Quote by C.S. Lewis, Screwtape Letters, p

I like bats much better than bureaucrats. I live in the Managerial Age, in a world of Admin. The greatest evil is not now done in those sordid dens of crime that Dickens loved to paint. It is not done even in concentration camps and labour camps. In those we see its final result. But it is conceived and ordered (moved, seconded, carried, and minuted) in clean, carpeted, warmed, and well-lighted offices, by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and smooth-shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voice. Hence, naturally enough, my symbol for Hell is something like the bureaucracy of a police state or the offices of a thoroughly nasty business concern.

I like bats much better than bureaucrats. I live in the Mana

Summary

This quote highlights the author's preference for bats over bureaucrats, as they find the managerial age and administrative world to be a greater evil. The quote suggests that while heinous acts may be seen in places like concentration camps, the true origin of such evil lies in the clean and comfortable offices of calm and polished individuals who make decisions silently and efficiently. The author chooses to symbolize Hell as a bureaucratic police state or the offices of an unpleasant corporation, reflecting their disdain for the hidden but powerful forces that can perpetrate immense harm in society.

Topics

By C.S. Lewis, Screwtape Letters, p

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