tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8733351196079563561.post7674725896400255922..comments2024-01-23T13:28:34.769+00:00Comments on Gavin Macfie's 57 Degrees North: Siberian rats, mass emigration and the Scottish psycheAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12158098044713574248noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8733351196079563561.post-2981779658815777792009-11-03T20:20:05.115+00:002009-11-03T20:20:05.115+00:00Honesty vs false positivity is a good way of looki...Honesty vs false positivity is a good way of looking at the differences between the Scottish and American national characters. As with all sweeping generalisations it is easy to get oneself into bother.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12158098044713574248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8733351196079563561.post-51684874758664535202009-11-02T22:51:11.509+00:002009-11-02T22:51:11.509+00:00I agree with Craig W. My family left for New Zeal...I agree with Craig W. My family left for New Zealand many generations ago and I have a copy of the old shipping posters advertising travel to the colonies from Glasgow to Wellington. They read a little bit like a modern holiday brochure :) So the people that left then, you could argue, were taking what they believed was a path of least resistance layden with promised riches.<br /><br />Those Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15373098135630130662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8733351196079563561.post-8519774927015769822009-11-02T11:58:55.052+00:002009-11-02T11:58:55.052+00:00Controversial thought...perhaps the ones who staye...Controversial thought...perhaps the ones who stayed secured their position by persecuting others into leaving.<br />Those who left were then free to persecute the natives of their new home.<br /><br />Discuss :-)Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16946666307202575893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8733351196079563561.post-74958880256037673032009-10-29T22:36:41.318+00:002009-10-29T22:36:41.318+00:00Perhaps stubbornness and awkwardness are the char...Perhaps stubbornness and awkwardness are the characteristics that have been enhanced in those who resisted the draw of emigration. Or hardiness and a determination to make the best of what's available.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12158098044713574248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8733351196079563561.post-56361148982581534042009-10-29T16:11:05.918+00:002009-10-29T16:11:05.918+00:00This is a well-worn argument, especially amongst e...This is a well-worn argument, especially amongst ex-pats - the argument goes that those with get-up-and-go have got up and gone, leaving behind the dregs of society to wallow in their sink estates. You can see why such an argument is more popular with expats than with those left behind! However, it also takes a certain talent to make a living in unpromising circumstances. I would have stayed in Craig Whttp://loveofscotland.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8733351196079563561.post-71103165090746912792009-10-28T06:54:34.911+00:002009-10-28T06:54:34.911+00:00Thanks for the comments. I was surprised by the ap...Thanks for the comments. I was surprised by the apparent heritability of character traits demonstrated by results of the rat study. Clearly with highly socialised animals like humans other factors, as listed by Donald above, are also important.<br /><br />I hesitated before picking out 'dour' and 'stoic' as the traits that may have been amplified - perhaps 'reserved' wouldAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12158098044713574248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8733351196079563561.post-62865227527119029852009-10-27T22:59:31.441+00:002009-10-27T22:59:31.441+00:00I don't agree about the breeding line of thoug...I don't agree about the breeding line of thought but successive governments from centuries ago to the present day have done their utmost to ensure that at best the very minimum of power is handed to the people. <br /><br />In short, the British state is built upon keeping power in the hands of the few whilst doing everything, overt and less so, to keep the people thinking they have a good Donaldhttp://domhnallmorris.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8733351196079563561.post-23207412401944732822009-10-27T21:49:15.989+00:002009-10-27T21:49:15.989+00:00Interesting.
I'm English living in Edinburg...Interesting. <br /><br />I'm English living in Edinburgh for the past 17 years and am not sure how true this is for the capital....then again the capital is a special case....a very English city in its way!Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00223657383325055342noreply@blogger.com