Mythology of Scotland

[madein1978]

Where does all of this rubbish come from that Scotland is all Misty Mountains, purple heather and tartan clad people running around inebriated on whisky??

[andy-hughes]

It's 'cultural identity' - all countries have it

The English are cold, struck up, jingoistic and snobbish.

The French are sleazy, smell of garlic, and wear berets.

The Germans have no humour, and constantly eye up other countires with a view to invasion.

Americans are loud, brash, ruch, and stupid.

And so on ... it's something all countries do. When they sold Fawlty Towers to America, they made Manuel some other nationality - Polish I think - could be wrong, because one nation's humour about another culture wouldn't translate elsewhere.

It's all part of us living together on this great big planet of ours ....

[woofgang]

Manuel was espaneesh

[woofgang]

from Barthelona

[Lonnie]

Its true, have you ever seen the film 'Whiskey Galore'?, based on a true happening.

[searchme]

In the 60's and 70's ,when Scottish regiments did their tour of duty in Germany,they became known by the indigenous people as the 'Poison Dwarves'. (this was reported in the media of the day)

I have often thought,having spent hard time north of the border, just how very perceptive the Germans were.( this is my own opinion)

Your description of 'Bonnie Scotland'- madein78-is the one fostered and encouraged by the Scottish Tourist Board..(but you'd have to be a Welshman to believe it)

Dingy towns/Jock's Fish Bar/White Lightning/The Bru-That's Scotland.

[joko]

i've seen the mist and the purple heather in the highlands, but no-one was wearing kilt or drinking whisky (too bloody cold for a skirt!)

[henneth]

It's got alot to do with the reinvention of Scotland through the works of Sir Walter Scott. Stuff like Redgauntlet, Rob Roy and The Lady of the Lake. Prior to that the English tried to ban tartan clad people running around inebriated on whisky.

[Celtigra3]

Dear me, I thought it was true, just like the stories about wild haggis! In reality Scotland is pretty dreich, especially on a cold, wet morning in Dunfermline!!

[Haggisdj]

Celtigras3... I can have my moments !!

[madein1978]

I'am Scottish, thats why I asked this question, because the international image we've got, ie the one in the question, is nothing like the real Scotland, the only parts of Scotland that are like that are the remote highlands and parts of the borders! I find it annoying when we give tourists this 'Tam o'Shanter' routine, with tartan, haggis and corny songs, its embarrasing. The Americans love it, they go for the tourist board image in a big way, but the Japanese hate it, they prefer to just walk around and observe, especially Edinburgh.

[dogfish]

Much of it is Victorian romanticism, perpetuated ,as stated, by the STB and media. In truth, we are just bunch of people like any others. As a small nation we have contributed a vast amount to the world, but we still have many traits which I find distastefull to say the least. The Bonnie Scotland, Tartan Army brigade leave me cold. The continual carping-on and chip-on-the-shoulder attitude of the rampant nationalists, show them to be nothing more than imature buffoons, who seem to have a louder voice than their numbers suggest. Some Scots (no small amount) seem to spend vast amounts of their time blaming the English for every percieved injustice imaginable, and it makes me cringe. We supposedly despise arrogance, yet we proudly proclaim, "Wha's like us? Damn Few", nothing arrogant there then.
If Scotland and it's people want to get on in the modern world, we need to grow up.
I'm Scottish, because my parents happened to be on this lump of rock when I was born. No more, no less.

[mindimplode]

Thats Americans for you. Bleed em dry if you ask me. Scotlands a beuatiful country and playing the stereotype to a few rich plonkers to increase tourism sales is innevitable. Look at us English! For some reason the Americans think we all live in castles. Seeing them get abused by chavs in Leicester Square is hillarious.

[madein1978]

That must be a sight to behold, I would be very intregued to see that, the yanks probably don't have clue what the neds are saying to them if its in local dialect!

[Pippa68]

Of course it's a cultural identity thing, which isn't just confined to a country in particular ~ it goes through towns & counties too (think Essex!).

Some posters have already pointed out various countries & their 'identities' eg Americans being either fat, fake, loud, the only country in the world etc...English people walking round in dark suits & bowler hats & of course we all live near to London..Welsh people being sheep-loving farmers who only eat leeks..Irish folk being stupid & hairy (??)..Germans shouting rather than speaking & wanting to take over the world (mainly whilst wearing very fetching shorts & eating sausage).

The list is endless, & I think it is an important part of culture too ~ it can be very 'roll your eyes' but also amusing. I remember visiting Canadian relatives a few years ago (eh?) & some friends of theirs asking me how I coped with the total lack of employment & having to queue for bread.

Ok, that bit is true..so is the bit about the Germans.

[agnabeya]

Dogfish -
I agree with you totally.
Nothing embarasses me more than a drunk Scotsman on his high horse about 'the English'.

All the nonsense and mythology that has obscured the genuine history of Scotland drives me up the wall.

A site called Electric Scotland still talks about the Battle of Culloden as being between the Scots and the English.
This nonsense is perpetuated by the fake tartan culture that sells so well.

Nonetheless - just because the tartan shortbread tin brigade are deluded weirdos - you have to allow that bits of Scotland are undeniably 'bonny'?

I love living here - but I'm lucky enough to live in a thriving, lovley part of Scotland.

[Celtigra3]

Well I hate shortbread and I'm Scottish! It's minging!

[madein1978]

You obviously haven't tasted really high quality shortbread, its the biz, especially with a cup of tea! But each to their own I suppose....

[Octavius]

Shortbread? tea? So you don't run around in tartan kilts with your face painted blue waving swords any more then?

I don't know why you would hate this image personally. The irish are always portrayed as wearing green hats with ginger beards and sitting on pots of gold at the end of a rainbow, but they just laugh along with that - and are able to sit on pots of gold by exploiting this notion with tourists!

I live in Essex, I don't have blonde hair, a fake tan, a burberry cap, white stilletoes (mine are pink), a bulldog, 5 earrings in each ear, or a shell suit but everyone seems to think I do!

[Pippa68]

I have met quite a few Scottish people, & my mother in law is Scottish ~ they all hated haggis.

Mother in law is a McDonald & I descend from the Campbells so we like to argue a lot ;o)

[Gevs1966]

Its basically to attract tourism to Scotland. They wouldn't get many visitors from abroad if they were to advertise the inner streets of Glasgow for example.

It is the same in England. Overseas we are portrayed as being a land of castles etc, I think purely for tourist reasons. I met an American guy in Windsor who was convinced before he came over that everyone here lived in a castle or a stately home type of place you might see in a Jane Austen adaptation. Utter nonsense but that was the way it was advertised to him I suppose.