Atheism Quote by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
““Our historical pastime is the direct satisfaction of inflicting pain. There are lines in Nekrassov describing how a peasant lashes a horse on the eyes, 'on its meek eyes,' everyone must have seen it. It's peculiarly Russian. He describes how a feeble little nag has foundered under too heavy a load and cannot move. The peasant beats it, beats it savagely, beats it at last not knowing what he is doing in the intoxication of cruelty, thrashes it mercilessly over and over again. 'However weak you are, you must pull, if you die for it.' The nag strains, and then he begins lashing the poor defenceless creature on its weeping, on its 'meek eyes.' The frantic beast tugs and draws the load, trembling all over, gasping for breath, moving sideways, with a sort of unnatural spasmodic action- it's awful in Nekrassov. But that only a horse, and God has horses to be beaten.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Demons (The Possessed) by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, 1872
The passage depicts cruelty as a cultural habit, using a horse‑beating scene to illustrate how people inflict suffering for its own sake.
In simple terms: People often enjoy hurting others without reason.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and challenge ingrained cruelty.
Themes
cruelty
culture
power
violence
Mood
somber
critical
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- animal cruelty
- authoritarian regimes
- personal relationships
- historical analysis
Key Concepts
human nature
social conditioning
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- What cultural practices normalize cruelty?
- How can empathy counteract such instincts?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may overgeneralize Russian culture and ignore individual variance.
![“if [God] doesn't exist, man is the chief of the earth, of the universe. Magnificent! Only how is he going to be good without God?” quote by Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/09b/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_ethics_if-god-doesn-t-exist-man-is-the-chief-of_16023.jpg)
