---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The long, dull, monotonous years of…"
description: "\"The long, dull, monotonous years of middle-aged prosperity or middle-aged adversity are excellent campaigning weather for the devil.\" — C. S. Lewis"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85e/c-s-lewis-2-132_adversity_the-long-dull-monotonous-years-of-middle_682149.png"
---

#  The long, dull, monotonous years of middle-aged prosperity…

![“The long, dull, monotonous years of middle-aged prosperity or middle-aged adversity are excellent campaigning weather for the devil.” quote by C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85e/c-s-lewis-2-132_adversity_the-long-dull-monotonous-years-of-middle_682149.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85e/c-s-lewis-2-132_adversity_the-long-dull-monotonous-years-of-middle_682149.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85e/c-s-lewis-2-132_adversity_the-long-dull-monotonous-years-of-middle_682149.png)

> “The long, dull, monotonous years of middle-aged prosperity or middle-aged adversity are excellent campaigning weather for the devil.”

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Middle age can become a breeding ground for temptation and moral complacency.

**In simple terms:** Middle age can invite devilish temptations.

Key Takeaway

Stay vigilant against complacency.

Themes

morality temptation midlife vigilance

Mood

reflective cautionary

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

- career stagnation
- relationship strain
- spiritual dryness
- political power

Key Concepts

Christian ethics psychology of evil

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you recognize hidden temptations?
- What habits keep you morally alert?

A Different Perspective

Even in prosperity, subtle evils can thrive unnoticed.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Adversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) [Aged Prosperity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aged-prosperity-5395421/) [Campaigning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campaigning/) [Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) [Dull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dull/) [Excellent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellent/) [Excellent Campaigning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellent-campaigning-5395420/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Middle aged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-aged/) [Monotonous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monotonous/) [Monotonous Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monotonous-years-5395419/) [Prosperity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosperity/) [Weather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weather/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/)

## Related quotes

> [When you invite a middle-aged moralist to address you, I suppose I must conclude that you have a taste for middle-aged moralizing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/when-you-invite-a-middle-aged-moralist-to-address-you-i-suppose-i/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [I went down to the sewers in London and looked at a campaigning group in London called RATS, Rowers Against Thames Sewage, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-george/i-went-down-to-the-sewers-in-london-and-looked-at-a-campaigning-group/)

[Rose George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-george/)

> [Solutions-oriented campaigning with a little passion and a little humor; I think that will go a long way. I think people are desperate for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/solutions-oriented-campaigning-with-a-little-passion-and-a-little/)

[Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/)

> [I would not ask anyone to vote for me based on my last name. I am certainly not campaigning to be president because my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/i-would-not-ask-anyone-to-vote-for-me-based-on-my-last-name-i-am/)

[Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/)

> [Family law is institutionally anti-male. I've been lobbying MPs, and I'm not going to give up campaigning for equality until I get equality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/family-law-is-institutionally-anti-male-i-ve-been-lobbying-mps-and-i/)

[Louis de Bernieres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/)

> [Only in Washington would the Republican operatives get the entire press corps ginned up over the notion that I'm going to be home campaigning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/only-in-washington-would-the-republican-operatives-get-the-entire/)

[Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/)

> [George W. Bush is very vulnerable but not if you campaign the way the major candidates - except for Dean and Kucinich - are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/george-w-bush-is-very-vulnerable-but-not-if-you-campaign-the-way-the/)

[Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/)

> [Anybody who wants the presidency so much that he'll spend two years organizing and campaigning for it is not to be trusted with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/anybody-who-wants-the-presidency-so-much-that-he-ll-spend-two-years/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [In an era when party fundraising is badly tainted, dinners are a really good way of raising cash for campaigning. Lots of people giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-powell/in-an-era-when-party-fundraising-is-badly-tainted-dinners-are-a/)

[Lucy Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-powell/)

> [I heard you're campaigning on my behalf." He walked over to me. "That wouldn't be because you'd miss me too much if I were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-hocking/i-heard-you-re-campaigning-on-my-behalf-he-walked-over-to-me-that/)

[Amanda Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-hocking/)

> [For me, respect is an extremely important political term. Since I began campaigning, it has been at the heart of each of my speeches.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/for-me-respect-is-an-extremely-important-political-term-since-i-began/)

[Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/)

> [I mean, you can agree or disagree with Iraq or Afghanistan, but by the way, now the great campaigning cause out there is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-mean-you-can-agree-or-disagree-with-iraq-or-afghanistan-but-by-the/)

[Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/)

> [Campaigning actress ASHLEY JUDD refuses to 'breed' with her racing star husband DARIO FRANCHITTI while there are starving children in the world. . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-judd/campaigning-actress-ashley-judd-refuses-to-breed-with-her-racing-star/)

[Ashley Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-judd/)

> [Perhaps the most important reason to be skeptical of government inflation numbers is that the government, like a fox campaigning to guard a hen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/perhaps-the-most-important-reason-to-be-skeptical-of-government/)

[Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/)

> [It is only because of the love of masses that I am campaigning for the SP.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaya-prada/it-is-only-because-of-the-love-of-masses-that-i-am-campaigning-for/)

[Jaya Prada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaya-prada/)

