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
Being nice doesn’t make you stupid. It makes you feel good because you know you are gracious enough to forgive and smart enough to realize how distasteful some people can be.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Being kind is an act of intelligence, not weakness; it reflects self-awareness and moral strength.
C. S. Lewis emphasizes that kindness should not be viewed as foolishness but rather as a reflection of one's strength and grace. By choosing to be nice and forgiving, individuals can protect their own well-being while recognizing the negative behaviors of others, ultimately finding satisfaction in their own compassionate actions.
Themes
KindnessForgivenessIntelligenceGracePositivity
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote during a seminar about emotional intelligence.
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
C. S. LewisRead
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