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Fyodor Dostoevsky

Fyodor Dostoevsky Quotes

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Famous Fyodor Dostoevsky Quotes

“It seemed clear to me that life and the world somehow depended upon me now. I may almost say that the world now seemed created for me alone: if I shot myself the world would cease to be at least for me. I say nothing of its being likely that nothing will exist for anyone when I am gone, and that as soon as my consciousness is extinguished the whole world will vanish too and become void like a phantom , as a mere appurtenance of my consciousness, for possibly all this world and all these people are only me myself.”

PeopleIfsWorldMayWholeConsciousnessGoneClearThis WorldShotsMereCeaseWhole WorldVoidMe AlonePhantoms
Author:Fyodor Dostoevsky
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“I must have justice, or I will destroy myself. And not justice in some remote and infinite time and space, but here on Earth...I want to see with my own eyes the lamb lie down with the lion and the victim rise up and embrace his murderer. I want to be there when everyone suddenly understands what it has all been about. All the religions of the world are built on this longing, and I am a believer.”

WorldWantEyeEarthLyingJusticeMy OwnSpaceBuiltInfiniteVictimEmbraceLongingBelieverLionsMurdererTime And SpaceLambsInfinite Time
Author:Fyodor Dostoevsky
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“What can become of him if he is in such bondage to the habit of satisfying the innumerable desires he has created for himself? He is isolated, and what concern has he with the rest of humanity? They have succeeded in accumulating a greater mass of objects, but the joy in the world has grown less.”

IfsWorldJoyDesireHumanityGreaterObjectsHabitMassConcernSatisfyingIsolatedConsumerismBondageOverconsumption
Book:The Brothers Karamazov (English Russian Edition illustrated): Братья Карамазовы (англо-русская редакция иллюстрированная)
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“The world has proclaimed the reign of freedom, especially of late, but what do we see in this freedom of theirs? Nothing but slavery and self-destruction! For the world says: "You have desires and so satisfy them, for you have the same rights as the most rich and powerful. Don't be afraid of satisfying them and even multiply your desires."”

WorldSelfDesirePowerfulRichRightsLateDestructionSlaverySatisfyingConsumerismReignSelf DestructionOverconsumption
Book:GREAT BOOKS OF THE WESTERN WORLD
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“Listen, in dreams and especially in nightmares, from indigestion or anything, a man sees sometimes such artistic visions, such complex and real actuality, such events, even a whole world of events, woven into such a plot, with such unexpected details from the most exalted matters to the last button on a cuff, as I swear Leo Tolstoy has never invented.”

MenWorldRealSometimesMatterWholeDreamLastsVisionEventsComplexesDetailsWhole WorldArtisticUnexpectedNightmarePlotSwearButtonsWovenExaltedActualityIndigestionCuffsArtistic Vision
Book:The Brothers Karamazov
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“He did not know that the new life would not be given him for nothing, that he would have to pay dearly for it, that it would cost him great striving, great suffering. But that is the beginning of a new story -- the story of the gradual renewal of a man, the story of his gradual regeneration, of his passing from one world into another, of his initiation into a new unknown life. That might be the subject of a new story, but our present story is ended.”

KnowsMenWorldStoriesMightSufferingGivenPaySubjectsCostStrivePunishmentPassingPassingsNew LifeRenewalRegenerationInitiationCrime And PunishmentRaskolnikov
Author:Fyodor Dostoevsky
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“No, I can't admit it. Brother,' said Alyosha suddenly, with flashing eyes, 'you said just now, is there a being in the whole world who would have the right to forgive and could firgive? But there is a Being and He can forgive everything, all and for all, because He gave His innocent blood for all and everything. You have forgotten Him, and on Him is built the edifice, and it is to Him they cry aloud, "Thou art just, O Lord, for Thy ways are revealed!”

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Author:Fyodor Dostoevsky
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“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.”

IfsWorldLoveWholeLightLastsGrowsUnderstandingAnimalMysteryCreationUniversalPlantWhole WorldPerceiveSandRaysGrainLeafsAnimal LoveGrains Of SandGod's CreationRays Of LightMystery Of God
Author:Fyodor Dostoevsky
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“There is nothing in the world more difficult than candor, and nothing easier than flattery. If there is a hundredth of a fraction of a false note to candor, it immediately produces dissonance, and as a result, exposure. But in flattery, even if everything is false down to the last note, it is still pleasant, and people will listen not without pleasure; with coarse pleasure, perhaps, but pleasure nevertheless.”

