There's only one thing worse than a beaten man, and that's a man who don't know when he's beat.

[Stavrogin]

When did you realise you were ruined?

 

[Anonymoussn]

Life is what you make of it. If you dont know you're beat, then you're not beaten!

 

[Stavrogin]

Life is what you make of it. If you dont know you're beat, then you're not beaten!

Or you're naive and ignorant. Then again, they do say that ignorance is bliss. Who knows.

 

[jameslb72]

if you think in terms of being 'beaten' then you have probably always approached life as a contest which is what creates a living hell.