I recently read Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, and among the various themes in it, one that got me thinking the most was Raskolnikov’s philosophy on superiority. Raskolnikov believes that certain extraordinary individuals stand above the common crowd, people whose intellect and purpose place them beyond ordinary moral boundaries. Although his philosophy drives him to extremes in the novel, I found it to be very prevalent among people today, a quiet conviction that one’s own perspective or virtue stands above others.

It is never explicitly stated in the novel behind the reason for him developing this way of thinking, but one can deduce that it germinated from the circumstances he was in, mainly his poverty. That is my understanding, at least, and I find it a very humane and relatable. Whenever one is challenged in ways that are unlikeable to himself, thinking less of others is often a defence one puts up naturally. He cannot fathom that his view is not concrete, and it is filled with logical holes. Whenever someone disagrees with us, our first reaction is not to listen to what others have to say regarding it; rather, we instinctively defend our position, as if being wrong were a threat to our very sense of self.

This is even more common with the advent of social media, where everyone acts as a beacon of moral righteousness, leaving no room for perspectives beyond their own, and seeing differing opinions as something repugnant. This reminds me of one of the dreams Raskolnikov sees while in prison towards the end of the novel. In it, the world is infected by a plague, and those who are infected get mad with intellectual pride. Everyone thinks they are right, and people cannot agree with each other on a single topic. This extreme self-righteousness leads to total chaos, destruction and eventually the society falls. Recently, I had a discourse with an old friend of mine, which ended with her completely blocking off communications with me. I didn’t even completely disagree with her, but the fact that our views didn’t completely overlap was enough for her to excommunicate me. In the novel, Raskolnikov holds himself in such high esteem that when others reach out to him with compassion, he dismisses both their feelings and their efforts. To him, accepting their influence would mean admitting that he stands on the same level as those he deems beneath him.

Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment is about many things, but his warning about the dangers of moral superiority is more relevant now than ever.