#dr. boris ivanovich

[hermitthrush]

Yes, there are gifted men, but the fashion nowadays is all for groups and societies of every sort. Gregariousness is always the refuge of mediocrities, whether they swear by Soloviev or Kant or Marx. Only individuals seek the truth, and they shun those whose sole concern is not the truth. How many things in the world deserve our loyalty? Very few indeed. I think one should be loyal to immortality, which is another word for life, a stronger word for it. One must be true to immortality - true to Christ! Ah, you're turning up your nose, my poor man. As usual, you haven't understood a thing.

Boris Pasternak, Dr. Zhivago (1957) | Hayward and Harari translation, Chapter 1.5. Nikolai to Ivan Ivanovich.