FAO Jock Scot / Phil re: Tat and the Scottish Identity

[Joshua]

I knew the original thread (http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...ml#post1010979) was getting out of hand, but I felt I had something to contribute.

I've recently came to an understanding of Jock's viewpoint on Scotland's National Dress. The manner which I came to it, happened to be through the horrible movie "Cold Mountian".

You see, I grew up in the real "Cold Mountain", in Haywood County, Western North Carolina. The area I grew up in was rife with artists, musicians, and superb craftsmen working in wood, glass, metal. There was a culture and a sensibility that few outside Appalachia can understand. The worst thing that could have ever happened to our culture was probably the "Snuffy Smith" cartoons, but we just shrugged that off.

Apparently Hollywood fell in love with my home, and started cranking out movies that were filmed in the region. People who visited took a liking to the area, without knowing much about it except that it was "isolated", "quaint", and "so beautiful"...

Lo and behold, after a decades hiatus, I return to my hometown to find it touristy, commercial, and cheapened somewhat. The culture that I once cherished has been replaced with the same busy, hectic, angry lifestyle that we disliked about the "big cities". Real estate is so expensive that my father, who's lifelong dream was to own his own land in the mountains, died at 54 without so much as a couple of guitars and his pickup truck to show for it. A few months later, friend of my father and hillbilly icon Marvin "Popcorn" Sutton killed himself while awaiting trial for moonshining.

And while these "fellers" out in the hills were living their lives and unknowingly celebrating their culture, their very culture abroad was being pulled out from under them. The "country" is, for lack of a better word, became "City-fied".

And it literally wasn't until now that I've realized the similarities.

I used to be mildly offended at Jock's commentary, as I have at times encountered several expat Scots who verbally made their disdain known about anyone not born north of Hadrian's Wall wearing the National Dress... But the more I thought about it, the more I realize that the resentment that he himself has admitted to feeling in the past, is probably quite similar to the resentment I have to the cheapening and eradication of the culture that I took advantage of my whole life.

I just hope some people realize it's not being a "kilt kop" or snobbery - it's respect and hopefully preservation. And if that doesn't matter to you, then nor should the opinions of those who disagree.

And Jock, I truly hope you don't feel like I have "put words in your mouth".

Mods, I can understand this thread being shutdown if needs be...