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
In sinning, each man sins against all, and each man is at least partly guilt for another's sin. There is no isolated sin.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the interconnectedness of humanity in moral responsibility.
Dostoevsky's quote illustrates the idea that individual actions and sins are not merely personal but have a profound impact on others. It suggests that when one person commits a wrong, it creates a ripple effect that affects the whole of humanity, implying that we share a collective moral responsibility and guilt for each other's actions. The notion of 'no isolated sin' is a call for awareness of how our choices can influence the ethical landscape around us.
Themes
SinResponsibilityHumanityGuiltInterconnectedness
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about moral choices in a philosophy class.
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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.
Fyodor DostoevskyRead
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