Most people who know me see me as quite an intelligent person. I’m no academic snob and like to find the intelligence in others, even when they don’t see it themselves.
That said, there are some things I simply cannot get my head around. Things that go beyond my intellectual horse power. Astro physics, what is that all about. Molecular biology, genetics and mathematical probability (even though I passed this one at Uni – I guessed my way through – sorry prof!). But the one thing I cannot, try though I may to get my head around, is why a majority of people in a country are not just in favour of, but actively, ney, aggressively promote the principle that their country should be governed and controlled by another. What is going on there?
I messaged Gordon Brown, Alistair Darling and Blair Mc Dougall and asked them to explain to me in 2014 why Scotland was ‘stronger together’. I genuinely wanted to know. No prizes for guessing I got no response. That in itself is deeply surprising. Why did none of them respond – even with bullshit!
So, let me give you an analogy …
I spot someone doing something they absolutely should not be doing. I approach them and tell them I saw them and they are in serious trouble. I recognise the guy as the manager of the local bank. Always the opportunist I tell him that I need 2 things. A nice cheque every month and his keys to the bank. Reluctantly (perhaps) he agrees and over the years I receive my juicy cheque and pocket the keys. Life is great. When I run a bit short I turn up at the bank, let myself in and help myself to a great wedge of cash. Over the years we have this great symbiotic relationship. I keep my mouth shut, he stays out of trouble and I am rich beyond my wildest dream.
Then one day the bank manager says to me, ‘look, enough is enough, I can’t go on with this. I am stopping the cheques and I want my keys back’. I am taken aback and think very hard. Eventually, I come up with a master stroke. I sit him down and I tell him something he could never have guessed. I say, ‘look – WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER’. He looks puzzled and almost in denial but I walk off and settle back down to my regular cheques with the keys to the vault still trousered.
Just for the hard of thinking and the wannabee historians – I have just told the story of Scotland from 1707 until the present day.
If you can understand the logic of that, then perhaps my friends are wrong – perhaps I am not so clever after all??