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
It's all love or sex these days. Friendship is almost as quaint and outdated a notion as chastity. Soon friends will be like the elves and the pixies - fabulous mythical creatures from a distant past.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the diminishing value of friendship in contemporary society, comparing it to outdated concepts like chastity.
C. S. Lewis's quote critiques modern relationships, suggesting that love and sex have overshadowed the significance of friendship. He implies that as society evolves, the genuine connections of companionship are becoming rare, akin to mythological creatures that once were prevalent but now seem distant and non-existent, highlighting a cultural shift away from platonic relationships.
Themes
FriendshipLoveRelationshipsSocietyC.S. Lewis
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about modern relationships, one might use this quote to emphasize how valuable friendship has become.
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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