LITERATURE - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
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- Опубликовано: 8 июн 2024
- The Russian 19th century novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky deserves our attention for the austerity and pessimism of his vision - from which we can nevertheless gain enlightenment and hope.
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The guy that saved him from a firing squad was clearly a time traveller.
Maybe it is him from the future or other dimensions who help him
Probably Dr.Jordan Peterson! He uses his ideological bases a boat load in the lectures I've watch of him teaching in University.
No it was a common practice bye the tsar he made himsrlf look good
Time travel confirmed
The Tsar?
When I read 'Crime and Punishment' I got so wrapped into it I called in sick at work to stay home and finish the book.
HAhaha I have not read it yet, but this comment makes me want to!
Signe Strålin running out of time
Im pretty sure any boss could understand this reasoning.
This video did not do crime and Punishment a justice.
Snakeybakey what a crime
“Grown-up people do not know that a child can give exceedingly good advice even in the most difficult case.”
― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Idiot
philosophers are superflies in a world of ants.
Even the greatest of fools, in this world, have some wisdom in them, if one knows how to find it. RR
This reminds me of a scene from the movie 'Ivan's Childhood' where Ivan crosses a great length of extremity and survives. Someone comments that a grown man might have died.
@@jarrodyuki7081by that do you mean that they're really annoying
" *Your worst sin is you have betrayed and destroyed yourself for nothing* "
- Raskolnikov (Crime & Punishment)
Everything You Believe Is Wrong- Firesign Theater
This explains why I was drawn to this man's work as a teenager. The despair in accepting inevitable suffering then learning to laugh and still admire the beauty in it anyway.
"To live is to suffer. To survive is to find meaning in the suffering." ~ Friedrich Nietzsche
It’s like The Idiot is a version of A Christmas Carol. But, was Dostoyevsky right about our constant discontentment? If so, surely the hero of that novel will get over his sense of relief and become discontented? However, I would argue that this would be a good thing. If it’s part of the human condition, there’s usually a Darwinian reason for it. Isn’t the whole point of permanent dissatisfaction that it drives us to continue striving? That is what makes humanity great, as well as a collection of 7.5 billion dicks. Fear contentment, people. Or you may not have any reason to want to improve the world. You may stop trying?
@@CigaretteCrayon : The meaning could be evolutionary? How would the world get any better if we became perfectly satisfied, once we attained all our goals? People would continually stop trying, stop seeking to change things. Especially the wealthy and healthy, who are the very people we need (from a collective point of view) to keep striving for humanity. That is what makes people like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. What ever we think of them as individuals, humanity needs them, needs their discontent, or we wouldn’t really be humanity. And we probably would have died out during the 20th century?
@@CigaretteCrayon yep!!!!!!!!!!!!
Beautifully put!
"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 Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment
That's true
Very true indeed. The life of an idiot is usually serene, because in his small mind, he is made happy from small pleasures.
If we can learn to put our ego aside, to not have to think of ourself as smart, to not see a need in being better than, there Is contentment. Is it fair to judge a human an idiot for taking pleasure in small things? Birds singing, sunshine, tasty food, what an idiot would be happy?
@@gratefulila9980 exactly
I cannot agree at all with that statement, I would say you're not intelligent enough and don't have a big heart enough if you constantly experience pain & suffering without any bodily harm on Earth. You see those last 3 minutes before a firing squad gave him a satori, he became enlightened and saw the truth & the reality without any obstruction, that alone should have turned him from a philosopher into a mystic. I cannot confirm if he stayed enlightened after that.
"'Dostoevsky's dead,' said the citizeness, but somehow not very confidently.
'I protest!' Behemoth exclaimed hotly. 'Dostoevsky is immortal!" - The Master and Margarita
I have that book - where is it in the book?
@@jeremydavie4484 When Margarita meets Behemoth for the first time (I think). I think they're outside, in a gazebo or something. It's probably at the start of part 2.
Καλό βιβλίο αυτό! Good book that!
cringe
hes dead already his books need to be burned. hes trying to make progress futile.
"Why are we still here? Just to suffer."
~Fyodor Dostoevsky
haha
i love this comment haha
Prodigious 😂😂😂
Not gonna lie, I'd watch an hour version of this video.
You could just read the books yourself.
I've read all of Dosto's books, which is why I'd watch an hour long version of this. I'd love to hear this channel's interpretation of them.
...i find that overwhelmingly intellectual of you...kudos jayson..
Are they boring?
