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
When I'm older I'll understand" said Lucy, " I am older and I don't think I want to understand", replied Edmund
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote explores the tension between the desire to understand complex truths and the discomfort that such understanding may bring.
In this exchange between Lucy and Edmund from C. S. Lewis, we see a profound reflection on the nature of understanding as one ages. While Lucy believes that age will bring clarity and understanding, Edmund counters with a realization that perhaps maturity comes with the acceptance that some truths may be best left unexamined, highlighting the complexity of human experience and the duality of knowledge—pursuing it while fearing the implications it may have on one's perspective and peace of mind.
Themes
UnderstandingKnowledgeMaturityTruthComplexity
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be shared during a discussion on the complexities of growing older.
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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Any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the galaxy, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through, and still know where his towel is is clearly a man to be reckoned with.
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