C.S. Lewis, the Abolition of Man, and Why We Shouldn't Put Guitars Down Our Pants
A YouTube guitarist tells us about guitar scams and, in the process, reveals the truth of the Tao
C.S. Lewis had this to say in The Abolition of Man:
The Tao, which others may call Natural Law or Traditional Morality or the First Principles of Practical Reason or the First Platitudes, is not one among a series of possible systems of value. It is the sole source of all value judgments. If it is rejected, all value is rejected. If any value is retained, it is retained. The effort to refute it and raise a new system of value in its place is self-contradictory.
According to Lewis, there are certain points of right and wrong that everyone knows, and these universal principles are necessary for the social order to function. He refers to these points of natural law as “the Tao.” One element of this inescapable natural law has to do with a universal perception of theft as an act of injustice.
A YouTube celebrity known as the Samurai Guitarist recently—albeit unwittingly—proved C.S. Lewis’ point with great eloquence in a video about guitar scams. After showing a video of someone stealing a guitar by putting it down his pants, the Samurai Guitarist shared these words, which concur well with the sentiments expressed by Clive Staples Lewis in The Abolition of Man:
Society doesn't work if we all start putting the things we want down our pants and taking them without paying.
That’s some serious wisdom for life, or at least for a t-shirt.
Here’s the complete video for your enjoyment. The story begins at 10 minutes and 13 seconds:
Hilarious example . How did the "Samurai guitarist" know that this is wrong? Innate or learned? Nature or nurture? J.V. Fesko would be proud to see this example.