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
It takes something more than intelligence to act intelligently.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True intelligence involves more than just knowledge; it requires thoughtfulness and intention in action.
This quote by Fyodor Dostoevsky emphasizes the idea that acting intelligently is not solely a product of having knowledge or intelligence. Instead, it suggests that wisdom and the ability to apply intelligence thoughtfully and responsibly are essential for meaningful action. It highlights the importance of emotional understanding and ethical considerations in making decisions.
Themes
IntelligenceActionWisdomThoughtfulnessResponsibility
In practice
Example use cases
During a leadership seminar emphasizing decision-making, one could quote Dostoevsky to highlight the need for thoughtful action.
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.
Fyodor DostoevskyRead
Love the animals: God has given them the rudiments of thought and joy untroubled.
Fyodor DostoevskyRead
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.
Fyodor DostoevskyRead
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.
Fyodor DostoevskyRead
Similar quotes
It is best for the wise man not to seem wise.
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The Master said, At fifteen I set my heart upon learning. At thirty, I had planted my feet firm upon the ground. At forty, I no longer suffered from perplexities. At fifty, I knew what were the biddings of Heaven. At sixty, I heard them with docile ear. At seventy, I could follow the dictates of my own heart; for what I desired no longer overstepped the boundaries of righ.
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The best way to observe a fish is to become a fish.
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Anybody who has something sensible or worthwhile to say should be able to say it calmly and soberly, relying on the words themselves to convey his meaning, without resorting to yelling.
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The world is bad but not without hope. It is only hopeless when you look at it from an ideal viewpoint.
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