In abstract love of humanity one almost always only loves oneself.

The more incompetent one feels, the more eager he is to fight.

In a morbid condition of the brain, dreams often have a singular actuality, vividness, and extraordinary semblance of reality.

But what can a decent man speak of with most pleasure? Answer: Of himself. Well, so I will talk about myself.

The essence of religious feeling does not come under any sort of reasoning or atheism, and has nothing to do with any crimes or misdemeanors. There is something else here, and there will always be something else - something that the atheists will for ever slur over; they will always be talking of something else.

I think everyone must love life more than anything else in the world.' 'Love life more than the meaning of it?' 'Yes, certainly. Love it regardless of logic, as you say. Yes, most certainly regardless of logic, for only then will I grasp its meaning. That's what I've been vaguely aware of for a long time. Half your work is done, Ivan: you love life. Now you must try to do the second half and you are saved.

Reality is infinitely diverse, compared with even the subtlest conclusions of abstract thought, and does not allow of clear-cut and sweeping distinctions. Reality resists classification.