In a sort of ghastly simplicity we remove the organ and demand the function. We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honour and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. We castrate and bid the geldings be fruitful.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Lewis argues that society demands moral virtues without cultivating the inner character required to support them.
- In plain terms
- You cannot expect good behavior if you remove the capacity for courage and honor.
- What can you take from it?
- Character must precede expectation.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What virtues do we demand without teaching?
- Does our system reward character or compliance?
Another view
The metaphor may oversimplify how complex social systems actually function.
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