A dogmatic belief in objective value is necessary to the very idea of a rule which is not tyranny or an obedience which is not slavery.
C. S. LewisRead
Devils are depicted with bats' wings and good angels with birds' wings, not because anyone holds that moral deterioration would be likely to turn feathers into membrane, but because most men like birds better than bats.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights subjective preferences in morality, illustrating how societal perspectives shape our views of good and evil.
C. S. Lewis's quote reflects on the symbolic representations of morality and good versus evil. It suggests that the imagery we use to depict good and evil—such as angels with birds' wings and devils with bats' wings—stems not from any inherent moral truth but from our personal preferences. This invites us to consider how ideals are shaped by our cultural and emotional biases rather than pure objective qualities.
Themes
MoralityPerceptionSymbolsGood And EvilPreference
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion on values during a philosophy class.
More from C. S. Lewis
All quotes →I enjoyed my breakfast this morning, and I think that was a good thing and do not think it was condemned by God. But I do not think myself a good man for enjoying it.
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Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.
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Forgiving and being forgiven are two names for the same thing. The important thing is that a discord has been resolved.
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I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. It doesn't change God - it changes me.
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The instrument through which you see God is your whole self. And if a man's self is not kept clean and bright, his glimpse of God will be blurred
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