Images: the usual ones ... Wallace, Bruce, bagpipes, haggis, tartan, family, football, Celtic, Rangers, bigotry, poverty, drunkenness, puke on the streets on a Friday night. Does that help?



The end of a line of thought is where you choose to stop. Even you, Tom, have not thought this question through so far that there is nothing further to consider. But you have stopped. Maybe you will return to consider it further, but still you will not reach the ultimate conclusion. How valid, then is your present position?

There's nothing wrong in my being satisfied that I made a choice for romantic reasons. Maybe, for me to pursue the line of thought further would be to work out a rationale for making a choice I would be uncomfortable with. It would be a reasonable choice, but I might refuse to make it because I prefer my romantic conclusion. Many decisions in this world are founded upon prejudice rather than reason: my choice will not upset the balance of things. I challenge you to show that there is nothing in your line of argument founded upon some prejudice or other.

The point is, I associate myself with the "tribe" I wish to be associated with. It's a big tribe - a nation. If that makes me feel better, then good - and I don't see why I should be criticised for it. But I'm not claiming to be made a better person through the association. And I'm not claiming a share of other Scots' achievements.



I can't remember ever watching a football match where I didn't want one side or another to win - even if the reasons were flimsy. To support neither side would mean - for me at least - a level of detachment from the game that takes away all the excitement: to employ your question, what's the point? I find it incredible that you would not rejoice, if only quietly, at your national team's success, but if you are that detached, then I can understand your negative attitude to patriotism a little better.

For me there is nothing wrong with patriotism, it's jingoism that sucks


TYWD