How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph), with the exception of Part V, which runs (Part#. "Short Title". Paragraph). Part V has no numbered chapters—only title headings.
Quote #10
When in August 1968 thousands of Russian tanks occupied that amazing small country, I saw a slogan written on the walls of a town: "We don't want compromise, we want victory!" You must understand, by then there was no more than a choice among several varieties of defeat, but this town rejected compromise and wanted victory! That was litost talking! A man possessed by it takes revenge through his own annihilation. (V."Theory".4)
We've already gotten a good example of what litost is on a personal level (i.e., the student and his Olympic swimmer girlfriend), but Kundera wants to take it a step further and apply it to the political realm. He's not a huge fan of activism, so he sees the chutzpah of these townspeople as something foolish rather than heroic. They must have wanted even greater destruction, Kundera thinks, to have vented their frustration in this manner.