A Modern Scottish View of Clans (and Gathering)

[Phil]

Perhaps, by "silly flummery," you really mean symbols of something you perceive to be oppressive... I don't know, but there seems to be that undertone in your posts. If so, then I can understand your feelings about this in comparison to similar things in my own life.

That being said, I can also understand what you are saying about the feelings of fellowship and belonging; though not in an exact way. Hopefully, I'm not way off..

I think I share Burns' sentiments to a great degree such as this third verse from his poem "A man's a man" -

"Ye see yon birkie, ca'd a lord,
Wha struts, an' stares, an' a' that,
Tho' hundreds worship at his word,
He's but a coof for a' that:
For a' that, an' a' that,
His ribband, star, an' a' that,
The man o' independent mind,
He looks an' laughs at a' that."

and the last verse particularly

"Then let us pray that come it may,
As come it will for a' that,
That Sense and Worth, o'er a' the earth
Shall bear the gree, an' a' that.
For a' that, an' a' that,
It's coming yet for a' that,
That Man to Man, the world o'er,
Shall brothers be for a' that."

I hope this explains where I am coming from much better than I can.