Small Government Book Fan Club discussion

Been reading a couple of articles about Dostoyevsky that make me surprised we haven't seen him mentioned here yet.

Dostoevsky’s 6 Nightmare Prophecies That Came True in the 20th Century

"But more than simply being an insightful novelist on the human condition, Dostoevsky turned out to be a truly prophetic voice in his predictions of the dangerous and deadly places where certain ideologies and philosophies popular at the time would lead his beloved Russia in particular, and the modern Western world in general.

In the course of a number of his books – The Devils (aka The Possessed) and The Brothers Karamazov, for example – he foretold of the coming socioeconomic and geopolitical nightmares that awaited 20th century societies that would adopt progressivism, nihilism, and socialism as their guiding principles. His words carry with them a deeper weight since Dostoevsky lived during his youth as a progressive ideologue eventually sentenced first to death and then, after a mock execution meant to “get his attention,” to four years of hard labor in Siberia."

Humanism: An Ethos of Death - The Devil’s Advocate VS. The Grand Inquisitor

"The Grand Inquisitor is a chapter in Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s book The Brothers Karamazov; it’s a parable told by one brother (an atheist) to the other (a priest) of Jesus returning to the world, not as his second coming, but only as a reminder – a chance to reacquaint himself with the people. He arrives during the years of the Spanish Inquisition, and is quickly imprisoned by the Grand Inquisitor.

He’s no longer needed in this world, the Inquisitor explains – Jesus offered freedom to the people, a freedom that many were doomed to abuse.

'And if in the name of heavenly bread thousands and tens of thousands will follow you, what will become of the millions and tens of thousands of millions of creatures who will not be strong enough to forgo earthly bread for the sake of the heavenly?'

It is the priests who will save mankind, not through freedom and forgiveness, but through succor; they shall take upon themselves the burden of freedom, and give man all that he desires.

'Yes, we will make them work, but in the hours free from labor we will arrange their lives like a children’s game, with children’s songs, choruses, and innocent dancing. Oh, we will allow them to sin, too; they are weak and powerless, and they will love us like children for allowing them to sin. We will tell them that every sin will be redeemed if it is committed with our permission; and that we allow them to sin because we love them, and as for the punishment for these sins, very well, we take it upon ourselves.'"

There are plenty of classics out there with conservative messages. But most people will not read classics as adults because being forced to read them in school pretty much sucks out all the fun.

I read Notes from Underground and Dostoyevsky definitely has a flare for creating despicable creatures. I'm interested in reading more from him, especially his longer works. I'm more interested in Hugo though when it comes to classics. I actually enjoyed TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD and FRANKENSTEIN despite having read them in school. And MACBETH. I had a pretty likable teacher for two of those and he brought out the best in them.

Dostoevsky’s Six Nightmare Prophecies That Came True in the 20th Century, Part Two
http://pjmedia.com/lifestyle/2013/04/...