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Quote of the Day: History
“History isn’t just the story of bad people doing bad things. It’s quite as much a story of people trying to do good things. But somehow, something goes wrong.” – C.S. Lewis
I have been writing about history for over two decades. This quote summarizes most of my writing in three short sentences. That is one reason why — absent Progressive airbrushing of history — C.S. Lewis will be remembered centuries after I am forgotten.
Published in General
Thanks for this one, Seawriter.
Is history never the story of good people doing good things, or even bad people doing good things?
Methinks Prof. Lewis was a wee bit of a pessimist, nay?
We here at Ricochet will do our best to ensure that you are not forgotten. You and your writings are treasures, and should never be lost.
I don’t think he said that. “History isn’t just the story of bad people doing bad things.” The “isn’t just” implies history includes things other than the story of bad people doing bad things. Which allows space for good people doing good things and bad people doing good things.
Of course folks are allowed to read the quote as exclusionary. That history only consists of bad people doing bad things or good people doing good things that go wrong. Those folks (the ones who read the quote as exclusionary) are known as pessimists.
Lewis had the ability to explain concepts in a clear, concise, and most importantly insightful manner that is nothing short of brilliant. Thanks for another great quote.
Disagree. In the quote he writes that something always seems to go wrong when people try to do good things.
The road to Hell…
Nope. He wrote ” It’s quite as much a story of people trying to do good things. But somehow, something goes wrong.” “It is quite as much” also is non-exclusionary. The final two two sentences of the quote are linked, with the period for emphasis. The final sentence is neither exclusionary nor exclusive, permitting good people doing good things and bad people doing good things. Except to pessimists, of course.
You’re mother’s non-exclusionary!
Your.
Non-exclusionary what?
Wrong thread!
I’ll pull on nearly any loose thread.
;-)
I can’t identify the subject of the (passive) verb. Speaking for myself, I agree: I do allow folks to do that, in the sense that I make no effort to prevent them.
But your meaning may have been
This I do not allow.
Misreading is allowed (by me, for example), but it’s still incorrect.
If I myself were to stumble into our friend Misthiocracy’s momentary mental lapse…
…I would expect M, or you, to correct me.
In so doing, not only would you erase the false conception of the original idea, and convey the thought as it was intended, but you would be helping me to turn my mistake into an opportunity to learn critical thinking (or in Misthiocracy’s case, pre-editing ;-) skills. Serendipity!
This conversation is an entry in our Quote of the Day Series. We have many openings in the new June 2018 Sign-Up Sheet and Schedule, along with tips for finding great quotes.
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Precisely so. You have captured my thoughts to a tee.