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."