For å bli lykkelige må vi være pessimister, skriver Roger Scruton i New
Humanist i forkant av sin nye bok The Uses of Pessimism and the
Danger of False Hope. Slett ikke, mener Kenan Malik i Observer, som
her om Scrutons syn på tradisjon: "The liberalisation of social norms in
recent decades – easier divorce, the legalisation of abortion, greater
sexual licence – undermines tradition and defies human nature. So why,
Scruton wants to know, should the onus be on conservatives to defend the
importance of traditional forms of marriage against ‘innovations’ such
as gay partnerships? The answer is the same as that which would have
been given to those who argued against miscegenation, or giving women
the vote. The unequal treatment of gays is a moral wrong and no amount
of tradition can make it right. It is up to Scruton to defend
discrimination, not liberals to have to justify the idea of treating all
equally."