The “Abolition of Man” by C.S. Lewis

The “Abolition of Man” by C.S. Lewis had reached global readership. Along many readings of generations, many insightful meanings have been unearthed from the text. These insightful meanings could also be applicable as a guided through the murky world of business. What C.S. Lewis’ “The Abolition of Man” wants to communicate to businessmen is that on their fixation on gaining profit, consequently results to losing much important things.

The tone of Lewis seems to be of an ethicist. That is just understandable as the text talks about rightness or wrongness. This would be of much help to businessmen because nowadays they are treated to be ethically devoid individuals. Lewis had mentioned Marlowe’s Faustus, who according to some critics is insatiably thirsty for knowledge. We can attribute the character of Faustus to be of an equal to the insatiable thirst for profit. Faustus had sold his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge, while businessmen had dropped ethics for profit. Lewis argues that Faustus did not want the knowledge, he wanted its perks like gold, guns, and girls. It is the same for businessmen as their pursuit of profit could roughly translate to materialism.

The main theme of The Abolition of Man is conquest. That is also the ultimate quest of businesses, to conquer the market. But just like the portrayal of Lewis of man, the businessmen become the conquered. If we use Lewis’ logic that nature is practically unconquerable for man, then businessmen should not aim to conquer the market. They should be focused on how to conquer the common notion that businessmen are unethical.

Work Cited

Lewis, C.S. Abolition of Man. New York: Collier Books, McMillan Publishing. 1947