Selected Quotes of Solzhenitsyn
August 5th 2008 07:19
Selected Quotes of Solzhenitsyn
The Universe has as many different centres as there are living beings in it”
"Talent is always conscious of its own abundance, and does not object to sharing.”
"Violence can only be concealed by a lie, and the lie can only be maintained by violence. Any man who has once proclaimed violence as his method is inevitably forced to take the lie as his principle.”
"Justice is conscience, not a personal conscience but the conscience of the whole of humanity. Those who clearly recognize the voice of their own conscience usually recognize also the voice of justice.”
"One should never direct people towards
happiness, because happiness too is an
idol of the market-place. One should
direct them towards mutual affection.
A beast gnawing at its prey can be happy
too, but only human beings can feel affection
for each other, and this is the
highest achievement they can aspire to."
"Justice is conscience, not a personal conscience
but the conscience of the whole of humanity. Those
who clearly recognize the voice of their own conscience
usually recognize also the voice of justice."
"Everything you add to the truth
subtracts from the truth."
"Not everything has a name.
Some things lead us into
a realm beyond words."
It is not because the truth is too difficult to see that we make mistakes. It may even lie on the surface; but we make mistakes because the easiest and most comfortable course for us is to seek insight where it accords with our emotions — especially selfish ones.
D’you know who are the ones the camps finish off? Those who lick other men’s left-overs, those who set store by the doctors, and those who peach on their mates.
Can a man who's warm understand one who's freezing?
Violence, less and less embarrassed by the limits imposed by centuries of lawfulness, is brazenly and victoriously striding across the whole world, unconcerned that its infertility has been demonstrated and proved many times in history. What is more, it is not simply crude power that triumphs abroad, but its exultant justification. The world is being inundated by the brazen conviction that power can do anything, justice nothing.
If one is forever cautious, can one remain a human being?
Of course God is endlessly multi-dimensional so every religion that exists on earth represents some face, some side of God.
Don't believe them, don't fear them, don't ask anything of them.
"You only have power over people so
long as you don't take everything away
from them. But when you've robbed
a man of everything he's no longer
in your power -- he's free again."
Solzhenitsyn: The terrorfied look of a prisoner
The Universe has as many different centres as there are living beings in it”
"Talent is always conscious of its own abundance, and does not object to sharing.”
"Violence can only be concealed by a lie, and the lie can only be maintained by violence. Any man who has once proclaimed violence as his method is inevitably forced to take the lie as his principle.”
Lenin: Not one word of regret has been written by Lenin for those that he sentenced for mass executions.
"Justice is conscience, not a personal conscience but the conscience of the whole of humanity. Those who clearly recognize the voice of their own conscience usually recognize also the voice of justice.”
"One should never direct people towards
happiness, because happiness too is an
idol of the market-place. One should
direct them towards mutual affection.
A beast gnawing at its prey can be happy
too, but only human beings can feel affection
highest achievement they can aspire to."
"Justice is conscience, not a personal conscience
but the conscience of the whole of humanity. Those
who clearly recognize the voice of their own conscience
usually recognize also the voice of justice."
"Everything you add to the truth
subtracts from the truth."
"Not everything has a name.
Some things lead us into
a realm beyond words."
It is not because the truth is too difficult to see that we make mistakes. It may even lie on the surface; but we make mistakes because the easiest and most comfortable course for us is to seek insight where it accords with our emotions — especially selfish ones.
D’you know who are the ones the camps finish off? Those who lick other men’s left-overs, those who set store by the doctors, and those who peach on their mates.
Can a man who's warm understand one who's freezing?
Violence, less and less embarrassed by the limits imposed by centuries of lawfulness, is brazenly and victoriously striding across the whole world, unconcerned that its infertility has been demonstrated and proved many times in history. What is more, it is not simply crude power that triumphs abroad, but its exultant justification. The world is being inundated by the brazen conviction that power can do anything, justice nothing.
If one is forever cautious, can one remain a human being?
Of course God is endlessly multi-dimensional so every religion that exists on earth represents some face, some side of God.
Don't believe them, don't fear them, don't ask anything of them.
"You only have power over people so
long as you don't take everything away
from them. But when you've robbed
a man of everything he's no longer
in your power -- he's free again."
A logical conclusion to a ruthless concept.
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Comment by JohnDoe
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Comment by Damo
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Thanks for your comments.
I thought that it was worth doing some kind of tribute to the passing of a literary great.
I like the last quote the best.
Comment by S.L.
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Comment by Cibbuano
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that last quote is a beautiful expression of how you're only free when you've lost everything...
Comment by Damo
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Thanks for your comments.
I think he has earned a rest,
TimmyH
Thanks for your comments.
Yes that quote do stab at the mark.
Cibbuano
Thanks for your comments.
The last one stuck in my head from the first time heard it over twenty years ago. Honest and true,
Comment by Miswanderlust
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Comment by Damo
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Thanks for your comments.
There is a depth in this man that we will miss.