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Anne L 's Share: The Inner Ring
From Anne: Hello from New York, everyone, far and wide :) I come back regularly to this essay to ground me in what matters. Written as a graduation speech in 1944, CS Lewis warns the students about the lure of social hierarchy. As I continue to advance in my career and observe how technology continues to sort us socially through the algorithms, I desperately try to remind myself to remain grounded and to stay focused on what truly matters. This essay is a sobering way to remind myself, but also compelling because in my opinion it seems so timeless, even if I can imagine Mr Lewis giving this speech over 80 years ago and how different that moment was. What strikes me most is how his caution is addressed to all - we may all fall prey to the seemingly out-of-reach inner ring we wish to claim. And while it is understandably a good moment to remain circumspect at the headlines of wealth and success now (and always), I find this essay also reminds us that in big and small ways, we must always push away the desire of the acquiring the inner ring (and the next)... what do you think?
https://www.lewissociety.org/innerring/
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Barry Wood
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Sep 28, 2026
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This is a most welcome post, as this speech was referenced in "How to Think" from last weeks picks. Membership in the "Inner Ring" has the power to bind and blind: those part of the ring will ignore anything and anyone that might threaten their "Inner Ring" position.
Any large organization must have "back channel" communications networks to operate effectively. An "Inner Ring" can go beyond informal communications to be a space that rewards, not good work, but blind loyalty and political theatre.
The conclusion of Mr Lewis speech, confirming that the path to true friendship is to be a good craftsman as judged by your peers, is to me most satisfying, as that is how I tried to live my professional life. I have also witnessed those trying to form an "Inner Ring". I took great satisfaction in breaking it.
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