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
The moment good taste knows itself, some of its goodness is lost.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Self-awareness can diminish the intrinsic value of good taste.
C. S. Lewis suggests that when good taste becomes self-aware or overly conscious of itself, it may lose some of its inherent charm and authenticity. This idea reflects the tension between appreciation and self-reflection, suggesting that true beauty or goodness often exists in a state of simplicity and unawareness, without the burden of scrutiny.
Themes
Good TasteSelf-AwarenessAuthenticityPhilosophyValue
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about art and its appreciation, one could use this quote to highlight the importance of unfiltered enjoyment.
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.
C. S. LewisRead
Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.
C. S. LewisRead
Forgiving and being forgiven are two names for the same thing. The important thing is that a discord has been resolved.
C. S. LewisRead
I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. It doesn't change God - it changes me.
C. S. LewisRead
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
C. S. LewisRead
Similar quotes
Compassion has enemies, and those enemies are things like pity, moral outrage, fear.
Joan HalifaxRead
The labor of a human being is not a commodity or article of commerce. You can't weigh the soul of a man with a bar of pig-iron.
SamuelRead
I believe that, through the act of living, the discovery of oneself is made concurrently with the discovery of the world around us.
Henri Cartier-BressonRead
Most of us cluster somewhere in the middle of most statistical distributions. But there are lots of bell curves, and pretty much everyone is on a tail of at least one of them. We may collect strange memorabilia or read esoteric books, hold unusual religious beliefs or wear odd-sized shoes, suffer rare diseases or enjoy obscure movies.
Virginia PostrelRead
Because of social pressure, individualism is rejected by most people in favor of conformity. Thus the individual relies mainly upon the actions of others and neglects the meaning of his own personal life. Hence he sees his own life as meaningless and falls into the “existential vacuum” feeling inner void. Progressive automation causes increasing alcoholism, juvenile delinquency, and suicide.
Viktor E. FranklRead
The splinter in your eye is the best magnifying-glass available.
Theodor AdornoRead