In the introduction to his Screwtape Letters, an imagined correspondence between a junior devil and his supervising senior devil, Lewis muses on the Christian doctrine of Satan and proposes, wryly, that Lucifer fell from heaven from the force of gravity. The Devil's downfall was the result of his weighty pride -- how very seriously he took himself.
You don't have to be a theological wizard, or even a true believer, to feel the deadly weightiness of that metaphor. It works pretty well.
It¹s always been interesting to me that when you ask people about the number one sin in the Christian pantheon, they tend to go with murder or some sexual stuff -- you know, the snake and the apple. But in classic theology -- and I¹m guessing in most other theological or philosophical systems, it has always been pride that's the biggy.
As a guy who works in advertising, I get accused of liking funny ads just because they¹re funny. Well, I confess to some of that. But there are plenty -- plenty -- of ads trying to be funny that are simply bad.
But I¹m drawn to well done humor, not just for the humor, but for the lightheartedness -- because they¹re not so serious about themselves. A little well deserved humility can be very attractive.
Watching politicians, both what they say and what they mean, whatever the talking points, it's hard miss the "I¹m really important" message from most of them.
Chest pounding may feel good, but it doesn¹t sell much product in my book. And I¹m guessing it will never get you into most heavens.
But I¹m drawn to well done humor, not just for the humor, but for the lightheartedness -- because they¹re not so serious about themselves. A little well deserved humility can be very attractive.
Watching politicians, both what they say and what they mean, whatever the talking points, it's hard miss the "I¹m really important" message from most of them.
Chest pounding may feel good, but it doesn¹t sell much product in my book. And I¹m guessing it will never get you into most heavens.
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