## More by C. S. Lewis

> [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [Either Jesus is the Son of God ; or a madman or worse. But His being just a great teacher? He's not left that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/either-jesus-is-the-son-of-god-or-a-madman-or-worse-but-his-being/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [To every soul, God will look like its first love because He IS its first love. Your place in heaven will seem to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/to-every-soul-god-will-look-like-its-first-love-because-he-is-its/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [Don't you understand anything? Isn't it absolutely essential to keep a fierce Left and a fierce Right, both on their toes and each terrified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/don-t-you-understand-anything-isn-t-it-absolutely-essential-to-keep-a/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [“Really great moral teachers never do introduce new moralities: it is quacks and cranks who do that. As”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/really-great-moral-teachers-never-do-introduce-new-moralities-it-is/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [“When He died in the Wounded World He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/when-he-died-in-the-wounded-world-he-died-not-for-men-but-for-each/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [All I am in private life is a literary critic and historian, that's my job...And I'm prepared to say on that basis if anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/all-i-am-in-private-life-is-a-literary-critic-and-historian-that-s-my/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [If a man is going to write on chemistry, he learns chemistry. The same is true of Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/if-a-man-is-going-to-write-on-chemistry-he-learns-chemistry-the-same/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [The first fact in the history of Christendom is a number of people who say they have seen the Resurrection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-first-fact-in-the-history-of-christendom-is-a-number-of-people/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [I#pray because the need flows out of me all the time-walking and sleeping. It does not change # God - it changes me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/i-pray-because-the-need-flows-out-of-me-all-the-time-walking-and/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [Are the gods not just?' 'Oh no, child. What would become us us if they were?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/are-the-gods-not-just-oh-no-child-what-would-become-us-us-if-they-were/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [Love is more than an emotion, it is a decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/love-is-more-than-an-emotion-it-is-a-decision/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [Ink is the great cure for all human ills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/ink-is-the-great-cure-for-all-human-ills/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [A man may have to die for our country: but no man must, in any exclusive sense, live for his country. He who surrenders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/a-man-may-have-to-die-for-our-country-but-no-man-must-in-any/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [War creates no absolutely new situation: it simply aggravates the permanent human situation so that we can no longer ignore it. Human life has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/war-creates-no-absolutely-new-situation-it-simply-aggravates-the/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

[Explore all 1,190 C. S. Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

## More Adversity quotes

> [We love playing together and we love adversity. You know, back-to-back, the two best teams in the East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/we-love-playing-together-and-we-love-adversity-you-know-back-to-back/)

[Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/)

> [When we have public success we also have private struggles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deion-sanders/when-we-have-public-success-we-also-have-private-struggles/)

[Deion Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deion-sanders/)

> [“The threats that resurfaced in the past 10 years were not an aberration. Al Qaeda and terrorism or one such threat, but it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-friedman/the-threats-that-resurfaced-in-the-past-10-years-were-not-an/)

[George Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-friedman/)

> [He who is content with what has been done is an obstacle in the path of progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/he-who-is-content-with-what-has-been-done-is-an-obstacle-in-the-path/)

[Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/)

> [“Friction is necessary. Ease of life leads to complacency and the atrophy of the human will and spirit. Within our struggles lives our strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-versey/friction-is-necessary-ease-of-life-leads-to-complacency-and-the/)

[Jason Versey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-versey/)

> [“Every adversity is just another opportunity to excel a little more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/every-adversity-is-just-another-opportunity-to-excel-a-little-more/)

[Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/)

> [“Just because she doesn't talk about it, doesn't mean she isn't feeling it. She hurts, but she won't wear it on her sleeve. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfa-h/just-because-she-doesn-t-talk-about-it-doesn-t-mean-she-isn-t-feeling/)

[Alfa H](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfa-h/)

> [Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-buckham-kennedy/every-trial-endured-and-weathered-in-the-right-spirit-makes-a-soul/)

[James Buckham Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-buckham-kennedy/)

> [Honesty, by evil fortune tried, Finds in adversity the seed of praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/honesty-by-evil-fortune-tried-finds-in-adversity-the-seed-of-praise/)

[Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/)

> [“Struggles are not associated to a particular people or creed, everyone struggles, not for the same reasons, but each has a personal struggle at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-chirisa/struggles-are-not-associated-to-a-particular-people-or-creed-everyone/)

[Wayne Chirisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-chirisa/)

> [“Watch a man in times of adversity to discover what kind of man he is; for then at last words of truth are drawn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/watch-a-man-in-times-of-adversity-to-discover-what-kind-of-man-he-is/)

[Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/)

> [God often hides His blessing in trouble or trial, which makes it all the sweeter when it comes our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/god-often-hides-his-blessing-in-trouble-or-trial-which-makes-it-all/)

[Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/)

> [“Life is not about less mistakes but about more trials”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-sever/life-is-not-about-less-mistakes-but-about-more-trials/)

[S.E. SEVER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-sever/)

> [Show your contempt for the problem and your concern for the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/show-your-contempt-for-the-problem-and-your-concern-for-the-person/)

[Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

> [When everything feels like an uphill struggle, just think of the view from the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-everything-feels-like-an-uphill-struggle-just-think-of-the-view/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

[Browse all 5,001 Adversity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The long, dull, monotonous years of middle-aged prosperity or middle-aged adversity are excellent campaigning weather for the devil.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "C. S. Lewis"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-long-dull-monotonous-years-of-middle-aged-prosperity-or-middle/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Adversity"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-long-dull-monotonous-years-of-middle-aged-prosperity-or-middle/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85e/c-s-lewis-2-132_adversity_the-long-dull-monotonous-years-of-middle_682149.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85e/c-s-lewis-2-132_adversity_the-long-dull-monotonous-years-of-middle_682149.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85e/c-s-lewis-2-132_adversity_the-long-dull-monotonous-years-of-middle_682149.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The long, dull, monotonous years of middle-aged prosperity or middle-aged adversity are excellent…” — C. S. Lewis",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "C. S. Lewis",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The long, dull, monotonous years of...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-long-dull-monotonous-years-of-middle-aged-prosperity-or-middle/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-long-dull-monotonous-years-of-middle-aged-prosperity-or-middle/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
