Scruton Lectures 2023 - Douglas Murray on The Life and Legacy of Sir Roger Scruton

In conversation with Jonathan Price and Maurice Glasman, with a special performance by Kevin Spacey.
Held at The Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford on 16th October 2023.
Please obtain the relevant permissions before re-uploading any Roger Scruton Memorial Lectures video.

[@jipdejaag4366]

Douglas Murray at his scintillating best. How blessed England is to have this brilliant intellect in our midst. Cherish this man especially now.

[@kitkakitteh]

Yeah, and Canada gets Jordan Peterson. We’re stuck with that blowhard Sam Harris. Eek.

[@teutonictosh]

Not as blessed as Israel is.

[@user-tp6mt5gx6f]

[@abbefolkseger6927]

Buttman promoting Circumsision= Worst form of Goy

[@joanka65]

How bless we all are having him. Joanna from Poland

[@anneoconnor5907]

I'm not a conservative but Murray's words drew tears. What a wonderful friend that man is.

[@user-sc8qn2vc9s]

He wanted to conserve what we had. He looked at the 1968 uprisings and saw only comfortable middle class pricks demanding something they didn't even want or know, he realized it was all a sham. At Uni I was taught to despise him, that he was some right wing regressive. How wrong I was he was a window on the World. I would re evaluate your thinking. Look at the Labour benches a shower of sh1T if ever there was one. Useless and intellectually dumb. Intellect has always been on the Right i discovered because it has to answer the realities of progress not be some sad regressive force.

[@Hollis_wants_your_comments]

I'm not a __________, and Douglas Murray brought me to tears. For the second time. And I've always appreciated the great actor Kevin Spacey. (Especially in The Ref.) I did not and will not ever cancel him.

[@Abraham_Tsfaye]

Scruton allegedly sexually abused young boys. Now that he's dead. These victims will not receive justice.

[@lievevandrepol9039]

Bloody hell, this was soo beautiful, and very educative too. Makes you feel human in a way you were searching for.Thank you ever so much 💖💖💖💖

[@Abe489]

Douglas voice of today. How we need him in this dark time.

[@richardjoslin2549]

Precisely, Abe.

[@richardjoslin2549]

Douglas on absolutely top form here. I love this man for all he is and all he stands for. He is our beacon in an increasingly crazy and dystopian world.

[@Abraham_Tsfaye]

Scruton allegedly sexually abused young boys. Now that he's dead. These victims will not receive justice.

[@vonrecht1236]

Sir Roger Scruton....greatly missed!

[@HagiaSophia1952]

Wow! Loyalty in true friendship is Douglas Murray.

[@johnforeman634]

Man, this guy Douglas is something else! I don’t think I’ve ever heard him speak of anything where I wasn’t absolutely captivated.

[@jeandevalette8860]

This was absolutely wonderful. Murray's words were so perfectly apt, and Spacey was, as ever, shockingly good. Gave me hope in the face of the Woke Plague. Thanks to all of you - very much - for this.

[@adamsmith-wi3qg]

A video pops up on my YT feed of Douglas Murray talking about Sir Roger Scruton and I instantly assume he will be talking about beauty. I was not disappointed. 🤌

[@anaglyphx]

I was excommunicated from a study group because I wanted to read Scruton. Total madness.

[@jake7856]

Indeed. You are, obviously, better off without that enlightened study group.

[@Happyheretic2308]

I’ve been reading him, while waiting for my benefits appointment. It’s my way of sticking one up to the system.

[@donaldcatton4028]

It’s good to be excommunicated but better to excommunicate your excommunications…

[@user-sc8qn2vc9s]

Same Uni saw him as a evil dwarf. I was such a fool to believe that middle class take on a brilliant mind.

[@thewellandvalley2103]

When I was studying Theology at Cambridge University, I brought along a Scruton book that I had been reading that week to a seminar to put some of his points to the group. The supervisor responded with: ‘He’s a bit conservative you know.’ … brilliant.

