a bit of falsehood with it. People have always done so.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Demons
“It is not as a child that I believe and confess Jesus Christ. My hosanna is born of a furnace of doubt.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky
“I go to spread the tidings, I want to spread the tidings — of what? Of the truth, for I have seen it, have seen it with my own eyes, have seen it in all its glory.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky
“We sometimes encounter people, even perfect strangers, who begin to interest us at first sight, somehow suddenly, all at once, before a word has been spoken.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“What is hell? I maintain that it is the suffering of being unable to love.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“The soul is healed by being with children.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“If there is no God, everything is permitted.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“Much unhappiness has come into the world because of bewilderment and things left unsaid.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“Man grows used to everything, the scoundrel.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“To live without Hope is to Cease to live.” - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
“To love someone means to see him as God intended him.” - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
“Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
“For socialism is not merely the labour question, it is before all things the atheistic question, the question of the form taken by atheism to-day, the question of the tower of Babel built without God, not to mount to heaven from earth but to set up heaven on earth.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
“Man only likes to count his troubles; he doesn't calculate his happiness.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“Talking nonsense is the sole privilege mankind possesses over the other organisms. It's by talking nonsense that one gets to the truth! I talk nonsense, therefore I'm human.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“People speak sometimes about the "bestial" cruelty of man, but that is terribly unjust and offensive to beasts, no animal could ever be so cruel as a man, so artfully, so artistically cruel.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky
“It takes something more than intelligence to act intelligently.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment
“But how could you live and have no story to tell?” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky, White Nights
“The mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive, but in finding something to live for.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
“Nothing in this world is harder than speaking the truth, nothing easier than flattery.” ― Fyodor Dostoevsky
“The world says: "You have needs -- satisfy them. You have as much right as the rich and the mighty. Don't hesitate to satisfy your needs; indeed, expand your needs and demand more." This is the worldly doctrine of today. And they believe that this is freedom. The result for the rich is isolation and suicide, for the poor, envy and murder.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
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This Post Has One Comment

  1. francisashis October 28, 2019

    Really great quotes ,thanks for sharing.

Comments are closed.