Roger Scruton: On Being Conservative

Am 29. Juni 2017 hielt der britische Philosoph Sir Roger Scruton vor 70 Zuhörern in der Bibliothek des Konservatismus seinen Vortrag „Konservativ sein heute – Nationale Identität, Globalisierung und Netzwelt“. Er stellte klar, daß der Konservatismus von einer Einstellung ausgehe, die reife Menschen leicht annehmen könnten. Nämlich, daß gute Dinge leicht zerstört, aber nicht leicht erschaffen werden können. Dies treffe vor allem auf jene guten Dinge zu, welche die Menschen in Form kollektiver Güter genießen: Frieden, Freiheit, Gesetz, Höflichkeit, Gemeinsinn, Sicherheit des Eigentums und das Familienleben. Diese Einstellung sei aber zugleich auch ein Grund dafür, so Scruton, warum die Konservativen in der öffentlichen Meinung in einer so nachteiligen Position seien. Die Einstellung der Konservativen sei wahr, aber langweilig, die Einstellung der Gegner des Konservatismus dagegen aufregend, aber falsch.

[Doubledig]

Sir Roger Scruton FBA, FRSL 27th February 1944 - 12th January 2020.

[nicholasfraser]

Labour "genius" Andrew Gwynne: "Nobody holding [Scruton’s] views has a place in modern democracy."
If this is the case, then I think I am done with "modern democracy".
What a true "world treasure" Sir Roger is! As long as voices like his have not yet been completely silenced, there is hope in the world.

"Die Botschaft hör ich allein mir fehlt der Glaube, dass das Zitat von Schiller stammt. Goethens "Faust", lieber Heinrich, nicht Schiller.

[lucyalmiranez]

Thank you for this important video and an important input of Sir Roger, also great discussions.

[LuizHenrique-qxet]

Roger's point that we should look to the good things of our culture and build upon them is a very interesting one. If you focus on the bad things, as the left most frequently does, nothing except destruction and decadence can supervene.

The signs of that decadence are blatant. Look everywhere and you'll find that what wasn't utterly destroyed by the World Wars has been in constant decay ever since. One cannot expect to see another Churchill or De Gaulle; or another great intellectual; or another great writer. Likewise, one cannot expect a revival in communities, in the industrious, neighborly way of life that, as Durkheim notes, is what made the West what it is.

That which is valuable in the West — its cultural and intellectual heritage and its way of life — is almost to the point of sterility. One could not expect any different when every appreciation of this culture is akin to a crime, and its berating is seen as a virtue.

[TheVickikelly]

I am reading Roger Scrutons excellent book “ How to be a Conservative “, I recommend you read this yourself and hope it is translated into German

[leos]

On a personal level, one cannot dislike this noble, distinguished, well spoken and intellectual man. Therefore conservative views, when broadcasted to a larger audience, must succeed and persist in the long run, if a certain degree of education and intellect is guaranteed.

[quantummath]

Thank you very much for the talk.


Greetings from Hamburg
From an Iranian expat.

[nicholasfraser]

Another of our guiding lights has gone out... On January 12th, the world became a much darker place, with a huge Sir Roger Scruton-shaped hole in it. May you find peace "im weiten Reich der Weltennacht", dear Sir Roger.

[lufteze]

Just found him ... And its sad he just passed . RIP

[OriginalLHB]

I think Sir Roger here is beginning to articulate a more organic "identity politics" than is articulated by proponents of left wing, rational constructivist identity politics. The way forward is to begin by proudly proclaiming our national identities in a way that conserves the best of our cultural patrimony while recognizing that there are some things that must be discarded. German culture is a great test case insofar as it embodies some of the very best of the western tradition - the land of Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Goethe, Nietzsche and Kant - as well as having given rise to some of the worst.

[anonymous-cqwj]

Roger Scruton knows German? At some points he started to answer questions in German before they were translated

[paulleader]

western culture is being slowly dissolved.we need to save our history and traditions... i just hope the old traditions are being kept alive by the common people around the world, biding their time until they can establish their culture again. equality means having to deal with the same shit as everyone else has to deal with.

[whatwhat]

Ann Coulter is one of the most rational voices on the right.

[LukeGeoDude]

at 53:00 the bilingual format is dropped, thank god.

[vkorchnoifan]

The young do not have an identity. What happens when the politicians develop a different ideal that could alienate the local communities. Multiculturalism and diversity are such ideals that can and do make identities difficult to understand. National identity, tribal identity, and even sexual identity can and do make a community have more collective understanding and more solid feeling towards each other. Multiculturalism and diversity destroy all of that. It will make those communities even more alienated. People who don't speak the same language, don't worship in the same way, don't practice sex the same way, and have a different views of civil society put pressure on those who know their local areas and ways. And when both communities have an effect on the politics and when one wins out over the other what will happen ? Two things- outright tyranny or anarchy will ensue.

[danielkarlsson]

The only weak point in Mr Scruton argument is that he underestimate the genetic and kinship factor. It is well known today that we even choose friends based on genetic factors, that humans seems to sense genetic differences in some way and that genetically diverse societies has a lower degree of trust.

[agneschamot]

Viel Dank! Hervorragend. Ein Verlust, dass Sir Scruton uns bereits verlassen hat. Tipp: Ein Simultanübersetzer wäre dem Niveau angemessener gewesen.

[mr.president]

Besteht die Möglichkeit die Rede von Dr. Alice Weidel hochzuladen oder wurde kein Videomitschnitt angefertigt?

[the-quintessenz]

Warum hält er den Vortrag nicht auf Deutsch?

[vkorchnoifan]

Is there a transcript of this ?? Somewhere ??