How to be a Conservative by Roger Scruton Summary
Overview of How to be a Conservative
In "How to be a Conservative," renowned philosopher Roger Scruton offers a nuanced defense of conservatism that values tradition while acknowledging necessary change. His personal journey from Labour-voter to conservative thinker sparked global political discourse. What makes this 2014 masterpiece revolutionary? It redefines conservatism beyond resistance.
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Key takeaways
Why Home Still Matters in a Rootless Age
Think of the last time you defended something simply because it was *yours*-not because it was perfect, but because it belonged to you. Maybe it was a neighborhood coffee shop threatened by a chain, or a family tradition others found outdated. That instinct, that fierce protectiveness of the familiar, reveals something profound about human nature that political theory often misses. Conservatism isn't about resisting all change or clinging to power-it's about recognizing that the things we love are fragile, that what took generations to build can be destroyed in an afternoon, and that sometimes the most radical act is simply to preserve what works. This philosophy begins not in abstract principles but in lived experience. Growing up in a working-class household where his father voted Labour yet fought developers to protect local architecture, Scruton learned that people naturally become conservative about what they truly understand. His father wasn't defending aristocratic privilege-he was defending *home*. That distinction matters. When Parisian students in 1968 attacked "bourgeois civilization" while enjoying its freedoms, Scruton realized they were assaulting the very foundations that made their protest possible. What they dismissed as oppressive tradition was actually the scaffolding holding up a decent society.
The Invisible Threads That Bind Communities
Nations, Democracy, and the Question of Identity
What Socialism Gets Right and Where It Goes Wrong
Markets, Morals, and What Money Cannot Buy
Freedom, Rights, and Living Across Difference
Defending What We Love and Pass Forward
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"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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