Not really. The plot is mostly awesome (from the ones I've read). But you must understand he is a writer from the latter half of the 19th century, and the way he writes is something most people who are used to modern romances will find a little slow paced. But it's totally worth. Try his books that are directly translated from the russian, instead some sort of russian-french-english. becuase it lacks violence (from my experience).
I love mankind, he said, "but I find to my amazement that the more I love mankind as a whole, the less I love man in particular.
Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
some great quotes and truths
Stratedy wins against takticks = acient Russian rule.
Because of the fallen state of humanity, we can't help it but despise them for their ignorance
@@hiranya33 You should read the book. Here is some more of the quote.
"The more I love humanity in general the less I love man in particular. In my dreams, I often make plans for the service of humanity, and perhaps I might actually face crucifixion if it were suddenly necessary. Yet I am incapable of living in the same room with anyone for two days together. I know from experience. As soon as anyone is near me, his personality disturbs me and restricts my freedom. In twenty-four hours I begin to hate the best of men: one because he’s too long over his dinner, another because he has a cold and keeps on blowing his nose. I become hostile to people the moment they come close to me. But it has always happened that the more I hate men individually the more I love humanity." - Fyodor Dostoevsky
@@hiranya33 This line of thought has been evident in many people. The phrase; "familiarity can breed contempt" sums it up best.
www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/shift-mind/201010/does-familiarity-breed-contempt
I want to learn Russian to be able to read his original amazing novels
You have to be absolutely proficient in Russian to be able to read it and understand it. I'm Russian (not exactly, but my native language is Russian) and I admit I don't understand everything, mostly because it was written in old Russian that is not used our days.
@@champtech8755 , that's not true, you need to improve your Russian reading skills then, my friend.
@@chivalrous_chevy1163 Every single person needs to improve their language skills, there's no one absolutely totally proficient, except you, maybe. For the most of the Russians Dostoyevsky is pretty hard to read, that is a fact, but at the same time is very fascinating, at least for me.
@@champtech8755 is reading the english translation better? (or at least good enough?)
Devvv Honestly, I haven’t read Dostoyevsky translated. I’m sure they’re many different translations out there, some are better than the others. So I can’t really say how good they are and who’s the best translator, sorry.
‘Crime and Punishment’ is the only book in my life as a reader that I turned around and immediately reread as soon as I had finished it. This dude was one HELL of a great writer. I’ve since moved on to other works of his, but C n P holds a special place in my heart and probably always will.
Which publisher did you read
@@punjabijatt6 It was Open Road Media, but, would you believe it, the English translator isn’t mentioned anywhere in the info, front or back. It reads like a more modern translation, though, for what that’s worth.
@@jonp3890 Cool. I have a badass looking edition from Fingerprint that I think is quite detailed and accurate but yes Russian to English does get a bit weird at times,maybe it's the fact that ut was written 2 centuries ago.
Dostoevsky's books are truly amazing . The biggest reason why I learn Russian .
Personally, I'm actually on a dilemma whether to learn Russian or Greek. The main reason for myself learnimg Greek is because it's part of my heritage. But on the otherhand, the reason why I want to learn Russian is because of Dostoyevsky and Russia itself.
Also, another reason why I'll like to learn Greek is because it brings me closer to my Mediterranean heritage and build my confidence in philosophy and psychology. It would make me feel complete and whole with my thoughts.
Landon Street Why not both?
Check out Chekhov and Turgenev (and Lermontov's "Hero of our Time" is epic and one of the best things I've read). They are sublime and smart and *easily read* writers unlike Dostoevsky and Tolstoy who are also great on their own. Turgenev is especially good at describing sad and touching love stories happening in the Russian aristocracy of that time
Dostoyevsky is amazing ❤
crime and punishment is definitely one of the best books in history
One of my favorites!!
Did u read his other books?
I Agree
Yes
"Your greatest sin is that you've destroyed and betrayed yourself for nothing." Devastating line.
2021 will mark the 200th birthday of this legendary writer. Let's celebrate Dostoyevsky by reading/re-reading more of his work and introducing it to others.
Why didn’t you said anything about Demons? 😭
Don’t get me wrong, still a gorgeous look at Dostoyevski’s literature
Yeah, shame.
My favorite author.
jack philip Mine too
jack philip What do you recommend i read first?
the brothers karamazov
jack philip Thanks
, cheers
you can start with crime and punishment. karamazov bros might be a bit intimidating at first.
