A Reading for Our Democracy
I think an excerpt from C.S. Lewis’ “Screwtape Proposes a Toast”, a later edition to the classic “Screwtape Letters” is a haunting reminder for us just days away from democratic elections. ______________ In a word, we may reasonably hope for the virtual abolition of education when I’m as good as you has fully had its way. All incentives to learn and all penalties for not learning will vanish. The few who might want to learn will be prevented; who are they to overtop their fellows? And anyway the teachers – or should I say, nurses? – will be far too busy reassuring the dunces and patting them on the back to waste any time on real teaching. We shall no longer have to plan and toil to spread imperturbable conceit and incurable ignorance among them. The little vermin themselves will do it for us. Of course this would not follow unless all education became state education. But it will. That is part of the same movement. Penal taxes, designed for that purpose, are liquidating the