Pain and suffering are always inevitable for a large intelligence and a deep heart. The really great men must, I think, have great sadness on earth.
Fyodor DostoevskyRead
they may all be drunk at my place, but they're all honest, and though we do lie-because I lie, too-in the end we'll lie our way to the truth
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the complexity of truth and honesty in human interactions, suggesting that even deception can lead to deeper truths.
Fyodor Dostoevsky's quote explores the intricate relationship between honesty and deception. It implies that while people may indulge in falsehoods or distractions, there exists an underlying sincerity that can eventually lead to a greater understanding of their true selves. The notion of all being 'drunk' symbolizes a state of vulnerability or lack of clarity, yet amid this, the honesty of intentions shines through, demonstrating that sometimes the path to truth is convoluted and requires grappling with layers of untruth.
Themes
TruthHonestyDeceptionHuman NaturePhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about the complexities of human relationships at a seminar.
More from Fyodor Dostoevsky
All quotes βWhat if, when this fog scatters and flies upward, the whole rotten, slimey city goes with it, rises with the fog and vanishes like smoke.
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Love the animals: God has given them the rudiments of thought and joy untroubled.
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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.
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But do you understand, I cry to him, do you understand that if you have the guillotine in the forefront, and with such glee, it's for the sole reason that cutting heads off is the easiest thing, and having an idea is difficult!
Fyodor DostoevskyRead
...to return to their 'native soil,' as they say, to the bosom, so to speak, of their mother earth, like frightened children, yearning to fall asleep on the withered bosom of their decrepit mother, and to sleep there for ever, only to escape the horrors that terrify them.
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