Three stories by researcher Ilya Ilyich Belkin are reflections on the modern power of temptations that have long been offered to people for self-justification of mental disorder. From the “Methodology” the author concludes that the meaning of life is closed to people who consider the demands of the obvious world more important than innate religious feelings. In “ Preparation of Anton Ivanovich" tells about a physicist who has spent his whole life justifying himself by preparing for useful activities. "Away" shows the spiritual struggle of the hero, who refuses the demands of spiritual development for the sake of the family good and due to the established habit of living like everyone else.