What a cute little Russian mystery novel this is, and as one of my absolute favorite books, it is imperative I have quote from it.
As per usual with Russian lit. this is a cheery lighthearted novel in which some people die, go insane, and overall endure the wonderful Russian life providence bestowed upon them (to borrow a line from Tocqueville).
So this particular quote I memorized for a time because I thought it would be good to recite at parties, but I've forgotten it since, probably because I never found an appropriate party. This is a quote from the Elder Priest, Father Zosima of the monastery where Alosha is becoming a monk. He is speaking to Alosha's father Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov who owns several taverns in the village and stays drunk quite a bit.
"And close your taverns. If you can't close all, at least two or three. And above all, don't lie."
"You mean about Diderot?"
"No, not about Diderot. Above all, don't lie to yourself. 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 others. And having no respect he ceases to love, and in order to occupy and distract himself he gives way to coarse pleasures, and sinks to bestiality in his vices, all from continual lying to other men and himself. The man who lies to himself can be more easily offended that anyone. You know it is sometimes very pleasant to take offense, isn't it? A man may know that nobody has insulted him, but that he has invented the insult for himself, and lied and exaggerated to make it picturesque, has caught a word and make a mountain out of a molehill--he knows that himself, yet he will be the first to take offense, and will revel in his resentment till he feels great pleasure in it, an so pass to genuine vindictiveness. But get up, sit down, I beg you. All this, too, is deceitful posturing..."
So there it is. Lying to oneself leads to bestiality.
Coming soon: A quote from someone other than old dead white guys. I don't know who it will be yet, as I pretty much stick to dead white guys because it is they societies throughout history have set aside enough leisure time to write philosophy and novels. I'm kind of getting into sonnets and different sorts of stanza's, so that may be next.