Can we talk a bit about 'Notes from Underground'?

The underground man is Dostoyevsky's response to another writer (I forgot his name) who wrote a story about a sort of utopia where everyone acts according to mathematics and logic. He agued that this society could not exist because of people like the underground man, who purposefully act illogically out of spite and social stupidity. I think that hits certain users here pretty spot on.

>>9512376

My reading of the Underground Man is that he is floating around in a wilderness of Bureaucracy and pointless days, but his conscience is aware that the state of his society is characterized by common immorality.

He recognizes the need for a saint but he refuses to try and become one himself, despite occasional bursts of saintly intention (the prostitute) coupled with occasional bursts of evil intention (the prostitute).

He hates himself for failing to dissolve the contradictions in his soul and decides he is petty and loathsome. It's easier. It lets life carry on like it did yesterday.

>Le Underground Man is literally /r9k/ and /lit/ XD!

the underground man is just a russian person, which is obvious if you are russian.

>>9512854
well put, anon

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252KB, 1080x556px

>>9512341

>>9512341
Dostoyevsky was more like the detached guy who wrote about /r9k/ because he thought they were giant faggots.

On the surface that appears to be the case. He's the archetypical guy caught in neutral, frustrated with the world etc etc.

But what we must understand about the Underground Man is that he was engaged in a sort of pathological protest against utilitarian philosophy. That's why he purposefully goes out of his way to humiliate himself and experience awkward and unpleasant sensations. He wants to prove that people are more than automatons programmed to seek pleasure and avoid pain. he's the hero we need.

>>9513306
Is this the beginner's meme trilogy? I would replace Dorian Grey with Catcher or Gatsby out Heart of Darkness, maybe.

>>9513331
good post

>>9512966
>Le 'put le and xD with everything i dislike' xD

>>9513340
Most people don't butcher Gatsby or Heart of Darkness though. This trilogy is a pleb filter because they are three short, easy books that a lot of people completely misunderstand.

>>9513378
How do people misunderstand the stranger? Seems pretty straight forward to me.

>>9513440
I see you haven't been here long.

>>9513306
I'd swap Dorian Gray for The Trial or Catcher in the Rye.
Way more frequently misunderstood.

>>9513440
People misunderstand it in the way they frequently misunderstand existentialism.