"We want happiness but we have a special talent of making ourself miserable" (c)Dostoevsky
When you read dostoevsky you think. Whoa hang on a minute how does this bloke who died ages ago know me no other author has hit me this hard pure genius
I read 'The Brothers Karamazov back to back in two days lying in my bed getting up only to pee and shit. Not a single minute wasted. One of my uncle entered the room, I was focused in my reading, then I heard his voice. I remember exactly what he said ' Is that The Brothers Karamazov, I showed him the title page, he just turned around and left my room.' next day after finishing the book I went out to smoke and felt everyone's eyes over me and then I heard someone telling someone 'This guy has read The brothers Karamazov and he's so young' haha I smiled because I knew there were so many books yet to read.
how old were you when you read The Brothers Karamazov?
There is so much more to The Brothers Karamazov than The Grand Inquisitor, that’s just one chapter in a 700 page book!!!
700? I have 1000 pages.
Probably the best story that has ever come to a human mind;)
Melissa Anderson can’t explain everything in a small video. That part of the idiot is only some pages long as well. It was actually nice he don’t spoiled those two books.
I usually tell people that ask what book to read by him , I say 'The Brothers Karamazov' .
The Neo-Epicurean 😂
That's not the theory in Crime and Punishment.
Raskolnikov had a view of humanity as being divided into two groups: the great men who are allowed to violate morals (like Napoleon), and the normal people may are not allowed to violate them.
He did consider himself as one of the former group. But here's the catch: the former group, like Napoleon, never felt bad about what they did. Yet when Raskolnikov murders the women, he could not help but feel bad. And that's what haunted him; that he is actually part of the second group and therefore he really was wrong to kill them. Even at the very end he says he still holds to his theory.
Yet Dostoevsky makes a point that is a lot more subtle. In the last chapter "life replaced theory": Raskolnikov simply let go of his reasoning around this and simply accepted that he is wrong without explanation. This may or may not be illogical, but the point is that life, true life, surpasses all of these theories which drive you to these horrific acts. As he said in one of his works - and make of it what you wish - is that if it could be shown that Christ is outside of truth, then he would still side with Christ. It is this deeper reality that he was concerned with.
Also, he wasn't motivated in his murder for any selfish reasons, that he somehow deserved the money because he is "better". Raskolnikov was very altruistically motivated: use the money to get an education and then help people, use the money at the moment to help people. Selfishness is one trait he didn't have. He was constantly motivated to help others even though he appeared extremely morose. He wanted to help his sister, the prostitute, her father, the average person.
Spot on... Agree with all your comments. This vid on Dostoyevsky is misleading.
This channel doesn't particularly care about absolute truth.
@@andrewdornan587 Give it a chance, consistently. You're speaking right, having this conversation. There are still countries who controls speech,, where this conversation, or more is not possible , today or tomorrow. Why we must keep the light alive. I read a lot as a youth, long Winters in Denmark, little T.V.....Thank God. ...And thought my son's the love off reading, writing and creating. A good parent , parent the child. The school is the middle man, not the whole answer.🇺🇸🇩🇰🦅♥️
well, Rodion is selfish. he did kill only to prove that he is "the one with a right". him giving money to the poor is a excuse
@@andrewdornan587 At least the channel does the intention
My favourite of Dostoyevsky's work is the short story 'The dream of a ridiculous man', I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to get into his works without commiting fully to an entire book.
Ah, such a beautiful short story, that one.
Its also worth mentioning that the messenger who “saved” Dostoyevsky from execution was given explicit orders from the Tsar to not intervene until the last possible moment. So it wasnt like fate saved Dostoyevsky, the Tsar just wanted to scar the prisoners before “saving” them.
JUST LIKE STALIN THROW A POLITICAL PRISONERS IN SIBERIA !
Absolutely right! In "The Idiot" , Dostoyevksy's obssesion with the flow of thought prisoners have before their death is beautifully portrayed as the story Prince Mîșkin tells about witnessing a public execution in Lyon.
@@mihneaghitu3878 Yeah that was probably one of my favorite thought-moments in the book
@@mihneaghitu3878 "I'm waiting in my cold cell when the bell begins to chime..."
An action that had definitely turned him for the better
I wish I had these programs available when I was going to school.
I agree, but now we do, it's never to late to learn.
Viking12 Ever hear of Cliff Notes?
Viking12 I think this all the time!!!
