IDENTITY IS ANTI-CONSERVATIVE:

Overall, Oakeshott's reflections on politics and human conduct provide a rich source of inspiration for western liberalism. His vision of a flourishing human life--discovering and developing individual character in the midst of traditional practices--is more aptly understood as an adventure than a duty. But it is an adventure that is constantly under threat. On Human Conduct was a rebuke to those mid-century thinkers who were trying to explain away human action in dry behavioralist or scientific terms. In our day, it stands against identity politics, which explains away human freedom in the name of race, gender, and sexual orientation. Threats to freedom and individuality will always exist, and Oakeshott's work is permanently valuable in countering them. His work is also a delight to read--a true end in itself.

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