Philosophy Polls and Politics the Perfect Storm

Philosophically, Unionists go about their own business and getting on with life. Separatists come along and for a host of myopic and parochial reasons, create division. Philosophically they are already and fundamentally separate, gone on “ahead” waiting for Scotland to catch up, they do not feel part of the Union that is normality for the majority.

When Unionists argue for (defend) the status quo they are derided by the separatists for being anti separatist, kinda QED really. All the positive words like pride, faith, loyalty, nationhood, ambition, adventure, self determination, freedom etc. are all “claimed” by the separatists, no justification for it, it just sounds good, stirs the troops. Those words belong even more so to the Union, whose adherents helped to create it in the first place and laboured to achieve it’s enviable position in the world today.

Separatists also throw all the anti establishment headlines around, poverty, cuts, fairness, inequality, bedroom tax, DLA etc. all real issues, all being dealt with by successive UK governments, so far all the Scottish Government has done is confirm massive spending in a sketchy and utterly fact free White Paper. How will they pay for it all? There is a huge economic argument, far too complex and detailed to be outlined here, perhaps another time another post eh?

No matter how good any defence of the status quo is, being “opposed” to change is always viewed as being “negative”, which it is, it’s rejecting the ideas proposed by the separatists for destroying said status quo. Attack (aggression) as the best form of defence is well understood and used by the separatists, it’s why they howl about bullying, negativity, bluff, bluster, nonsense and lies, they already have closed detached separatist minds and will not attempt to listen to reason, there is nothing unionists can say to sway them. What they see as independence we see as separatism, they are unable to contemplate preserving the union, because at a basic emotional and psychological level they are hard wired to implacably mistrust anything none Scottish.

Funnily enough, when Unionists do attack, separatists cry foul and say it’s big brother denigrating wee Scotland. You will have heard the passive aggressive phrase “too wee too poor and too stupid” I believe John Swinney spawned/coined that phrase – Look here  in an attempt to describe how he thought the Union thought of Scotland, but hey, let’s not throw away a good anti union soundbite even if it’s origin is a twisted self observation.

Due to this “mental separation” Separatists do not need a detailed functioning economic case for seceding from the rest of the union. They have told us “we think you are rubbish and we want nothing (ahem) from you or to do with you politically”. They also think we are morally superior to the rest of the UK, I think the election of a UKIP MEP is just one indicator that has scotched that ridiculous notion.

So, the fact that the cases for currency, EU, UN and NATO under independence are fundamentally flawed is irrelevant, they simply do not care, because the criticism comes from “the enemy” they are already detached from across the philosophical divide. From the outside looking in they can not see that the Union has a democracy, it’s only a democracy if it’s their own local one. See https://stevensayers.wordpress.com/2014/04/11/if-scotland-votes-yes-is-it-a-blow-for-democracy/

As is the case with any minority that considers themselves better but downtrodden, they are a very vocal lot with a high social media presence that attempts to drown out any opposite views or criticism;

“Why is doing nothing better”? it just is, but sounds weak. Actually it’s better doing nothing than taking the separatist uncharted un-costed leap in the dark.

“Are you saying Scots can’t run Scotland”? No..that sounds weak, see https://stevensayers.wordpress.com/2014/03/25/dont-you-think-scots-can-govern-scotland-best/

“Westminster is undemocratic” It’s not. “It is, we cant affect the result” Scotland can, it does, it has 59 MP’s, it’s just that right now they are not part of the current government.

“We are a rich country, yes”? Well yes..””No problem then, lets go it alone” hmm, it’s just that Scotland is only rich now by it’s fantastic heritage within the union, see https://stevensayers.wordpress.com/2014/04/06/scotland-the-union-onwards-and-upwards/

And so it goes on, with a host of reasons and questions and demands to berate Unionists with when they are quite happy thank you. Of course the push for separation has divided Scotland and the media delight in the ups and downs of polls, commissioned by one side or the other and showing wild swings and gap narrowing. In reality the polls have not moved much and there are five more months of escalating “debate” (of which this is part) to come. Update > Result was 55/45% No. Only 37% of voters actually wanted separation.

One thing is certain, there will not be a big majority for separation, at the extreme outside the Yes vote might impossibly make a magnificent last minute rally, convert every single undecided voter and nick some from the No camp and they would get, say, 59%. (I’m glad that didn’t happen).

Scotland will then have a deeply divided country facing the biggest challenges ever since the world wars (when it fought in defence of the very Union the separatists want to destroy).

Let’s not forget this is no cyclical party election, this is a binary yes/no that will, if separation occurs, mean no going back, ever, period.

I have talked elsewhere, on another post in this blog, about currency and the EU etc. and it’s not worth repeating them again here, but the quite possibly unsurmountable challenges that would face Scotland are many, some as yet unknown. Rejecting the security and protection of the Union just makes the prospect, for me, chilling. Separatists have this sense of rebirth, renewal and freedom that leaves me stone cold dead.

Finally, and apologies to those of you of a nervous disposition, consider the scenario that Scotland votes Yes by a narrow margin. It enters negotiations with rUK and international bodies to find that only the UN allow us formal recognition. It can use the £ but can’t have currency union and the EU do not want Scotland to join, see https://stevensayers.wordpress.com/2014/03/24/can-scotland-become-a-member-of-the-eu-post-a-yes-vote/ We cant have all the oil we want because we don’t want our share of the debt and our interest rates soar. What does Scotland do then on Independence day? If it does not take that reckless leap, what then?

Fortunately I think Scotland is too well established, too well resourced and far too intelligent to vote for destruction of it’s future potential. (My faith in Scottish common sense was well vindicated on 18/9/14).

Now that we have decided to decisively vote no, it is painful to see the 45 and alliance movements unaccepting of the democratic settled will of the Scottish people. Cries of foul and vote rigging are pathetic and downright insulting to the majority, only 37% of voting age Scots wanted separatism, let it go, fight for your political and social views within the UK.

Steve Sayers Utterly Unconvinced