Clique is a good modern word for what C.S. Lewis describes as the inner-ring. Lewis describes how everybody desires to be in the inner ring, but by doing so one may be in danger of becoming a bad person. Lewis says,
“Of all the passions, the passion for the Inner Ring is most skillful in making a man who is not yet a very bad man do very bad things.”
I guess we can call it peer pressure. Lewis says that being in group can make people do thing that they normally won’t when they are by themselves. Often times this can lead to having good people do bad things because of the inner-ring. We know this is true because, as we’ve mentioned in class, we often see very friendly individuals who become no so friendly when they are with their group of friends.
Another negative outcome that could come out of desiring to be in an inner-ring is that you will not find what you want in the inner-ring if being in the inner-ring is all you are looking for. Lewis describes what happens:
“. The circle cannot have from within the charm it had from outside. By the very act of admitting you it has lost its magic.”
Lewis also brings to mind that once you are in the inner-ring, you would want to be as exclusive to others outside the inner-ring as possible. “Exclusion is no accident; it is the essence.” After all, exclusion is what makes inner-rings exist.
However, inner-rings aren’t always bad. When inner-rings form because of common interests or genuine like of the individuals in it, we call that friendship. Lewis says that in friendships, exclusion is only a by-product. In class it was brought up that exclusion in this sense is not exactly bad. When a group forms from common interests that the individuals within the group have, those who don’t have that common interest will naturally feel awkward when they find themselves in that group.
A good, God-centered friendship can actually have a very positive impact. It can keep people accountable. The Bible describes this as “iron sharpens iron”. A positive group of friends can be a positive impact on not only to the people within the group but also to others by spreading a positive spirit.
I like how you brought in the positive aspects of circles when friendship is involved. It is true that if a group is a actual friendship, exclusion is only a by-product, a result of similar interests of those involved. I also like how you mentioned the "iron sharpens iron." That is a great verse to remind us of the importance of friendship in our spiritual lives.
답글삭제I like how you mentioned how iron sharpens iron. That verse is very common to many of just but, as Lewis always does, you reminded us that it is an important aspect when choosing our friends. We should not pick groups to try to "clique" with because they are cool or nice or in style. We should instead want to be friends with those people who are moral, honest, loyal, and who will keep us accountable as brothers and sisters in Christ should. Really enjoyed your post.
답글삭제It's very true that we form good circles of friendships that are not superficially focused on excluding others. I found that Lewis' idea of cliques, though an accurate one, was something I couldn't find very relevant to myself as I haven't been exposed to those sorts of people for a long time. Just a thought, good and interesting.
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