Telling the story of the novel "the Idiot" the program tells you in fact the story from the novel "Memoirs from the House of The Dead". This is a totally misguiding, wrong information!, that can and it does, put one on to question if any other information from "The school of life is good". I have read some similar comments, and they are telling about "De Botton"Y Is he involved in this? yesterday, I saw, their Marx episode where they are telling that during his youth in Paris, Marx joined the communist Party. What communist party, I may ask?
m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=483363588736905&id=483203568752907
It is so cruel to speak about such a man in just ten minutes. The good part is that people who don't know who he is will be introduced to one of the greatest writers humanity has produced, a man of whom Nietzsche said "he is the only psychologist from which I learned something" and Einstein "Dostoevsky gives me more than any scientist. More than Gauss." Wonderful channel!
Are these all true statements or just an understandable exaggeration of his greatness that you admire? Because now i really cant tell the difference
@@aur9035 Dostoevsky's books are very "Russian", I was surprised when I found out that he was revered all over the world, I thought that only a Russian person could understand him. how wrong I was. he is a genius, a pearl of humanity.
@@dannyslatty3791 that did not answer my question. + your name makes me think ur trolling. But ig i gotta read to find out
@@aur9035 so how were his books?
i read his books and and I don't smile anymore.
"Man is sometimes extraordinarily passionately in love with suffering"
Edgy
Danish khan which book?
Then you haven't understood Dostoevsky literature style and all the hours you spent reading were worthless that in itself is reason not to smile.
We must live by the wisdom of greater men. It's how we edify ourselves. You don't smile anymore because you don't want to hear the truth. You'll believe a lie before you believe the truth. Mankind really is gullible and puppet to the more Noble people.
Fyodor Dostoevsky- 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.
Black Dot That phrase hit me deep, also great book overall " The brothers Karamazov"
Dostoyevsky is the most brilliant author of fiction that ive ever come across.
I will count kafka too
@@Ghost-vg6iq what have u read from Kafka?
@@j.m251 In that process continuously.
Agreed. I like many others but he's truly great.
Dostoyevsky already was a writer before the siberian exile. He wrote his first novel, Poor People, with 24 years old. Before Siberia he yet wrote other great books, like White Nights.
Wasn't White Nights after imprisonment?
I absolutely love White Nights
Before poor people he translated a novel by Balzac
Sorry for my English
Yes but those works were not even close to what his post-siberia works were...
Я счастлива, что родилась в такой стране, где жили такие величайшие люди, такие как Фёдор Михайлович Достоевский. Бесконечная благодарность и низкий поклон. Браво! Thank you Fedor Mikhailovich!
Убогий человек, не имеющий ничего, чем бы он мог гордиться, хватается за единственное возможное и гордится нацией, к которой он принадлежит
Бернард Шоу
Он бы сейчас от этой страны открестился.
@@annabrady4967ак может говорить только человек, который довольно поверхностно знаком с жизнью Ф. М. и ни разу не читал его письма и "Дневник писателя". Ф. М. с воодушевлением принял русско-турецкую войну 1877 года. Он довольно остро говорил о том, что необходимо забрать город-святыню Константинопль у турков. А если ещё учитывать тот факт, что украинской епархии произошёл роскол, то ему, как мне кажется, хватило бы повода для поддержки войны нынешней. По крайней мере на первых её этапах.
Никогда бы от России он не отрёкся, потому что Россия для него в первую очередь народ, а не государство. Не зря Шатов в Бесах говорит, что кто забыл свой народ, тот забыл Бога.
Конечно, довольно глупо рассуждать что бы сказал сейчас давно умерший человек из другой эпохи. Это лишь моё предположение на основе его документальных записей.
"I was looking for a job, and then i found a job, and heaven knows i'm miserable now". The greatest thing is the journey, the excitement is in making a goal, we don't REALLY mean what we say, nor REALLY want what we persue.
Dostoryevsky is my favorite literary author. His books touch the heart and soul of life in a way that no other book does, and you cannot help but find yourself drawn in
"Life is effort, and I'll stop when I die!"
nice rick and morty reference!
One of the greatest writers imo. He can be seen as an existentialist writer but his brilliance is his insight into the human mind and behavior. And his wisdom that utopia is a fantasy and that happiness can only happen as a quest with each individual on life's journey.
True.
I SWEAR TO GOD, HE IS THE GOAT! Can't wait to read all his works!!!!
Dostoevsky is my favorite author.
Dostoevsky
Oh, Dostoevsky
My heart’s on fire
She just wanna talk about Dostoevsky
I even changed the bedsheets
I'd love you if you'd let me
But all damn night
She just wanna talk about Dostoevsky
All these Russian writers I don't even know
Oh, Dostoevsky, tell me
Why won't she let you go?
