A statement that seems to contradict itself or common sense, but which, on reflection, reveals a truth.
In The Brothers Karamazov
the more I love humanity in general, the less I love people in particular, that is, one by one, as individuals.
The more love for humanity grows, the less is left for real people. The sentence seems contradictory and is true: abstract love feeds precisely on the distance that concrete love must cross.
Book II: An untimely meeting, Elder Zosima, quoting a doctor, to Madame Khokhlakova
Because I am a Karamazov. Because, if I am going to fly into the abyss, it is headfirst, feet up, and I even am glad to fall in that humiliating position and I consider it, for me, beauty.
Book III: The sensualists, Mitya to Alyosha, in the garden
mama [...] don't cry, life is a paradise, and we are all in paradise, only we do not want to know it, and if we did, tomorrow paradise would be in the whole world.
Book VI: A Russian monk, Markel to his mother, in Elder Zosima's account
"to take by force or by humble love?" Always decide: "I will take by humble love." If you decide this once and for all, you may conquer the whole world. Humble love is a terrible force, the strongest of all, and nothing compares with it.
Book VI: A Russian monk, Elder Zosima, in his teachings to the monks
For "the child" I will go. Because everyone is guilty before everyone. For everyone, "the child", because there are small children and big children. Everyone is "the child". I will go for everyone, because someone must go for everyone. I did not kill my father, but I must go. I accept!
Book XI: Ivan Fyodorovich, Mitya to Alyosha, in the jail, on the eve of the trial
and he is me, Alyosha, myself. All that is low, vile and contemptible in me! [...] I very much wanted him to be really him, and not me!
Book XI: Ivan Fyodorovich, Ivan to Alyosha, after speaking of the visitor
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