[@miyojewoltsnasonth2159]

I'm really glad something called the "Roger Scruton Memorial Lectures" has been created, and I'm glad Douglas Murray's talk about Roger Scruton came up as a KZbin suggestion.

[@paulworthington8666]

The meeting of Roger Scruton and Douglas Murray was a blessing. It shows how much we miss integrity and clarity of thought, and dignity and respect in our usual relationships with each other.

[@BlueBaron3339]

Just finished The Madness of Crowds today and had already read his book The War on the West. But I've never seen Douglas Murray like this. Heartfelt to the near breaking point at the end. He could barely read the words on the page. And to choose Kevin Spacey to read that scene, that was brilliant. Both the choice and, of course, the performance. Outstanding! And deeply moving.

[@user-mv3ys4cd6p]

Can we honestly do anything of worth, if people kicking their feet in the shallows continue to drown everyone else in their puddles? Douglas Murray

[@noneyerbusiness203]

so good to see Spacey back.

[@asaiira]

This is enhanting. This is why western civilization is important and why we need to defend and protect it against all.

[@manusha1349]

Douglas Murray is the saviour of western civilization ❤ listening to his erudite, insightful speeches is a balm for the soul. I miss Christopher Hitchens, but Douglas more than makes up for it.

[@fourhorsemen8277]

How is Douglas Murray so brilliant?

[@ileanamuntean7338]

Roger Scruton's spirit lives on through Douglas.

[@SmartK8]

Sir Roger Scruton was a beacon of hope in communist Czechoslovakia.

[@MrMicronano]

If you had a liberal arts education curriculum comprised solely of reading and discussing Scruton/Sowell/Murray you’d have received a very fine education indeed.

[@garethmorris6314]

And Professor Enoch Powell.Cheers.

Hello, Douglas and team! I have just watched the speech and I heard you mentioning the portuguese subtitles of “Why Beauty Matter”. It is true, Roger’s documentary is a HUGE sucess here in Brazil. Actually, you are either, given that your Books are now translated into brazilian portuguese. I have spread Roger’s work since 2011 and yours as well since 2017! My best wishes! I am either a distant and anonymous pupil of Scruton. If Belgium is strange, let’s imagine Brazil! 😅

[@nabormendonca5742]

I wonder how you can measure a documentary’s success here in Brazil. Your own perception? 😏

@@nabormendonca5742 Quando estava no KZbin, tinha visualizações na casa do milhão. O próprio fato de haver legendagem em português e em nenhum outro idioma, chamando a atenção do Murray, já mostra que há uma demanda de interesse acima da média. Agora se o critério for aparecer no horário do Jornal Nacional, aí realmente não.

[@bertieboo]

Douglas Murry is a genuine gent x

[@perperson199]

One of the best ever from Murray

[@EyeByBrian]

Nonsense. He is best in the cut and thrust of socio-political opinion staking, especially when against an opponent. This was mildly cringe-inducing, distastefully snarky (a very Murray tendency, that), and philosophically tepid.

[@CarliMichelle]

I am so unbelievably grateful for this man

[@denali9643]

Douglas is one of the most important, intelligent, boldly honest voices of our day. I’ve not seen him read a speech like this, as he is always so brilliant as he seemingly speaks extemporaneously, while all listening know how much preparation lie behind the seeming improv. But for Roger, every word, every sentence, every paragraph, and the order of delivery was supremely sought in esteem of the great one.

[@lucianopavarotti2843]

It was embarrassing tosh. If you like that sort of trash you should get out more

[@AI-Hallucination]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 both fascists

[@matthewstokes1608]

@@AI-Hallucinationape

[@AI-Hallucination]

@@matthewstokes1608 of with your head jingo

[@CarliMichelle]

Perhaps the greatest speech of our age…it is like a symphony

[@robkeeleycomposer]

It's especially good that such a great thinker as Douglas is able to cite Benjamin Britten and Gabriel Fauré along with Holderlin Kant and Rilke. Fabulous.

[@dantevelazquez1151]

A very fine Thinker/Speaker eulogizes the Great Sir Roger Scruton. BRAVO !!