~Scott Helman~
She was too good for Scott
And I know the Brothers Karamazov is a lot to summarise, but the Grand Inquisitor - though excellent on its own (everyone should read it) - is by far not an adequate representation of the book itself. It is one chapter in an 800 page book that almost seems out of place.
It is more a work on three brothers dealing with the murder of their father: a passionate and wasteful poet of a man, the sceptical agnostic brother, and the pious, good, religious brother. It is these three bouncing off each other. The Grand Inquisitor is Ivan, the agnostic, telling the story to Alyosha, the religious one. This changes the whole dynamic: the Grand Inquisitor is just one point in Ivan's overall point against Christianity in a discussion with his brother. The Brothers Karamazov is much larger than that.
Agreed, it is so difficult to summarize the ideas conveyed in his writings in such a short video. When people ask me what that book is about or any of his books I feel like I can never do justice to the complexities and discussions conveyed in the writings.
Right and one should add that the great inquisitor is not only about what it is said on the video and perhaps not principally about
Coming back to School of Life’s lessons after all these years, made me more appreciative for its intellectual contents much as for its aesthetics illustrations, much more than I thought I would be. Like damn, I was learning all of this?
That last minute reprieve was actually a common tactic back then for political prisoners.
The idea being that it would provoke gratitude and loyalty for the Czar.
Didn't Raskolnikov kill those women with an axe?
yes he did
He killed the old woman with the sharp end and her innocent sister with the blunt end. One was clean and one was messy.
Yeah, poor Lizaveta.
the old women was right on the top of the head
+Leon D other way around. Old lady got the blunt end, Lizaveta got the sharp end. I just checked I my copy.
Fyodor Dostoevsky is my favourite author. Thank you for making this video!
Reading Dostoevesky gives me delirium and I love it 😆😆
When i first got my hands on crime and punishment my father was reluctant. He said "it's very philosophical. I don't know if you'll like it very much". I got it anyways and couldn't go farther than a 100 pages because of how deeply it affected me. I haven't felt so much melancholy since.
I wouldn't recommend the book to someone who's suicidal but once you're not so adamant to prove that you are worthless, definitely give it a read.
To some people reading such characters makes them feel thankful for what they have, but for me it just made me paranoid the first time i tried reading it. I got waaaaay too scared that i'd also end up on the streets if i don't top every exam ever. But once i kinda got over that fear i read it and loved it. Finished it in less than 4 days which at that time was a personal record!
Hello from Russia! If you liked Dostoyevsky you could also read Bulgakov!
Tarkovsky too
And We can't forget Tolstoi
Is that spelled correctly?
@@davidcockayne3381 --- pen and paper. One thesis at a time, bub.
Make one about Gogol !
Nikolai Gogol!
Pushkin!
The guy who loved this life!
I actually love how they started the video off by giving us advice on how to pronounce his name 😂👌
Me too
A truly wise man. No wonder the Russians eventually sainted him. He's a quintessential expression of Russia's split personality: holiness on the one hand, rascality on the other.
Basically, an ability to see deeply into the absurd and sacred duality of life, and every human soul. As I'm sure Solzhenitsyn would also agree.
My favourite section in C&P is with Porfiry and Rodion talking, Porfiry all fuckin with his head
The Idiot isn't about that!
The title is an ironic reference to the central character of the novel, Prince Lev Nikolaevich Myshkin, a young man whose goodness and open-hearted simplicity lead many of the more worldly characters he encounters to mistakenly assume that he lacks intelligence and insight. In the character of Prince Myshkin, Dostoevsky set himself the task of depicting "the positively good and beautiful man".The novel examines the consequences of placing such a unique individual at the centre of the conflicts, desires, passions and egoism of worldly society, both for the man himself and for those with whom he becomes involved.
I disagree what you have said about The Idiot.But Thanks for this video
Right? you can't take his introductory anecdote and then assume that what it teaches is the central lesson of the book. de Botton says himself that these novels merit re-reading, yet from the absence of any discussion of plot, I can't believe he's read it even once.
Excuse the salt, I just really like The Idiot
Kevin Babic It's one of my favorite books,too.
Kevin Babic BTW what De Botton said is also a great idea but it's not at all about the book itself.
*Lev Nicolaevich Myshkin
Beautifully said . I read the idiot very carefully in my youth and loved it and came to same conclusion as you outlined .
