Utopianism

Dostoyevsky: Does God Expect Too Much From Us? (The Grand Inquisitor) (2/4)

December 5, 2019 Mark Stanley Podcast Comments Off on Dostoyevsky: Does God Expect Too Much From Us? (The Grand Inquisitor) (2/4)

Within The Brothers Karamazov is a chapter so powerful, vivid, and shocking that it has since impacted the course of Western Civilization. The Grand Inquisitor declares that Jesus Christ has actually acted cruelly towards man for giving him free will, when he knows so many are too weak to follow Christ. Is that true? Does God expect too much from mere mortals? Are his rules, precepts and teachings simply too hard? Or are Christ’s commandments actually the gateway to a relationship with God? Perhaps even the road to virtue, even the destination of peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control is about the journey rather than the destination.

Dostoyevsky: Introduction to The Brothers Karamazov (1/4)

November 28, 2019 Mark Stanley Podcast Comments Off on Dostoyevsky: Introduction to The Brothers Karamazov (1/4)

Dostoyevsky’s Introduction to The Brothers Karamazov

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Description

The Brothers Karamazov (1880) is the pinnacle of Dostoyevsky’s literary and intellectual work. His critique of European Enlightenment ideas, including atheism, utilitarianism, socialism and utopianism, find their culmination in this profound tome. Dostoyevsky wrestles with the problem of evil, unlike in his previous major novels, and also perfects his summary of the problem of atheism: “Without God, anything is permissible.” Dostoyevsky also ventures forth into existential territory, asking and answering questions regarding the goodness of life in the face of suffering and whether free will is a gift or a curse. All of this and more in a riveting murder mystery, featuring love triangles and prison escapes, pious monks and the lowest sinners.

Episode Notes

  • The featured oil on canvas is called Portrait of an Unknown Woman by Ivan Nikolaevich Kramskoi (1837–1887). It was painted in 1883. I chose it because I think it perfectly depicts Grushenka: beautiful, mischevous and immoral. Grushenka is a central character in The Brothers Karamazov because she directly instigates the feud between Dimitri and Fyodor that leads to critical circumstantial evidence in Dimitri’s murder trial.
  • The featured piece is Piano Concerto No. 1 (Op. 23) – Allegro Non Troppo E Molto Maestoso by Pyotr Tchaikovsky (1840–1893), a Russian composer and contemporary of Dostoyevsky.

Dostoyevsky’s Unique Critique of Utopianism (Notes From Underground)

November 14, 2019 Mark Stanley Podcast Comments Off on Dostoyevsky’s Unique Critique of Utopianism (Notes From Underground)

Notes From Underground (1864) is a blistering assault on utopianism, socialism, and Marxism based on Dostoyevsky’s view of human nature. Even if a utopian society was attainable, says Dostoyevsky, we would not be satisfied by endless food, comfort and pleasure. If you satisfied every human desire, we would throw it all away just for something interesting to happen, just to give ourselves a challenge to overcome and prove that we are human beings and not lap dogs. According to Dostoyevsky, we would rather wallow in misery and self-pity than be handed everything on a silver-platter! It is our unique proclivity for destructive decisions that make us human, and we wouldn’t give that up for anything… even heaven on earth.