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
They stormed and jeered at one another in long meaningless words of about twenty syllables each.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the futility of arguments that are lengthy but lack true substance.
C. S. Lewis highlights a pitfall of human communication: when conversations devolve into long-winded exchanges filled with complex language that ultimately lead nowhere. This critique of elaborate speech points to the importance of clarity and meaningful dialogue over pretentiousness and verbosity.
Themes
CommunicationMeaninglessnessDialogueFutilityVerbosity
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate about important societal issues where clarity is essential.
More from C. S. Lewis
All quotes βI 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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