“There is no rest for the humble except in despising the great, whose only thought of the people is inspired by self-interest or sadism.”

“You despise books; you whose lives are absorbed in the vanities of ambition, the pursuit of pleasure or indolence; but remember that all the known world, excepting only savage nations, is governed by books.”

“I'm only interested in people engaged in a project of self-transformation.”

“All the stories and descriptions of that time without exception peak only of the patriotism, self-sacrifice, despair, grief, and heroism of the Russians. But in reality it was not like that...The majority of the people paid no attention to the general course of events but were influenced only by their immediate personal interests.”

“The true religion would have to teach greatness and wretchedness, inspire self-esteem and self-contempt, love and hate.”

“Love the life you have been given. And be humbled by it. It is not to be despised.”