One of my favorites novelists! Yeah he is, and bcz of him I started a course of Russian
These people from the past are so deep and dark, it’s frightening
Dark and frightened? I think dark and frightened it's our society today. People hiding on pills and drugs and binging khardasian on TV. At least the old generation challenged the status quo by Deeping into human emotions and political setting of their times. Now more people have mental illness we are suffering from the missing artist syndrome. We need more people like nietzche, doestovski and other great figures
I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR DOSTOEVSKIJ SO LONG OMG THANK YOU
Reading Dostoevsky's books were such torture. But it left me satisfied and I'm never disappointed, the thing I like about Russian novels are they teaching us about the realest of reality, hit the nail on our head. I've read Crime and Punishment for about 5 times and I still found new things, but I read it 3 times in English and 2 in Russian. And believe me it is really different, there are chapters that pleasant to read in English but there are chapters that great in Russian too because the choice of words.
The part about "The Idiot" is helping me understand so much about myself. I almost died from being addicted to drugs. And right before it (my life) ended I got the help I needed to get clean. Haven't used for close to 15 years now but this experience had made me very positive about life in general. It also makes me a little naive and out of touch with reality from time to time.
I am eternally grateful for my new (way of) life but I still have alot to learn. This channel has been immensely helpful to me and many others who I am constantly sharing these videos with.
Are there perhaps any plans to bring The School of Life to South Africa? I ask this because I've become heavily involved in "community/service work" and the low level of emotional intelligence that pervades our many cultures (here) is simply astounding.
I believe that thinkers and scholars like yourselves can actually effect real (positive) change in this world. Even if it's just one problem/person/family/community/region/country at a time:)
Please come to South Africa or even Africa. We will be honored to have you!
“Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the over compensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn't nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand.” ~ Aldous Huxley, Brave New World
OMG! Yesss, this is a gift from heaven!
I agree
I have been waiting for this video for quite some time now, thank you school of life!
I dislike reading novels because it is hard for me to grasp all of its meaning and try to interpret it myself. But I really enjoyed crime and punishment and surprisingly managed to finish the book in one sitting, something that I didn't think I could do because I'm a slow reader. The book is so wonderfully written that I immerse myself so deep in it to the point where I see myself in Raskolnikov character and understand him and all of his struggle and moral dilemma so deeply. Can't wait to read more books from Dostoyevsky.
One sitting? 500-600 page book
Beautifully done! Thank you, School of Life, for making this excellent teaching/video!
I've been waiting for this some time now! Thank you.
Dostoyevsky is my favorite author and I have read The Idiot and Brothers Karamazov. A great man of suffering and faith. All human beings suffer indeed, and so, we must accept that the world cannot solve all our selfish ambitions and that we meet that bleak end. I also love when stories end in tragedy like his because there is nothing more real than that.
This is the most insightful video about Dostoyevsky I have ever seen on RUclips. I have watched numerous videos about one of my favorite authors - a man whose books make me put them down to cry every so often while I'm immersed in one of them. So many RUclips short video commenters fail to understand the loving and inherent relationship Dostoyevsky has with institutional Christianity. Dostoyevsky, along with Dickens, are the signature Christian writers of the 19th century and neither should be viewed without reference to church and how church informs the daily existence of its individual members. Many critics, who were suckled by the milk of secularism, have a blind spot to the value that the Cross offers to all of humanity. That value is simple: we are all going to suffer; why not unite it to something meaningful? You found that message in Dostoyevsky, which is what this great mind wanted us to find.
I'm so thankful to you for making this video, really. I couldn't read books for a while because I have an exam coming up and I truly forgot how i loved reading dostovsky's works before and what they made me realize. I only had a few minutes to spare and you helped me remember them in that time. Thank you
One of my favorite writers.
One of your favorite writers.
Dostoevsky often wrote about politics esp liberals i.e., social evolutionists. His words are just as meaningful today. In "Diary of a Writer," which was published more than a hundred years ago, contains this reminiscence: “‘Do you know,’ Belinsky screeched one evening (sometimes, if he was very excited, he would screech) as he turned to me, ‘Do you know that man’s sins cannot be counted against him? . . . When society is set up in such a mean shion . . . man cannot help but do wrong; economic factors alone lead him to do wrong; and it is absurd and cruel to demand from a man something the very laws of nature make it impossible for him to carry out, even if he wanted to.’” Thus Belinsky is espousing his delight in the liberal view. This view expressed by Belinsky is that we are the products of social engineering and thus constructed by our environment. This is the heart of all schemes for an earthly redemption, and the antithesis of freedom. It is the philosophy, as Dostoevsky put it, of an anthill. In his Diary, he answered Belinsky: “In making the individual dependent on every flaw in the social structure, . . . the doctrine of the environment reduces the subject to an absolute non-entity, exempting him totally from every personal moral duty and from all independence, reduces him to the lowest form of slavery imaginable.”" I have yet to find a more meaningful decription of the dangers in completely doing away with personal responsibility and that we are all born with both bad and good traits. This is exactly why earthly utopia will never be achieved!
