Roger Scruton
Staving Off Despair: On the Use and Abuse of Pessimism for Life
The neuroscientist Raymond Tallis and the philosopher Roger Scruton discuss the human condition with the Editor of Standpoint, Daniel Johnson
Fun Time?
Glancing through the latest edition of Pianist magazine, I was alarmed by an article from our friend Martin Prendergast, who spends most of his spare time as one heck of a terrific amateur pianist. Attending a dinner party recently, Martin writes, he was startled to find someone mouthing judgmental platitudes about his beloved hobby. Apparently being a keen pianist is self-indulgent. Which means you shouldn’t do it.
Why Remoaners should back Boris
“Boris, ironically, now offers Remoaners the best chance of a soft Brexit, or at least a sensible one. And to those who want a second referendum—’the people’s vote’—there may even be a chance of that too.”
On the road
“In the summer of 1980, in the grip of some Kerouac-ish fantasy, I opted to hitch-hike from Laredo to New York”
Discovering the Great War of China
A third of a million Chinese labourers helped the Allies defeat the Kaiser, but their huge unsung contribution ended in betrayal