Don’t be overwise; fling yourself straight into life, without deliberation; don’t be afraid - the flood will bear you to the bank and set you safe on your feet again. Fyodor Dostoevsky More Quotes by Fyodor Dostoevsky More Quotes From Fyodor Dostoevsky There are things which a man is afraid to tell even to himself, and every decent man has a number of such things stored away in his mind. Fyodor Dostoevsky finding-yourself numbers men Compassion is the chief law of human existence. Fyodor Dostoevsky compassion law kindness Civilization has made man, if not always more bloodthirsty, at least more viciously, more horribly bloodthirsty. Fyodor Dostoevsky deep-thought men civilization Everything seems stupid when it fails. Fyodor Dostoevsky failing stupid seems It suddenly seemed to me that I was lonely, that every one was forsaking me and going away from me. Of course, any one is entitled to ask who "every one" was. For though I had been living almost eight years in Petersburg I had hardly an acquaintance. But what did I want with acquaintances? I was acquainted with all Petersburg as it was. Fyodor Dostoevsky eight lonely years Yet, I didn't understand that she was intentionally disguising her feelings with sarcasm; that was usually the last resort of people who are timid and chaste of heart, whose souls have been coarsely and impudently invaded; and who, until the last moment, refuse to yield out of pride and are afraid to express their own feelings to you. Fyodor Dostoevsky sarcasm pride heart Beauty is mysterious as well as terrible. God and devil are fighting there, and the battlefield is the heart of man. Fyodor Dostoevsky fighting heart beauty To begin with unlimited freedom is to end with unlimited despotism. Fyodor Dostoevsky despotism unlimited ends There are chance meetings with strangers that interest us from the first moment, before a word is spoken. Fyodor Dostoevsky chance stranger firsts 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 Dostoevsky keys men life Man has such a predilection for systems and abstract deductions that he is ready to distort the truth intentionally he is ready to deny the evidence of his senses only to justify his logic. Fyodor Dostoevsky logic reason men Above all, avoid lies, all lies, especially the lie to yourself. Keep watch on your own lie and examine it every hour, every minute. And avoid contempt, both of others and of yourself: what seems bad to you in yourself is purified by the very fact that you have noticed it in yourself. And avoid fear, though fear is simply the consequence of every lie. Never be frightened at your own faintheartedness in attaining love, and meanwhile do not even be very frightened by your own bad acts. Fyodor Dostoevsky deceit watches lying Every member of the society spies on the rest, and it is his duty to inform against them. All are slaves and equal in their slavery... The great thing about it is equality... Slaves are bound to be equal. Fyodor Dostoevsky spy slavery equality Money is coined liberty, and so it is ten times dearer to a man who is deprived of freedom. If money is jingling in his pocket, he is half consoled, even though he cannot spend it. Fyodor Dostoevsky liberty money men I have no self-respect. But can a man of acute sensibility respect himself at all? Fyodor Dostoevsky self-respect self men If you want to overcome the whole world, overcome yourself. Fyodor Dostoevsky overcoming want world They have succeeded in accumulating a greater mass of objects, but the joy in the world has grown less. Fyodor Dostoevsky mass joy world Love a man, even in his sin, for that love is a likeness of the divine love, and is the summit of love on earth. Fyodor Dostoevsky earth love-is men Remember, too, every day, and whenever you can, repeat to yourself, Lord, have mercy on all who appear before Thee today. For every hour and every moment thousands of men leave life on this earth, and their souls appear before God. And how many of them depart in solitude, unknown, sad, dejected that no one mourns for them or even knows whether they have lived or not! Fyodor Dostoevsky solitude soul men There is no subject so old that something new cannot be said about it. Fyodor Dostoevsky deep-thought workout new-relationship