I love this channel SO MUCH. Thank you.
Nobody can describe and look deep into Slavic soul as Dostoyevsky can.Greatest of all time
YES! - this is my favourite RUclips channel! Brilliant as ever. Cheers Alain!
I think all of their vids are! Welcome to the club :))
It was worth being cyrogenically frozen for over two hundred years to watch this ! Well done.
I am not embarrassed to say I learnt about him from an Anime-
Guess who else :D
@Nada J Bungou Stray Dogs!
same
Me neither, cause it's an amazing anime
Dragon ball ??
I have a collection of Dostoyevsky's books to read in brand new paperback. I have read Brothers Karamazov 2/3 the way through, and find it fascinating, and can't wait to attack the rest. I'm not religious, or perhaps I just didn't realise that I am, thanks to this amazing writer and thinker.
TBH the insights of "The Grand Inquisitor" are more varied and different than what is presented here, but I know The School of Life has a deep aversion to trying to understand religion on its own terms so I didn't expect a thorough explication. Also there's more to Dostoyevksy's greatest novel (Brothers Karamozov) than one chapter in the middle of the book, however profound and arresting it is. Also there are very specific spiritual, political, and religious ideas being explored in the Idiot other than naive wonderment i.e. Myshkin as Christ in Western society and the incongruities and surprising compatibilities that emerge. This is only an introduction to themes in his works though so maybe I'm getting ahead of myself.
Your literature-orientated videos are the best. Any chance you'd consider making a video on Harlan Ellison? I'd sure love to see that. Besides being one of the most important and influential writers of his time, he has lived a truly fascinating life filled with all sorts of strange and wonderful adventures.
Awesome. I look forward to seeing it. :)
could you please also add dino buzatti to your list, he may not be the most well known, but you can introduce him to people through your videos that i very much like
Add Isaac Asimov too!
I think you guys need to explore the Medieval Islamic philosophers now. Ibn tufail's Hayy ibn yaqdan known in Europe by it's latin title : Philosophus Autodidactus would make an interesting video. You could also do videos on Al farabi , Averroes, Avicenna etc. Not that you have to but would still be interesting.
This does not cover even half of the concepts in the book. Please read it.
I love this videos! I have the complete compilations from almost all the famous writers you made de videos about! I like knowing about the writer while reading, it makes for an even better comprehension of how and why they write and how to read them!
It is so pleasant and unexpected to see all of this enthusiastic comments about the Russian author! As a Russian I can say that we read all of this books at schools ( also Tolstoy, Chekhov and Bulgakov as well). And also my name is Fyodor too, so it makes reading Dostoevsky’ books more enjoyable))
Thank you, School of Life. I read even "what is art?" from Tolstoy after watching your video. I'm going to read every russian master you recommend ^^
"Life is a process of changing the focus on pain, never of removing pain itself". This is really close to Pascal's divertissement and the idea of the thinking reed.
Finally a video without nerving MUZAK to disturb the words of the narrator . THANK YOU.
This video was one of the reasons I got inspired to start reading Dostoyevsky.
Fyodor - is now a character in an Anime Bungou Stray Dogs - ;) XDD
Yup 😂👌 thats what braught me here.
Yesss!
pffft agreed like every character in the anime is from a real person's name
#badgrammar
@@KatyaXx0 same
*Dostoyevsky is a great writer* 👌 *Im an Arab and I love his books very much* 📚
Why would it matter that you happen to be an Arab? Seriously.
AWSOME ! PLEASE DO FOR INTERNATIONAL SPACE PROGRAM ! AND READ MORE BOOK ABOUT SCIENCE AND AETHEIST
wow the school of life put out an absolute clinic with this one. Whoever wrote this deserves and A+ and a fat raise.
I have to call out the atheistic motives of School of Life. This channel makes the illusion of being neutral, but even the existence and deep importance of God, which Dostoyevsky oriented his life and work around, was hardly touched on in this video. Dostoyevsky went much deeper than this, developing the belief that God was crucial to the soul and spirit.
