As for Scotland’s identity, if Scott-land is a sham country, so is the new-nationalist, Burns-burnished alternative, a nation forged of feel-hard-done-by Braveheart movies, Celtic lettering on tawdry signs and synthetic rage at ancient clearances. Mr Kelly mentions the vacuum at Scotland’s centre that the poet Edwin Muir alluded to 70 years ago. It still exists.Ouch.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Quote of the day
From The Economist's review of the new Sir Walter Scott biography, Scott-land: The Man who Invented a Nation by Stuart Kelly:
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
And Britain has never built up an image of itself either now in the past. It can be argued that the UK is still delusional about its role in the world and about its past always being benign---
Amritsar Massacre, Concentration Camps during the Boer War, Sykes-Picot (boy are we still paying for that), overthrowing the Iranian government in the 1950's (ditto) etc.
America likes to see itself as John Wayne. The Czechs as Jan Huss and his followers through the generations (whilst today totally rejecting involvement in the Habsburg State for 400 years).
On Nat Myth Busting blog I often write about the Czechs and the modern Czech conceit of themselves and denial of the past. Marshal Radeztky, the glories of past battles with Czechs fighting under the imperial Eagle etc.
I am not sure who wrote this article. Was it an ignorant person from England or a cringing Scot?
Of course it is the same in NI. Many Nationalists look through the events of 1916.
Unionists on the other hand talk about loyalty to the crown, sacrifices at the Somme --- whilst not talking about buying guns from honest Willy's imperial armoury a few years earlier to wage war against the crown-------
http://www.113.d2g.com/orange-pages/gunrunners.htm
First and Third verses - chutzpah or what?
I am not sure who wrote this article. Was it an ignorant person from England or a cringing Scot?
It was the Economist so the journo remains anonymous, if I had to put money on it, I'd say a realistic(;)) Scot.
Interesting point in the review though about how Sir Walter was relegated in the approved nat reading list; he wouldn't be my cup of tea but most of his stuff is rightly defined in the "classics" section.
Of course it is the same in NI. Many Nationalists look through the events of 1916.
Unionists on the other hand talk about loyalty to the crown, sacrifices at the Somme --- whilst not talking about buying guns from honest Willy's imperial armoury a few years earlier to wage war against the crown-------
But if the SNP promote modern progressive, social democratic form of cuddly nationalism as they say they do, surely they should be above the kind of nonsense their brothers across the Irish Sea waste their time on?!
Post a Comment