The Harder You Try, The Worse It Gets - The Philosophy of Fyodor Dostoevsky

In this video, we explore the life, work, and philosophy of novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky. Specifically, we look into Dostoevsky's views of what it means to suffer, desire happiness, live morally, and define and strive toward these goals in the modern, Western world.

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[josechirinos]

"Your worst sin is that you have destroyed and betrayed yourself for nothing". Fyodor Dostoyevsky

[MustangWarrior]

"We often chase things we don't want and we dread things we truly want" hits hard

[just_ray]

It is better to be unhappy and know the worst, than to be happy in a fool's paradise.

-Fyodor Dostoevsky

[shirinakter]

If a man has conscience, he will suffer for his mistakes — Fyodor Dostoevsky.

[betterchapter]

“Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love.”
― Fyodor Dostoevsky

[fresh_dood]

"But how can you live and have no story to tell?"
-Fyodor Dostoevsky

[ck.]

I once read a comment, that still stays with me. It is not about the harder you try, it is more about the negativity you put into it. Some people do nothing and it gets worse, some do something and they feel great. It is about the energy, if you want something REALLY REALLY BAD, you kind of put negative energy in it and push it away from you, f. e. when you really want someone and then the person can sense your desperation and kind of feels to pressured. Or when you really really want a job and then you feel to insecure and anxious, so the boss won’t choose you because your lack of confidence. I think it’s about the energy, when you really want a good grade, put in the effort and the good energy (staying calm), then you will get it eventually. But if you let negativity run you, I think you push thinks away. So have hope, and trust. Be optimistic.

[valmid]

*"The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations, the new needs friends...Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere”* -Ratatouille

[arrabellagelera]

"Man only likes to count his troubles; he doesn't calculate his happiness"
- Dostoevsky

[nabieladrian]

It's really ironic that even now we have instant communication with the world, it's all literature from ages ago that guides us instead.

[sebastiandaoust]

Sometimes when you’re chasing something you will get lost in the chase. When you finally end up achieving your goal it will feel empty and you won’t even know why you did it. I feel like I’m always looking for that missing piece that will make me whole when no such piece exists. You have to come to terms with yourself and with life, which might never happen.

[jimmyw]

Fyodor Dostoevsky — 'Your worst sin is that you have destroyed and betrayed yourself for nothing"

[toughenupfluffy]

“Pain and suffering are always inevitable for a large intelligence and a deep heart. The really great men must, I think, have great sadness on earth.”

[aquamarine]

Crime and Punishment describes guilt better than any book I have ever read. It is also one of the greatest books written.

[uncledolan]

The ending of the last story really resonated with me. When life is 'good' we quickly become accustomed to this feeling and sooner rather than later our drive to make progress sets in again, giving us that feeling of dissatisfaction. It's only when we are afraid to lose something that we can truly appreciate it's value again.
The biggest example for this is life itself. Like the character in the story, when faced with death we all would feel this overwhelming sense of beauty and goodness in this world because our evolutionary sense to survive takes over. Sadly, if the character in the story were to survive he would be happy and relieved at first, probably sticking to his promises for a few days, weeks or maybe even months. But it would be impossible to maintain this appreciation for life permanently. At last the need for progress would overshadow the satisfaction again and he would end up in a similar state of mind to that before the execution.
It's fascinating how this way we are 'programmed' is sad and amazing at the same time. Because of it we can never be truly, unconditionally happy for long no matter what we achieve but it's also this same drive that's responsible for us not living in caves anymore but in this modern luxury. I guess we just have to accept that life is never really 'completed' and that it isn't one specific goal in life that matters but rather the general presence of desires that get replaced once we fulfill them.

[yum]

Here is what I have learned from Crime and Punishment. We are all bound by these chains in life that make us uncomfortable, and so we break them to be free of suffering. But what if freedom is empty? What if what's beyond this rock that we are tied to is ultimately a hell far worse than the one we suffered in those chains? at least when we are suffering morality, relationships, people, and society we aren't doing it alone. But if you take that step and break all those chains, what are you without them? Maybe what we suffer is what gives our life context.

[ryanjavierortega]

“You’re damned if ya do, you’re damned if ya don’t.” - Fyodor Dostoevsky

[Unknown]

The corollary to "stop trying so hard" is "stop caring so much." I worked for a company where it seemed like I was coming into conflict with people much more often than with any job I had ever had. It took me awhile to realize that these conflicts were happening because I genuinely CARED more about the job and the product than anyone else. Once I realized that all the "care about the customer" and "care about the product" and "care about the team" stuff I was hearing was all a bunch of crap, I just "pretend-cared" like everyone else. Just "shined it on, " as they say. Before long, everybody loved me. Damn shame it had to be that way. But I "made an adjustment with my own self-interests at heart." Dostoevsky would have been proud of me. I heard an expression once that suited that company perfectly: "Sincerity is the most important commodity to the customer. And once you've learned to fake THAT, you've got it made!"

[Unknowledgeable]

As I sit here pondering the words of Fyodor Dostoevsky, I am struck by the profundity of his philosophy. The idea that the harder you try, the worse it gets is one that has resonated with me on many occasions. I have experienced firsthand the feeling of putting in all my effort and still falling short. It can be disheartening, but it is in these moments that we must remind ourselves of the importance of perseverance.

Dostoevsky believed that the struggle itself was what gave life meaning. It is through our struggles that we grow and become stronger individuals. When we are faced with obstacles, we have a choice: to give up or to keep going. It is easy to give up when things get tough, but it is in pushing through that we develop resilience and determination.

The road to success is rarely a smooth one. There will be setbacks, failures, and moments of doubt. But it is those who are willing to persist through the challenges who ultimately achieve greatness. So, when faced with the daunting task of achieving our goals, let us remember the words of Dostoevsky and embrace the struggle. For it is through the struggle that we discover our true strength and potential.

[carl]

Fun fact: Dostoevsky is one of franz kafka's inspiration and influences in writing his books.