[@user-ly9gg4dc8g]

Israel, look into our eyes, You are the ALL MIGHTY❤❤💛💚💙💜 We stand by you forever. You are the reason why we are great. Jesus is great. God is great. Douglas Murray, you are a gem of all gems.

[@Leon-en9il]

Problem is being intelligent, factual, honest and well intentioned doesn’t gel well with todays muddled world. 😢

[@jeromedenis100]

Thank you Douglas...so necessary and so beautifully expressed.

[@gregoryforde7447]

I'd like to take this opportunity to say thank you to Douglas. Douglas Murray is one of those Gentlemen that brings about greatness in others. I respect and admire him a great deal. Thank You.

[@vonrecht1236]

"Roger was bigger than the age..." Yes. Very much bigger.

[@kirstenneil7067]

Delightfully eloquent. A joy to listen to. 😀

[@fancypants90210]

Kevin Spacey! The man!!!

[@BlueSwallowBird]

RIP Roger Scruton.

[@Bobby-rq5eg]

This is mental!!! What a convoluted way of speaking. I'm quite frankly shocked by Kevin - something is off I'm telling you!!!

[@matthewstokes1608]

??

[@AI-Hallucination]

@@matthewstokes1608 it’s Me again

[@justinclark7883]

really enjoyed being there that day - superb

[@antoniahowarth-wass5001]

I cried! It was just. And so was I!

[@dewijlr]

Very moving speech!

[@metgirl5429]

What a great talk and a surprise guest ♥️ Thank you all 🕊🙏🏻🕊

[@anettesandgren3338]

I adore you Douglas Murray! ❤❤❤

[@daheikkinen]

Wow. Was not expecting Kevin Spacey to suddenly show up

[@CarliMichelle]

Oh how desperately I needed this soul food. So glad I saved it.

[@stormwarning9182]

Such an extraordinary experience! The beautiful lecture of Douglas Murray and powerful performance of Kevin Spacey left me feeling the words of Roger Scruton quoted by Murray come to life, as if the computer screen I was watching this on became THAT window - "....we suddenly come across a window through which we catch sight of another brighter world, a world to which we belong but cannot enter".

[@westfield90]

What an incredible speaker he is

[@gregorschoner9682]

Very interesting and partly challenging conversation! Bravo

[@TheJeffMiller]

Wonderful!

[@nancyjimeno7001]

Alone in my kitchen, I stood and gave Kevin Spacey applause! Wow.

[@Renaultforum]

..a world of which we belong but cannot enter..

[@peggyoban4069]

“Short of revelation, the beautiful is the best chance we have to approach the Devine.” …Yes. Dear Mr. Murray, God has revealed Himself. His most personal revelation was His own son-his son’s life and character, as sons often do reveal their fathers. Don’t cheat yourself of the most personal and indeed most beautiful revelation.

[@davidspropaganda]

I have 2 versions of 'Why Beauty Matters", Roger Scruton's 2009 BBC documentary on my channel. I have other BBC content on my channel which the BBC know is there and make a copyright claim for, but they do not block it. They do however block Roger's film, so KZbin will not let you see it. I can see it but you can't. The blocking is clearly political activism because no one has managed to get a copy to stay on KZbin, though there is a vast quantity of BBC programming successfully uploaded, over which they make a copyright claim but allow to stay up. "Why Beauty Matters" is never shown on the BBC player either - Never.

[@chrissi3193]

What a great line of thought. Scruton to Sacks and then onto Murray. Turns out that we need only one thinker per generation to keep a crack evident. Where the light gets in, to quote yet another prophet and wise seeker. Only wish Murray would get brave and shaft the green, covid agendas...time to expand to the massive elephants of evil that hes not addressed yet. We need him.

[@chrissi3193]

Having heard it all, isn't it good to know that beauty leads everybody inevitably to Truth and the transcending value of it to all of us? We can't help it ..Beauty leads to Truth and our meaning,purpose and our uniqueness as individuals made in G-ds image, as created beings . All concerned here should be proud of getting there and not leaving it. Be nice if we verbalised it though!

