“ Hatred has its pleasures. It is therefore often the compensation by which a frightened man reimburses himself for the miseries of Fear. ”
C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (1942). copy citation
Author | C. S. Lewis |
---|---|
Source | The Screwtape Letters |
Topic | misery pleasure |
Date | 1942 |
Language | English |
Reference | |
Note | |
Weblink | https://www.truechristianity.info/en/the_screwtape_letters.php |
Context
“In other words let him consider himself sufficiently identified with the women and children to feel hatred on their behalf, but not sufficiently identified to regard their enemies as his own and therefore proper objects of forgiveness.
But hatred is best combined with Fear. Cowardice, alone of all the vices, is purely painful—horrible to anticipate, horrible to feel, horrible to remember; Hatred has its pleasures. It is therefore often the compensation by which a frightened man reimburses himself for the miseries of Fear. The more he fears, the more he will hate. And Hatred is also a great anodyne for shame. To make a deep wound in his charity, you should therefore first defeat his courage. Now this is a ticklish business.”
source