Not Failure, but Low Aim, Is Crime — C.S. Lewis
Created at: May 1, 2025
Not failure, but low aim, is crime. — C.S. Lewis
Pursuit of Excellence
Lewis underscores the virtue of striving ambitiously rather than settling for easy or comfortable goals. This echoes the spirit of Michelangelo, who declared, “The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short, but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.” Great works of art, scientific breakthroughs, and literature are born from the courage to reach beyond apparent limits.
Failure as a Pathway to Growth
The quote reframes failure as a natural, even necessary, aspect of learning and growth. In J.K. Rowling’s 2008 Harvard address, she championed the transformative power of failure, recounting how her setbacks led her to self-discovery and perseverance. Lewis suggests that it is not failure itself, but the unwillingness to risk failure, that should be avoided.
Moral Responsibility to Aspire
By labeling 'low aim' a 'crime,' Lewis gives ethical weight to ambition. This aligns with ideas from Aristotle’s *Nicomachean Ethics* (c. 340 BC), where developing one’s potential is seen as a moral and civic duty. Settling for less, in this sense, is not merely a personal shortcoming but a neglect of what one could contribute to society.
Risk versus Complacency
Choosing modest goals out of fear can lead to stagnation both individually and collectively. Thomas Edison’s relentless experimentation—famously conducting thousands of unsuccessful filament tests before inventing the lightbulb—shows that progress thrives on bold attempts, not caution. Edison’s story, regularly cited in innovation discourse, mirrors Lewis’s philosophy.
Historical and Literary Context
Lewis lived through the challenges of two world wars and recognized the temptation of timidity in turbulent times. His works, such as *Mere Christianity* (1942), frequently caution against mediocrity and encourage readers to pursue the fullness of their capacities, both spiritually and intellectually.