Seems to be the case... initially enjoyed a couple of their vids until I began watching them on subjects I was actually familiar with. This video in particular is nothing short of dishonest. A misrepresentation of Dostoyevsky's message and in particular his views about Christianity.
Dostoyevsky‘s novels cannot be fully understood and appreciated without knowledge of this fact, that Dostoyevsky saw the redemption of man, from nihilism and spiritual suffering and indeed worldly suffering etc, as something open to everyone in the grace of God. I wonder if the most important part of Brothers Karamazov, instead of being the Grand Inquisitor, is actually the life of Father Zosima, in which he beautifully illustrates the Godly man’s worldly life and deeds.
Exactly! The CROSS of the church, not the spire, etc., etc., etc.!
Just because Dostoevsky believed in Christianity doesn't make it true or even worth considering.
@@Kyleology Just because you thought Dostoevsky believed in Christianity doesn't make it true doesn't make your claims plausible as well. Dostoevsky crafted its book with his own perspective, with his own thoughts towards the nature of religion that inspired so many more artists and authors. Why does that make it 'not worth considering' necessarily?
I'm agnostic. But your way of speaking seemed very provoking, to be honest.
he was a genius; ill always love him & his theory
Great exposition! Although you're missing one book which is the short-story "Dream of a Ridiculous Man" after you read this one, it's impossible to look at yourself as the way you used to do it previously.
One of my favorite authors of all time.
Listening to the beautiful voice of Alain de botton makes the most challenging subject matter accessible.
Do you realize, my dear sir, do you realize what it means for a person to have nowhere to go? "
Great work! Please consider making a video about Viktor E. Frankl
Existential Therapy FTW!
I am reading crime and punishment and it's a digital book so I am literally,eating while reading, walking while reading it and even in bathroom. It's so intriguing and yet encouraging that one cannot stop reading
Simply brilliant...thank you SOL
First time hearing about him. Happy to say we have a lot in common. I too faced my death and was brought back. I was an idiot for a spell but still I’m not the same. I love everybody
5:43 “Raskolnikov was also desperate or money”.
I grew up poor and half of my childhood was spent fantasizing about toys & clothes my friends had & I didn’t. I understand what poverty means. Ironically, and exactly opposite to Raskolnikov, I remember hoping my older sister marries a rich guy who would buy me stuff.
This sentence about Raskolnikov is such an understatement, if you read his mother’s letter to him at the beginning of the book you realize the psychological torture he was being subjected too is far worse than anything you can imagine when you think of poverty.
It’s either that Dostoevsky experienced the most intense emotions you can imagine and so he was able to express it in his novels, or he was so creative he was able to express the tragedy of life better than anybody who has experienced it.
I like this philosopher! Thank you! Well done
I am in love with his novels , he is genius
when it comes to Fyodor Dostoevsky, it is not " Hold my Beer " but " HOLD MY WHISKY ". he is the number one writer from here to eternity. what a writer !!!!!!!! wooooooo wahhhhh. i can talk on Dostoyevsky life cycles after life cycles after life cycles and never get bored or tired. see chapter nine of the Brothers Karamazov when ivan talk to a devil, then, you,ll know who is Dostoyevsky. and if this is not enough , then see the dialogue between Porfiry petrovich the police officer and the hero Raskolnikov in Crime and Punishment. ALWAYS IN LOVE WITH DOSTOYEVSKY..ALWAYS.
I just finished "Crime and punishment" and it it crazyyyy. I feel like a tornade hit my mind and heart, so intense. I read "Karamazov brothers" a few years ago, and I absolutely loved it! I always wanted to ask someone what is their favourite. So there you go, witch one it is your favourite and why? Thank you very much☺️
@@antoniaandra149 In order: Crime and Punishment, The Brothers Karamazov, The Idiot, The Devils (Demons).
Crime and Punishment is by some margin the best book I've read and I've read a lot of classics and modern classics.
@@antoniaandra149 sorry for the late Response. i can say that Brothers Karamazov is my favorite. but again, when it comes to Dostoyevsky, i have no favorite between crime and punishment and brothers karamazov. each book has its own CONCIOUSNESS EXPANDING. Got it ? take care etc.
4:00
suffering is like a Tetris match
once you solve a level it disappears and the next level above takes its place.
This essay was very well written and spoken fantastic job.
Excellent commentary on Dostoyevsky 's place in literary history.