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The Inner Ring
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About the author
C.S. Lewis
1,033 books48k followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Clive Staples Lewis was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably one of the most influential writers of his day. He was a Fellow and Tutor in English Literature at Oxford University until 1954. He was unanimously elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge University, a position he held until his retirement. He wrote more than thirty books, allowing him to reach a vast audience, and his works continue to attract thousands of new readers every year. His most distinguished and popular accomplishments include Mere Christianity, Out of the Silent Planet, The Great Divorce, The Screwtape Letters, and the universally acknowledged classics The Chronicles of Narnia. To date, the Narnia books have sold over 100 million copies and been transformed into three major motion pictures.
Lewis was married to poet Joy Davidman.
W.H. Lewis was his elder brother]
Clive Staples Lewis was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably one of the most influential writers of his day. He was a Fellow and Tutor in English Literature at Oxford University until 1954. He was unanimously elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge University, a position he held until his retirement. He wrote more than thirty books, allowing him to reach a vast audience, and his works continue to attract thousands of new readers every year. His most distinguished and popular accomplishments include Mere Christianity, Out of the Silent Planet, The Great Divorce, The Screwtape Letters, and the universally acknowledged classics The Chronicles of Narnia. To date, the Narnia books have sold over 100 million copies and been transformed into three major motion pictures.
Lewis was married to poet Joy Davidman.
W.H. Lewis was his elder brother]
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
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April 3, 2024Ought to be required reading for anyone interested in participating in social media. Particularly useful as well for those interested in academic pursuits. Also helps illuminate Marc's psychology in That Hideous Strength.
May 9, 2025
self-awareness level: (woke) scoundrel
May 2, 2024
Starting into my C.S. Lewis journey. Thought provoking, short read. One of my favorite parts, about friendship:
“And if in your spare time you consort simply with the people you like…you are indeed snug and safe at the centre of something which, seen from without, would look exactly like an Inner Ring. But the difference is that the secrecy is accidental, and its exclusiveness a by-product, and no one was led thither by the lure of the esoteric: for it is only four or five people who like one another meeting to do things that they like. This is friendship. Aristotle placed it among the virtues. It causes perhaps half of all the happiness in the world, and no Inner Ring can ever have it.”
“And if in your spare time you consort simply with the people you like…you are indeed snug and safe at the centre of something which, seen from without, would look exactly like an Inner Ring. But the difference is that the secrecy is accidental, and its exclusiveness a by-product, and no one was led thither by the lure of the esoteric: for it is only four or five people who like one another meeting to do things that they like. This is friendship. Aristotle placed it among the virtues. It causes perhaps half of all the happiness in the world, and no Inner Ring can ever have it.”
May 13, 2024
"Once the first novelty is worn off, the members of this circle will be no more interesting than your old friends. Why should they be? You were not looking for virtue or kindness or loyalty or humour or learning or wit or any of the things that can really be enjoyed. You merely wanted to be 'in.' And that is a pleasure that cannot last... The rainbow's end will still be ahead of you."
July 11, 2024
This one activates the brain, and really makes you start to think.
March 30, 2025
This is not a book, it’s an essay and it’s phenomenal. I am merely adding this to my goodreads so that others will be as privileged to discover it as I was.
April 13, 2025
Fantastic essay on the illusion of popularity and the needling pain of exclusion. Lewis writes, once again, from the head and the heart. One day, I'll make my kids read this.
July 8, 2023
Saying the quiet part out loud. Every young person should read this.
"In the whole of your life as you now remember it, has the desire to be on the right side of that invisible line ever prompted you to any act or word on which, in the cold small hours of a wakeful night, you can look back with satisfaction?"
"In the whole of your life as you now remember it, has the desire to be on the right side of that invisible line ever prompted you to any act or word on which, in the cold small hours of a wakeful night, you can look back with satisfaction?"
January 26, 2023
“The Inner Ring” was the Memorial Lecture given by C. S. Lewis at King’s College London in 1944. He endeavors to tell his audience something about the World, which is the pervasiveness of “inner rings” in every aspect of life. You might know them as the “cool kids” in school, the “in-crowd”, that exclusive group which you long to be accepted into. Lewis describes some of the detriments that befall one if and when they do find their way into these inner circles.
“I wonder whether, in ages of promiscuity, many a virginity has not been lost less in obedience to Venus than in obedience to the lure of the caucus. For of course, when promiscuity is the fashion, the chaste are outsiders... And as for lighter matters, the number of people who first smoked or first got drunk for a similar reason is probably very large.”
“Of all the passions, the passion for the Inner Ring is most skillful in making a man who is not yet a very bad man do very bad things.”
“Until you conquer the fear of being an outsider, an outsider you will remain.”
On the other hand, while inner rings are inevitable, there are also genuine, “good” groups that arise from authentic friendship and shared interests. Those are the groups we should strive to be apart of.
I highly recommend reading this alongside “That Hideous Strength” and “The Abolition of Man”.
“I wonder whether, in ages of promiscuity, many a virginity has not been lost less in obedience to Venus than in obedience to the lure of the caucus. For of course, when promiscuity is the fashion, the chaste are outsiders... And as for lighter matters, the number of people who first smoked or first got drunk for a similar reason is probably very large.”
