One of the things I like most about The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, written in 1941, is the way he writes about virtues. For example, have you ever noticed, in conflicts with others, how both you and the other person deem yourselves to be the righteous one? Take the virtue of unselfishness, for example. Lewis, writing as Uncle Screwtape, who is serving his father below, notes that "we have built up a divergence of views toward unselfishness between the sexes. A woman means by unselfishness chiefly taking trouble for others. A man means not giving trouble to others...Each feels a glow of self-righteousness and harbors a secret claim to preferential treatment because of unselfishness shown, and a grudge against the other for the ease with which the sacrifice has been accepted. A real quarrel ensues, with bitter resentment on each side! Elaborate and self-conscious unselfishness builds up on each side."
"She is the sort of woman who lives for others." (You can always tell the others by their hunted expression)!"
1 comment:
Unselfishness to me is the greatest virtue you can have but it is a very hard one to maintain. Like the Screwtapes says you are in danger of being self righteous. Interesting that men and women have such divergent views on it.
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