Roger Scruton and the Burden of Non-Conformism

A great thinker and a true cultural dissident – he will be missed.

The death of Roger Scruton is a devastating loss for his family, and also for the intellectual life of Europe.

He was without doubt the continent’s leading conservative thinker. Unlike most philosophers, he was an active public figure who bravely fought for unfashionable but vitally important causes. He was a traditional Tory who served as an adviser to Margaret Thatcher and other party leaders. Yet in my conversations with him, I was never in any doubt that I was talking to a genuine Renaissance man.

He could effortlessly shift the discussion from Kant’s Critique of Judgment to Burke’s idea of the sublime and then offer reflections on current trends in art, music and culture.

He was a prolific writer, whose interests ranged from wine to sexual desire through to beauty and aesthetics. His writings on the meaning of conservatism stand out as some of the most accessible contributions to that political tradition. Against the Left: A Ro... Rockwell Jr, Llewellyn H Best Price: $2.58 Buy New $8.00 (as of 07:43 UTC - Details)

His writings inspired many to understand that our traditions are precious assets that must be preserved for the benefit of future generations. He taught that art and education must be appreciated in their own right. In contrast to the current relativistic climate, he upheld the primacy of moral judgment. His views were dismissed by his utilitarian and technocratic critics as old-fashioned and irrelevant. However, his writings showed that humanity’s legacy, its past moral and aesthetic achievements, endured and continued to inspire those who cared to open their eyes.

Though many saw Scruton as an archetypal English patriot and intellectual, his influence extended throughout the world. He inspired conservatives throughout Europe, the United States and Australia. He was particularly loved by Eastern Europeans: they remembered his solidarity and support for dissidents in the Cold War era.

He became a point of reference for people who took pride in their national traditions and way of life. In my travels throughout Europe, I frequently get the impression that Scruton is more widely read and appreciated outside the UK than within it.

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