Oikophobia, postmodernism and conservatism towards cultural and religious changes. Some reflections based on the thought of Roger Scruton

Abstract

There is no doubt that the search for new solutions in individual, social and even religious life is an extremely common phenomenon today. It cannot be denied that new ways of thinking and the resulting attitudes appear in every area of ​​our lives. Particular attention should be paid to those that, under pretense of a naturally changing world, try to administratively and authoritarianly break the current patterns of thinking and action of people and nations, that can classically be defined as conservative. Both the emergence of postmodernist theses and oikophobic attitudes (a term coined by the British philosopher Roger Scruton) should be classified as types of thinking and action that try to change reality from above. However, as it follows, among others, from the evolutionarily understood conservative thought, the changes introduced in this way do not contribute to the real progress of individuals and nations. Instead, chaos and misunderstandings occur. The comparative analyzes carried out in this article try to demonstrate some insurmountable differences between the illusory desire for quick and profound changes and real, i.e. evolutionary development. They also point to the objective and lasting foundations of our personal, social, national and religious life, which we often forget today.