See Also - Miscellaneous - Scotland: "Scotland - Diagnosis and Treatment".

SCOTLAND - A SUITABLE

CASE FOR TREATMENT 

By Tom Brown and Henry McLeish

(Available from Luath Press - www.luath.co.uk. - £9.99)

Former First Minister of Scotland Henry McLeish and commentator and political commentator Tom Brown put Scotland on the couch and find the nation is a suitable case for treatment.

They argue that personality problems are holding Scotland back from becoming a truly 21^st-century nation.

For instance, Scots have always had ‘a guid conceit of themselves’ but the arrogant ‘wha’s like us?’ mentality conceals an crippling self-doubt. We KNOW we are better – but are we kidding ourselves?                 

They question some of the basic assumptions about Scotland and in a special chapter, psychologist Anne Ellis examines the Scottish psyche – with penetrating psycho-profiles of leading politicians, including Gordon Brown and Alex Salmond.

The boast is that Scots have given the world ideas, inventions and pioneers in every sphere; yet they are quick to decry success (the ‘kent his faither’ mentality) and are embarrassed about talking the language of competition. Do Scots really want success? Or are we afraid of it, because of the changes needed to achieve it? Others say ‘can do’ but, too often, ours is a ‘canna dae that’ culture.

Are we handicapped by history and traditionalism? Does living in the past mean that Scotland will continue to be a ‘never-never land’? Are we really satisfied to be ‘The best small country in the world’?

Other controversial issues include: The ‘Scottish cringe’ … the chip-on-both-shoulders mentality … begrudgery … the blame game – especially ‘blame the English’ … macho and violent Scotland … drink … religion … national myths … … the divided society …  the dependency culture … the lack of new leaders … the political failures … the future of the Union …

In a special chapter, psychologist Anne Ellis examines the Scottish psyche – with penetrating psycho-profiles of leading politicians, including Gordon Brown and Alex Salmond.

KEY QUOTES:  

• Health warning: If you are a typical Scot, proud and patriotic but prickly and easily insulted, this book may offend. If you are a symptomatic Scot, with a low boiling-point and high blood pressure, it may cause apoplexy. And if you are a classic Scot, dour and depressive, it may send you into even deeper dejection.
• Scotland, in the eyes of the world, is a four-letter word. That word is D-O-U-R.
• The Scottish character must change to survive, never mind succeed, in the increasingly competitive future. Only those nations sure of their identity and confident of their attributes will meet the challenges – and Scotland is neither of those.
• Only the Scots could have forged a political movement from two of our most unattractive characteristics: the arrogance of the ‘wha’s like us?’ mentality combined with an almost pathetic victimhood complex. From these, the Scottish National Party was not so much formed as fermented.
• Ours is – in the words of the TV comedy series Chewin’ The Fat – a ‘gonnie no dae that?’ culture. It is time for Scotland to start saying: ‘We ARE gonnie dae that!’
• Around the globe … advertising executives use the same lazy shorthand equation: Scot = mean = cantankerous = figure of fun. Should we be making it easy for others to laugh at us, not with us?
• We should not constantly look over our shoulder to England as the excuse for our failures. And, instead of carping about Scotland, the English should wake up and start taking their own politics of devolution seriously.
• We love the world, but only as long as it does not want to come and live here.
• Violence is endemic in Scottish society. It is an epidemic that has to be recognised and dealt with.
• Gordon Brown - Some might call it arrogance, which would astonish him - he truly believes that he is the best person to solve the problems of the world. Typically representative of the disgruntled, dour Scot unwilling to give any quarter and play the popularity game. 'Thrawn' is a good Scottish word that sums up his attitude.
• Alex Salmond - The astute irascible Scot with a charm In Scottish terms often described as ‘sleekit’. He is really gifted in telling people what they want to hear, always putting a positive spin even on bad news.
• The post-devolution debate is a mess. Scotland’s future is Federalism v. Independence.
• Political parties underestimate the growing importance of Scottishness and Scottish interests and the declining importance of concepts of Britishness.
• Prediction: The 2010 UK General Election and 2011 Scottish Parliament election will result in a political realignment - of parties, of ideas, of policies, of coalitions. Returning to the politics of the past is not an option.
• Some of our more maudlin compatriots beat their chests and chant The Flower of Scotland: ‘We can still rise now And be the nation again …’ The question for modern Scots is: ‘What kind of nation?’