‘Scottish cringe' persists despite evidence of our distinctive culture

The National

16-06-2025

At the heart of self-determination is an appreciation of Scotland's national identity and culture, and thinking around this fundamental topic was well presented by Stuart McHardy and Roger Emmerson. From having the largest building in the world 5000 years ago at Brodgar to the diverse architecture of today, there is strong evidence of a distinctive Scottish culture, yet still there are those within our midst who pour scorn on such thinking and who seem to incurably suffer from the indoctrinated 'Scottish cringe'.
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Of course, unfortunately our national football team often seems to inadvertently serve such apparent national-deprecation, but the truth is our national identity and culture have been deliberately suppressed by a British establishment elite intent on exploiting Scotland's resources for self-enrichment. At the core of this cultural ravage is not oil and gas, nor wind and tides, but our people. Whether it has been to lead troops into battles on foreign soils to secure further resources to fuel the further wealth generation of the lords of the British Empire, or to lead academic research in Oxford and Cambridge universities to support that expansion, Scots have made immense contributions to Britain's development since the 'Act of Union' in 1707.
Yet, even in Scotland our internationally lauded universities are considered by some to be 'second-class', especially by those who harboured ambitions, often fostered at private schools, to attend Oxford and Cambridge and expect they should have an unalienable right to enter a Scottish university should they fail in that ambition (irrespective of the personal qualities and achievements of others who did not benefit from 'special privilege').
Perhaps it's not surprising that in an unequal society where royalty are treated like superstars and their patronage is sought by some with the least ethical and humanitarian principles, others feel compelled to attempt to climb the greasy ladder where personal influence is more important than competence, but it means more work is needed to convey the message that true egalitarianism benefits us all (including the super-rich, who can become better citizens of a planet with depleting resources).
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Scotland has much more to offer the world, but for us to be confident as a nation we must counter arrogantly patronising remarks or ridicule, recognising that many Scots have been, and continue to be, successful not only in Scotland but around the globe without needing to sell their souls to the British establishment, and the sooner we can convince others to reject the denigration of our history and our culture, the sooner we will have overwhelming support for independence.
That also requires not blindly accepting, never mind parroting, the anti-Scottish Government soundbites of the UK mainstream media and the BBC. I spoke with Lesley Riddoch about the Debate Night programmes at the convention, and she rightly pointed out that it's not Stephen Jardine's job to make arguments supporting Scottish Government decisions irrespective of misleading pro-Union propaganda (although hosts of other BBC programmes routinely make arguments supporting UK Government decisions) but that representatives of the Scottish Government need to be more assertive on such programmes.
If our elected representatives cannot demonstrate the fight necessary to combat the lies and distortions of the UK press and devious politicians in such forums, they should not be there and probably should question whether they are the best ambassadors for their communities of independence. Politely saying nothing or allowing constant interruptions or partial framing of questions is not only letting down government or party colleagues, it is effectively condoning the suppression of Scotland's voice, and must not be accepted.
The frustrations of more than 300 years of colonial rule must be expressed by SNP and other independence politicians at every opportunity, and every opportunity to advance the cause of independence must be grasped. Even where prospects are not considered great, unsuccessful campaigns can still generate interest and positivity which cumulatively, perhaps aided by a broadly-convened national convention, can help to build unstoppable momentum towards achieving Scotland's necessary and rightful status as an independent nation.
Stan Grodynski
Longniddry, East Lothian