“Of all the passions, the passion for the Inner Ring is most skillful in making a man who is not yet a very bad man do very bad things.”
“Until you conquer the fear of being an outsider, an outsider you will remain.”
On the other hand, while inner rings are inevitable, there are also genuine, “good” groups that arise from authentic friendship and shared interests. Those are the groups we should strive to be apart of.
I highly recommend reading this alongside “That Hideous Strength” and “The Abolition of Man”.
July 8, 2024
Lewis begins his essay by quoting a passage from War and Peace that points towards the existence of “inner rings,” which are invisible and exclusive hierarchies of individuals. He argues that this “inner ring” is one of the most powerful and deleterious forms of motivation. Although “inner rings” are inevitable, Lewis tells the reader that doing their best to avoid the trap of desperately seeking the “inner ring” by focusing on genuine friendship which will lead to a much happier life.
I loved C.S. Lewis’ “The Inner Ring” essay because it does a fantastic job bringing the complex human phenomena of invisible and nonpareil human hierarchies into the light. The idea of the “Inner Ring” can be difficult to discuss but Lewis’ epigraph and vivid examples make the topic accessible and digestible to the average reader. Lewis makes his goal clear at the beginning of the essay when talks about giving advice and attempts to establish ethos by saying that he feels qualified to speak on the subject: “But on the world, I think I have something to say.” Lewis also makes his writing more convincing through the use of pathos and references to respected thinkers such as Sigmond Freud. Thanks to all of the examples, I would say that Lewis does a fantastic job of convincing the reader the inner ring is a driving force for human motivation.
I loved C.S. Lewis’ “The Inner Ring” essay because it does a fantastic job bringing the complex human phenomena of invisible and nonpareil human hierarchies into the light. The idea of the “Inner Ring” can be difficult to discuss but Lewis’ epigraph and vivid examples make the topic accessible and digestible to the average reader. Lewis makes his goal clear at the beginning of the essay when talks about giving advice and attempts to establish ethos by saying that he feels qualified to speak on the subject: “But on the world, I think I have something to say.” Lewis also makes his writing more convincing through the use of pathos and references to respected thinkers such as Sigmond Freud. Thanks to all of the examples, I would say that Lewis does a fantastic job of convincing the reader the inner ring is a driving force for human motivation.
April 29, 2023
A beautiful, concise analysis of the pull the world and society has on our hearts to be accepted; part of the illusive "Inner Ring." Working through a short passage of Tolstoy, Lewis shares a message that shapes how we view the human desire to be accepted into the secret club which he calls, "The Inner Ring."
After explaining the struggles of this temptation, and the pitfalls associated with it, "The Quest for the inner ring will break your heart unless you break it."
Rather, he exhorts us to seek the 'real inside', where we find that we are, "Snug, and safe at the center of something which, seen from without, would look exactly like an Inner Ring. But the difference is that its secrecy is accidental, and its exclusiveness a by-product, and no one was led thither by the lure of the esoteric: for it is only four or five people who like one another meeting to do things that they like. This is friendship."
After explaining the struggles of this temptation, and the pitfalls associated with it, "The Quest for the inner ring will break your heart unless you break it."
Rather, he exhorts us to seek the 'real inside', where we find that we are, "Snug, and safe at the center of something which, seen from without, would look exactly like an Inner Ring. But the difference is that its secrecy is accidental, and its exclusiveness a by-product, and no one was led thither by the lure of the esoteric: for it is only four or five people who like one another meeting to do things that they like. This is friendship."
November 6, 2023
A lecture by CS Lewis on rejecting the desire to be in the “Inner Ring” (the cool kids, the in crowd etc…) and selling your soul to do it. Inner rings are based on a smug sense of self-importance and exclusion. Instead of seeking to enter the Inner Ring, Lewis tells us to love our profession or craft for its own sake and then we will connect with others who genuinely love the same thing. This will create genuine friendship that isn’t based on pride, but love.
Was prepping a sermon on Luke 14 and thinking how the self-important Pharisee that hosted dinner was looking to maintain an inner ring. And the guests, experts in the law, so desperately wanted to be in that ring that it made them cold heartedly ignore a man in deep need in front of them. Jesus rebukes their cold hearted inaction as a product of them wanting to be in the inner ring.
Was prepping a sermon on Luke 14 and thinking how the self-important Pharisee that hosted dinner was looking to maintain an inner ring. And the guests, experts in the law, so desperately wanted to be in that ring that it made them cold heartedly ignore a man in deep need in front of them. Jesus rebukes their cold hearted inaction as a product of them wanting to be in the inner ring.
November 29, 2024
My second time reading this and it hurt even more this time around…. C.S. Lewis completely exposes our desire for other’s approval and to simply fit in. We are always looking for the next “ Inner Ring” to squeeze into. We know when we are in it and we know when we are outside of it. I think this may be one of the most hidden threats to advancement of the gospel and the growth of the church in America and I pray that is not the case!
October 25, 2023
A great essay on so-called "inner circles". Lewis points out how a lot of people's actions are guided by the desire to "belong", to be a part of an inner circle. He also points out how this will only lead to disappointment.
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November 25, 2021Inside club
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March 17, 2022Essay : Paul’s recommendation
November 29, 2023
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Danaides
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Danaides
February 23, 2024
“Until you conquer the fear of being an outsider, an outsider you will remain.”
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews