“Telling us to obey instinct is like telling us to obey ‘people.’ People say different things: so do instincts. Our instincts are at war… Each instinct, if you listen to it, will claim to be gratified at the expense of the rest.”
Image credits：Aronsyne,”Lewis, age 48″,CC BY-SA 4.0,C.S.-Lewis – C. S. Lewis – Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- November 29, 1898 – November 22, 1963
- Born in Ireland
- Writer, scholar
- Had a major influence on fantasy literature and religious thought through his many works, including the Chronicles of Narnia series and The Poetics of Christianity
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Quote
“Telling us to obey instinct is like telling us to obey ‘people.’ People say different things: so do instincts. Our instincts are at war… Each instinct, if you listen to it, will claim to be gratified at the expense of the rest.”
Explanation
In this quote, C. S. Lewis reflects on the conflict between different instincts and how relying on them blindly can lead to self-destructive behavior. He compares instincts to people, suggesting that just as individuals may give us conflicting advice, our instincts often contradict each other as well. For example, one instinct might tell us to pursue pleasure, while another might urge us to seek safety or responsibility. Lewis notes that if we were to follow each instinct without consideration of the others, we would end up indulging one desire at the cost of others, leading to an unbalanced and chaotic life. In essence, he warns that instincts, when followed without reason or moral guidance, can cause us to be pulled in different directions, resulting in a lack of harmony within ourselves.
Historically, Lewis often wrote about the tension between human nature and reason, particularly in the context of his Christian worldview. He believed that human beings are created with a mix of instincts, desires, and reason, but that without a moral framework to guide these instincts, we risk being driven by them in destructive ways. In his works, Lewis frequently argued that human beings need a higher moral authority—God, reason, or virtue—to align our instincts and make them work together for good, rather than letting them pull us in contradictory directions. The message of this quote is that blind obedience to instinct, without reflection or moral judgment, ultimately leads to confusion and inner conflict.
In the modern context, this quote resonates with the idea that personal desires or impulses can be powerful forces in shaping behavior, but acting on them without discernment can lead to negative outcomes. Whether in the context of consumerism, relationships, or career choices, people often find themselves torn between competing desires or instincts, such as the urge for immediate gratification versus the need for long-term fulfillment. Lewis’s insight encourages us to recognize that our instincts are not always reliable guides and that reason, wisdom, and a strong moral compass are necessary to navigate the complexities of modern life. Rather than simply following our instincts, we must learn to balance them and make decisions that serve our greater good.
