Decent man Quote by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
““There are certain things in a man's past which he does not divulge to everybody but, perhaps, only to his friends. Again there are certain things he will not divulge even to his friends; he will divulge them perhaps only to himself, and that, too, as a secret. But, finally, there are things which he is afraid to divulge even to himself, and every decent man has quite an accumulation of such things in his mind. I can put it even this way: the more decent a man is, the larger will the number of such things be.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, 1866
People hide secrets, even from themselves; the more moral they seem, the more hidden burdens they carry.
In simple terms: Everyone hides secrets, especially the moral.
Key Takeaway
Acknowledge hidden inner conflicts.
Themes
secrecy
morality
psychology
Mood
introspective
serious
Type
philosophical
psychological
When to use this quote
- therapy
- conflict resolution
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
existentialism
self‑deception
Questions to Reflect On
- What secrets do you keep from yourself?
- How does secrecy affect moral behavior?
A Different Perspective
Denial can prevent growth and honesty.
![“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)