[@morganp7238]

well done, man

[@AuditorInvestor]

Just learning about Sir Scruton, and the Spectator - look forward to consuming all their works.

[@girlinagale]

Perfect speech for Radio 4 Christmas lecture.

[@iancognito6920]

Scruton, a true legend

[@sdm12342002]

Speechless.

[@yendid7587]

Je pleure, Roger Scruton toujours dans mon coeur

[@frankandstern8803]

I did not come to awareness of Mr. Scrutin untill the last couple of years of his life but was immediately attentive.

[@nilimendelsohn]

Thank you.

[@starsine9062]

Thank you

[@keesbergacker761]

Beautiful

[@frankandstern8803]

13:10 This was my first approach to Plato. I remember reading 'The Last Days Of Socrates ' in the sunny backyard somewhere in Niagara region, Southern Ontario in 2001.

[@nancyhoffman846]

The men in the arena vs. the shallows, the critics, the mob in groupthink made visible in sharp relief.

[@soyyoroaldo]

Excellent video, bracing. Thanks for posting. The leftish philosopher in the post-lecture discussion relates when he first met Roger Scruton they had urgent questions for each other and his to Scruton was: “How can you be a conservative and not have any critical words about capitalism?” Oh my goodness! What if I were asked? Where to start… How about: A capitalist knows there is no free lunch - but with capitalism LOVE is free! When people are free, capitalism is what people do. And when they are free an exchange between two people will not happen unless both feel they both benefit. They both say Thank you! at the end of the transaction. That is the fundamental premise why it works. The fundamental premise of other systems, - Socialism, Communism - which require taking away peoples freedom - is that all exchanges involve necessarily a winner and a loser and it is the purpose of the state to flatten this out. In a socialist system there is no need to say Thank you - and so people don’t; you thank the State. Socialism flattens out life. In capitalism where both sides benefit, in the end, the material good exchanged is secondary, the least important aspect of the interaction in fact. The human interaction - where both sides are pleased they have found each other and made an exchange - is the most important thing, what actually matters. In this way capitalism’s center is an immaterial reality at heart, whereas Socialism’s is entirely an material center. This is why religion and other transcendental aspirations flourish in capitalist societies, and it is why state Socialism requires the mandate of atheism. Capitalism’s central nature is spiritual and human which is conservatism; socialisms central nature is material and mechanistic which is progressivism. This profound difference all follows quite logically from the differing economic premises of both. That’s something how I might answer the good philosopher’s question were I asked: In capitalism love is free.

[@thenewhindemithians8629]

32:55 Such power. So true. Yes.

[@JohnPatrickWeiss]

Brilliant.

[@TheRealValus]

'Who the deepest has thought loves what is most alive Wide experience may well turn to what's best in youth And the wise in the end will often bow to the beautiful.' ~ Friedrich Hölderlin

[@vz6365]

I just want to cry.

[@CyndeLooWho]

I want Douglas Murray to read bedtime stories so I can fall asleep to his voice. The small shots of poetry he does for The Free Press are too short!

[@noneyerbusiness203]

This was a feast.

[@seeriktus]

24:30 "Why don't we just do more of this" Couldn't agree more, been saying this to my family too. It's one of those things where, once you've said it, it seems so obvious.

[@AuditorInvestor]

Wow didn't expect Kevin Spacey, undoubtedly magnetic actor - media doesn't care that he was exonerated.

[@jimmycricket7385]

I know that the most common and crude labourer is quite capable of appreciating the ineffable and transcendent aspects of life. Many highly educated people seem totally unaware of this fact.

[@deanedge5988]

Amongst his gifts Douglas Murray is a master of just invective and denunciation. Januszczak is usually better than his mean spirited and rather stupid attack on Sir Roger but Andrew Gwyne (who he?) richly merits this account of his shortcomings; one hopes kind friends will draw it to his attention.