PeopleIfsWorldStillsLastsDifficultPleasureResultsProduceEasierNotesPleasantNeverthelessFlatteryExposureFractionsCandorCoarseDissonance
Author:Fyodor Dostoevsky
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“Father monks, why do you fast! Why do you expect reward in heaven for that?...No, saintly monk, you try being virtuous in the world, do good to society, without shutting yourself up in a monastery at other people's expense, and without expecting a reward up aloft for it--you'll find that a bit harder.”

PeopleWorldTryingFatherHeavenBitsHarderRewardsExpensesExpectingVirtuousMonkMonasteriesBrothers KaramazovRewards In Heaven
Book:The Brothers Karamazov (English Russian Edition illustrated): Братья Карамазовы (англо-русская редакция иллюстрированная)
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“They have succeeded in accumulating a greater mass of objects, but the joy in the world has grown less.”

WorldJoyGreaterObjectsMass
Book:The Brothers Karamazov (English Russian Edition illustrated): Братья Карамазовы (англо-русская редакция иллюстрированная)
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“And so I ask myself: 'Where are your dreams?' And I shake my head and mutter: 'How the years go by!' And I ask myself again: 'What have you done with those years? Where have you buried your best moments? Have you really lived? Look,' I say to myself, 'how cold it is becoming all over the world!' And more years will pass and behind them will creep grim isolation. Tottering senility will come hobbling, leaning on a crutch, and behind these will come unrelieved boredom and despair. The world of fancies will fade, dreams will wilt and die and fall like autumn leaves from the trees. . . .”

WorldYearsLooksDoneMomentsDreamDiesFallAsksBehindsTreeColdBecomingDespairYour DreamsBoredomFancyIsolationShakesAutumnBuriedFadesCreepsGrimCrutchesBest MomentsAutumn LeavesSenility
Author:Fyodor Dostoevsky
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“And do you know, do you know that mankind can live without the Englishman, it can live without Germany, it can live only too well without the Russian man, it can live without science, without bread, and it only cannot live without beauty, for then there would be nothing at all to do in the world! The whole secret is here, the whole of history is here. Science itself would not stand for a minute without beauty”

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Author:Fyodor Dostoevsky
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“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.”

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Author:Fyodor Dostoevsky
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“I think everyone must love life more than anything else in the world.' 'Love life more than the meaning of it?' 'Yes, certainly. Love it regardless of logic, as you say. Yes, most certainly regardless of logic, for only then will I grasp its meaning. That's what I've been vaguely aware of for a long time. Half your work is done, Ivan: you love life. Now you must try to do the second half and you are saved.”

ThinkingWorldTryingLongDoneHalfLong TimeLogicSavedLove LifeWorld Love
Author:Fyodor Dostoevsky
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“One can tell a child everything, anything. I have often been struck by the fact that parents know their children so little. They should not conceal so much from them. How well even little children understand that their parents conceal things from them, because they consider them too young to understand! Children are capable of giving advice in the most important matters.”

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Author:Fyodor Dostoevsky
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“If you are penitent, you love. And if you love you are of God. All things are atoned for, all things are saved by love. If I, a sinner even as you are, am tender with you and have pity on you, how much more will God have pity upon you. Love is such a priceless treasure that you can redeem the whole world by it, and cleanse not only your own sins but the sins of others.”

IfsWorldLifeWholeSinLove IsLove YouAll ThingsSavedTreasureWhole WorldPitySinnerPricelessBrothers Karamazov
Author:Fyodor Dostoevsky
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“Love the animals, love the plants, love everything. If you love everything, you will perceive the divine mystery in things. Once you perceive it, you will begin to comprehend it better every day. And you will come at last to love the whole world with an all-embracing love.”

IfsWorldLoveWholeLastsSpiritualSpiritualityAnimalMysteryDivinePlantWhole WorldPerceivePetUnconditional LoveInspirational LoveAnimal LoveComprehendingBrothers KaramazovAbsolute LoveEmbracing Love
Book:The Brothers Karamazov
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“I want peace; yes, I'd sell the whole world for a farthing, straight off, so long as I was left in peace. Is the world to go to pot, or am I to go without my tea? I say that the world may go to pot for me so long as I always get my tea. Did you know that, or not? Well, anyway, I know that I am a blackguard, a scoundrel, an egoist, a sluggard.”

KnowsWorldWantWellsMayLongWholeLeftPeaceSellsWhole WorldTeaPotScoundrelsDid You Know
Book:White Nights and Other Stories
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