The values, standards and institutions of the tradition will not lead to a utopia, but they offer a firmer basis for dealing with the problems of living than philosophies of modern age reformers and (so called) progressivists. The values, standards, institutions etc do not necessarily belong to a historical era. The great strength of Bloom's book is that he focuses on standards and values which are essential to the development and future of a civilisation. The main theme of the book is lost on Kalantezi and others who identify in great measure with his analysis of the problem but miss out on a crucial dimension.