Finding Meaning - Leo Tolstoy

“Freethinkers are those who are willing to use their minds without prejudice and without fearing to understand things that clash with their own customs, privileges, or beliefs. This state of mind is not common, but it is essential for right thinking.” - Leo Tolstoy

Leo Tolstoy, often referred to as Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy or Liev Tolstoy, was a Russian writer celebrated for his novels and short stories. In his later years, he also ventured into writing plays and essays. His most renowned works, "War and Peace" and "Anna Karenina," are hailed as two of the greatest novels ever written and exemplify the pinnacle of realist fiction.

Many consider Tolstoy one of the world’s greatest novelists, and he is equally known for his complex and paradoxical persona, as well as his strong moralistic and ascetic views. These views emerged following a moral crisis and spiritual awakening in the 1870s, after which he became recognized as a significant moral thinker and social reformer.

Before plunging into philosophical inquiry, Tolstoy's early life was defined by aristocratic privilege and literary acclaim. His masterpieces "War and Peace" (1865–69) and "Anna Karenina" (1875–77) are widely regarded as some of the finest novels ever penned.

"War and Peace," in particular, virtually defines the novel form for many readers and critics. Among Tolstoy’s shorter works, "The Death of Ivan Ilyich" (1886) stands as one of the best examples of the novella form.

Especially during his last three decades, Tolstoy gained international fame as a moral and religious teacher. His doctrine of nonresistance to evil notably influenced Gandhi. Although Tolstoy’s religious ideas may not command the same respect they once did, the interest in his life and personality has only grown over the years.

Tolstoy's existential crisis is vividly depicted in his autobiographical work, "A Confession" (1882). Here, Tolstoy recounts his spiritual turmoil, characterized by a profound sense of despair and an acute awareness of mortality.

"A Confession" reveals Tolstoy's introspection as he questions the purpose of life amidst the apparent inevitability of death. This period of crisis propelled him from seeking fulfilment in literary fame to searching for answers in spiritual and philosophical realms. In the work, he grapples with existential questions regarding life’s purpose, death's inevitability, and societal expectations' futility.

Tolstoy opens the book with reflections on his childhood in Russia and his early understanding of faith and religion. He explains losing his Christian faith while at university while maintaining a vague belief in Jesus Christ. As a young adult, his only real faith lay in self-improvement physically, morally, and intellectually—a conviction for which his peers ridiculed him.

Upon moving to St. Petersburg and joining a community of writers, Tolstoy's self-improvement efforts faltered, leaving him disgusted with himself and his peers for their self-centred cravings for fame and fortune.

Witnessing a public beheading in Paris motivated Tolstoy to make his own moral decisions. Returning to Russia, he fell into a spiritual malaise that persisted for 15 years, prompting him to confront the difficult questions about life he'd been avoiding. Everything, even family and writing, seemed meaningless to him in the face of death’s certainty.

Tolstoy critiqued the sciences for their inability to provide meaning, leading him to abandon his belief in progress as absurd within a meaningless world. He cites thinkers like Socrates and Schopenhauer to bolster his claim that life is vain and purposeless, leaving him in deep despair.

The narrative explores four ways to escape life’s meaninglessness: ignorance, epicureanism (losing oneself in pleasures), suicide, and letting life drag on. Tolstoy considers suicide the most honourable escape but admits lacking the courage to choose it.

He questions the logic that led him here, attributing his pride to ignoring how millions find meaning through faith. He posits that life’s answers might lie beyond reason, leading him to realize that only faith can provide meaning.

Disenchanted with institutional Christianity due to the behaviour of elite Christians, Tolstoy finds authenticity in the pure, simple faith of common people. Comparing his existence to that of the working class, he realizes that his failure to understand life’s meaning is rooted in self-indulgence. He then strives to adopt the simple, faithful life of the masses he admires, finding strength in seeking God.

Tolstoy's struggles with Orthodox theology challenge him, though he attempts to embrace it as part of his spiritual journey. He discovers deeper connections with God among the faithful poor, contrasting with the despair he feels among educated, affluent circles.

Ultimately, Tolstoy parts from the Russian Orthodox Church, advocating an ecumenical approach to faith, where attaining greater spiritual knowledge is paramount. He concludes that Orthodox theology blends truths and falsehoods, expressing a desire to discern where reason ends and faith begins.

For Tolstoy, "faith was the knowledge of the meaning of human life…Faith is the power of life. If a man lives, he believes in something.” He finds this faith not among the wealthy or intellectuals, but among the poor and uneducated. The meaning attributed to life by simple people becomes the meaning Tolstoy embraces. For him, meaning is rooted in a simple life and religious faith.

Through "A Confession," Tolstoy not only documents his personal journey toward spiritual awakening but also engages readers with universal questions about existence, morality, and the pursuit of meaning. It serves as a testimony of his quest for understanding and belonging in a complex world.

Tolstoy's philosophical inquiries resonate universally, marking his transition from literary titan to spiritual seeker. This timeless search for understanding transcends cultural and temporal boundaries, challenging readers to confront deep existential questions and explore meaning beyond material success.

“We lost because we told ourselves we lost” - Leo Tolstoy

References

- Tolstoy, L. (1877). Anna Karenina.  

- Tolstoy, L. (1882). A Confession.  

- Tolstoy, L. (1869). War and Peace.  

- Tolstoy, L. (1897). What Is Art?