Your views on Dostoevsky's works main themes etc.

[Grinderman]

Well I'm curious about your views on themes which were important in Dostoevsky's works (religion, individualism, socialim etc.)

I find his works pretty brilliant, though I'm an atheist, and my views are generally oposed to his.

What are your views on those themes?

[Nadia]

no matter what your inward feelings and beliefs are, atheist, buddhist, christain etc, you take a work that is considered wonderful and a masterpiece and allow yourself for a moment to completely understand why it is there and what the master was aiming for. i am a christian existentialist so Dostoevsky comes easy to me and i feel conected. however, when i read things by Nietzsche, who is known for cursing God, i still try to understand the point he is trying to make, even if I don't agree. You can't really allow beliefs to get in the way of a good read. Dostoevsky uses his beliefs because they are a part of him, every good writer puts themselves into their novels and stories, thats where they come from. For his era and his life I think everything that he speaks and argues for is completely valid, even though I can be wishy washy on some things he talks about. but it doesnt really matter. if an author can suck you in simply by his words, you allow them to and enjoy the expierence.

[Grinderman]

I agree, though I find it funny that my views are closer to the ones of the revolutionaries - I mean atheism, which I mentioned before, rationalism, negation of tradition etc., and I like D's works .

I hope I wrote it at least understandably.

[poor knight]

For me, a Christian late in life, and others with whom I've spoken who are atheists or agnostics but love FD, the great thing about his philosophy is that he doesn't make faith "easy." He takes us beyond the romanticism of the previous literary generation and recognizes that whether God exists or not, life can be extremely hard, and real suffering is unavoidable. It is not easy to have faith or to reconcile suffering with God's love. FD does establish that reconciliation but usually only after a great amount of sacrifice and spiritual anguish

I think whether you believe in God or not, and if you do though you may struggle with the apparent conflicts, the appeal of FD is that he respects your opinion, knows that a few easily placed platitudes aren't going to be enough, and he forces you to question everything that is comfortable with your own philosophy.

I have found that through FD my faith has grown much deeper, but that it has a harder, more realistic edge to it. I find that I am drawn more to work to alleviate the suffering in the world, by admitting that it exists, than I am to singing the happy songs of worship in my church. Not that there is anything wrong with the latter, but I feel more strongly that God is saying to me, "get off that church pew and start helping the poor. Real life is out there!"

[Grinderman]

Yes, and Dostoevsky also doesn't say "this is right, that is wrong", but just shows different situations and thought processes, and allows, or even obliges to make your own conclusions.

EDIT
Oh, I forgot, I think that Dostoevsky is more important than a pair of shoes , and here I disagree with the revolutionaries from "The Devils"

[Worm]

I am also of the opinion that Dostoevsky is more important than a pair of shoes.

What the hell can i do with a pair of shoes?  I can walk barefoot.  Shoes don't solve problems.  

[Grinderman]

Well, in Russia walking barefoot wouldn't be that easy and comfortable, especially in the winter... So shoes are important... I just don't get the total utilitarism, stating that art, philosophy etc. are totally useless, just because they don't give material profits...

[Nadia]

thats the whole point of utilitarism, that anything that required the mind is completely invalid, it didnt bring bread on the table. i think of it as the conflict that money and things makes one happy, instead of naturally calming things like art (well, at least most art) i think that its for folk who love buying and spending and hoarding their money and possesions. things like this arent supposed to make sense to people who have passion for art and phiosophy and loving life. we dont understand the greed and the mass productivity.

and i would trade my shoes in a heartbeat for dostoevsky, even in snow

[Grinderman]

And it scares me, that so many people in my environment, even my family, are like that... They think that when someone is into art or philosophy or somehing like that, or when someone is just fragile, looking for the meaning of life, and doesn't want to spend whole life just working to get more and more money (and in the free time watch TV and go to church on Sunday), then he is lazy and useless... It's so primitive...

[Worm]

Well, in Russia walking barefoot wouldn't be that easy and comfortable, especially in the winter... So shoes are important... I just don't get the total utilitarism, stating that art, philosophy etc. are totally useless, just because they don't give material profits...

I agree with your point, i'm not black or white, but i'm gray, inbetween of the two.  Shoes AND art & philosophy are important.

The importance of art&philosophy is definitly under-rated...
... if i'm there with shoes in Russian snow, together with someone else, and they still have cold, despite the shoes, and can't stand it, and become furious, and decide to knock me down, and steal my shoes, to make a better shoe for themselves...
... then i wonder what's most important.

The evil in man can be more dangerous than the "evil" of snow and rain.


voila!

[Worm]

And it scares me, that so many people in my environment, even my family, are like that... They think that when someone is into art or philosophy or somehing like that, or when someone is just fragile, looking for the meaning of life, and doesn't want to spend whole life just working to get more and more money (and in the free time watch TV and go to church on Sunday), then he is lazy and useless... It's so primitive...

i agree, i have some experience in this

we all have to fight and the only thing that can stop us is a scythe

[tzar]

... so many people...think that when someone is into art or philosophy or...looking for the meaning of life, and doesn't want to spend whole life just working to get more and more money..., then he is lazy and useless...

still, neither ''art'' nor ''philosophy'' would make your life any easier.
look at Raskolnikov - he refused to work in favour of philosophizing - and see the result...

so art or philosophy can make a sense, only if you have no pride (especially injured one) and are not opposing yourself to the rest of the world.

regards and good luck.

[Grinderman]

still, neither ''art'' nor ''philosophy'' would make your life any easier.

You're right about material side of life, and that's (among other reasons) because people think that everyone must work, that work is basis of life, if someone doesn't work, often nobody wants to support him. But money alco often can't make your life easier (sometimes it can make it even harder) - and that's where the philosophy and art can help you. It depends on what's more important to you, to live right, or to live easily and comfortable...

look at Raskolnikov - he refused to work in favour of philosophizing - and see the result...

I must admit haven't read C&P yet (but it's waiting on the shelf ).

so art or philosophy can make a sense, only if you have no pride (especially injured one) and are not opposing yourself to the rest of the world.

Well, the world is often oposing itself to the individual, but that's a different story ...

[Worm]

it's always so amusing to read a post of our old tzar

haha

[Grinderman]

it's always so amusing to read a post of our old tzar

Hey, I'm new here, what should I know about him?