[@SuperBlinding]

Douglas Murray let a " Lot Slip " with his Council Estate anecdote ! ! ! Sometimes they show us, how far removed they are from ' Ordinary ' People. And I do usually ( but not always ) enjoy Douglas Murray's stuff.

[@samcad-ho3ze]

I think he was referring to the ‘beauty’ (or lack thereof) of how modern housing is built.

[@bobtaylor170]

I'm not English, I'm American, and therefore imagine I know what council housing is - essentially public housing. In the United States, our public housing is terribly dreary, being featureless buildings whom any sane person would go a little nuts living in. Why couldn't it be at least pleasant, if not beautiful? In America, we have The National Civic Arts Society, which comprises architects and those who merely yearn for a return to beautiful, classical architecture. There is currently a bill in Congress which, if it passes, would mandate that all federal buildings which are built in the future must be designed along neoclassical standards. God knows how much I hope it passes. I consider contemporary architecture a blight not just upon my own life, but upon those of many others. It aids and abets anomie and, I am convinced, clinical depression.

[@EyeByBrian]

The word for Murray’s performance here is portentous, most especially in his Eton schoolboy straining for philosophical weightiness. Leaning on Kant (a la Scruton, of course) to make grand points about art is particularly open to challenge as Kant in his Critique of Judgement (1790) is speaking overwhelmingly of natural beauty, very little does Kant make of artistic beauty-though, yes, of course there is a huge literature in the history of aesthetics which attempts to explicate from the Critique an expansive theory of art. Much more profound about art is Hegel, but that is another story. For those interested in hearing Scruton’s rather simplistic conception of art and culture challenged-or, make up your own mind-watch on KZbin Scruton’s discussion with Terry Eagleton from an Intelligence Squared ‘debate’.

[@bobtaylor170]

Envy, envy, envy.

[@paulmicks7097]

I like the way gay British men speak better than American gay men.

[@HarryKay_]

when is the Thiel lecture going to be uploaded?

[@myrahouse2368]

Talking about age when was this actually filmed?

[@aroemaliuged4776]

I just got a warning from KZbin Don’t criticize scrutin He must be a fkn angelic in our mist

[@georgep4465]

O Attic shape! Fair attitude! with brede Of marble men and maidens overwrought, With forest branches and the trodden weed; Thou, silent form, dost tease us out of thought As doth eternity: Cold Pastoral! When old age shall this generation waste, Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say'st, "Beauty is truth, truth beauty,-that is all Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know."

[@TJ-kk5zf]

worthy of Emerson

[@eddyk2016]

Does anyone know the art critic that slandered Roger and the "snake" interviewer Douglas is referring to?

[@mariussielcken]

Even the word 'understanding' implies transcendentalism, and may well refer to standing under the starry sky.

[@mariussielcken]

Restore the honors of Sir Sidney Watson!!!!!

[@IK-wc4od]

He tarnishes Scrutons memory by bringing that well known letch into his speech.

[@Nill757]

“Well known” There are the leopards spots at work. Somebody passed gas through the entirety of Timon of Athens. Who will you dismiss tomorrow?

[@omarjoelzaki]

He sounds slightly like Snape

[@mariussielcken]

31:15 there's laughing, but obeying a cancel mob is the greatest threat to democracy.

[@TheWhitehiker]

Skip intro, but good stuff.

[@wishdish]

And dear Douglas appears to have a cold....and still over delivers.

[@georgep4465]

Keat's Ode to a Grecian Urn

[@cstevenson5256]

Arent we supposed to be bashing Murray, and ignoring him, because we are close minded homophobic bigots. Love his diction, of course his reasoning ability and way with words.

[@RationalistMH]

Actually yes. Pathetic a gay man would praise someone who called homophobia a good and natural thing that should be encouraged. Murray has 0 self respect and conservatives are just as anti gay as ever before.

[@phoebebeacham9816]

Kate Bush sings to you England my Lion heart ❤️

[@aroemaliuged4776]

KZbin called me out for saying scrutin is a human being

[@aroemaliuged4776]

I commented about scrutin and KZbin violated every right known too humanity

[@NineInchTyrone]

Need better seats