Literary Thought O' The Day

[Yooper]

Found part of this quote yesterday as I was reading "Bandersnatch: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the Creative Collaboration of the Inklings" by Diana Glyer.

The full quote is:

“I had not noticed how the humblest, and at the same time most balanced and capacious, minds praised most, while the cranks, misfits, and malcontents praised least. The good critics found something to praise in many imperfect works; the bad ones continually narrowed the list of books we might be allowed to read. The healthy and unaffected man, even if luxuriously brought up and widely experienced in good cookery, could praise a very modest meal: the dyspeptic and the snob found fault with all. Except where intolerably adverse circumstances interfere, praise almost seems to be inner health made audible.”

Note the contrast. I believe Lewis is correct. So I try to be the former and not the latter. I think that's something we should all strive for.

It's from Lewis' "Reflections On the Psalms" and I found it here:

A quote from Reflections on the Psalms

I had not noticed how the humblest, and at the same time most balanced and capacious, minds praised most, while the cranks, misfits, and malcontents prai...

www.goodreads.com

--- End of line (MCP)

 

[vraiblonde]

But isn't that always the way? People who wallow in anger and misery are going to be angry and miserable, and they'll try their hardest to make everyone around them angry and miserable as well. We all know someone who can find fault in anything, then they amplify it so that's all they see because that's all they want to see.

 

[gary_webb]

But isn't that always the way? People who wallow in anger and misery are going to be angry and miserable, and they'll try their hardest to make everyone around them angry and miserable as well. We all know someone who can find fault in anything, then they amplify it so that's all they see because that's all they want to see.

Preface that with "Pleasant people always strive to find the good in things" and that's a damn good layman's interpretation.