Kilting as cultural politico-economic subversion?

[Bugbear]

I need to add one more comment to my view on human culture. What I said applies to all of human culture with the exception of the curmudgeon subculture; this is most likely a result of a feline parasite.*


* University of California - Santa Barbara, "Cat Parasite May Affect Cultural Traits In Human Populations" ScienceDaily (August 4, 2006)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0804085444.htm (Accessed August 10, 2010 ).

[Jock Scot]

Do you know Ted, I am a simple soul who lives a fairly uncomplicated life and after reading this thread and understanding very little of what has been written. I have now come to the conclusion, that there is not a lot of point to this education idea, as most of us(can I speak for most of us?)----alright then-----me---- have no idea what you chaps are talking about!

[Bugbear]

Exactly.

[Jock Scot]

Exactly.

Oh that's alright then, I don't feel quite so dim now!

[Lallans]

I got stuck on a phrase in the original post and stopped, because I long ago came to the conclusion that "Marxist thought" = "Oxymoron." And also, as the saying goes, that Marx knew everything about history and nothing about humanity.

Then I got to thinking about the 12 hour lineups for toilet paper in the Soviet Union, and remembering Soviet shoes and the stainless steel dentures Ian Fleming made famous. And then I went downstairs and bought myself a latte. It would have fit the context better if the latte had been a kilt, but the lack of a kilt store on this block was due to a failure of the greedy capitalist system.

[budd4766]

Very interesting.

I like kilts because of the history, ancestral, (either perceived or factual), family connections, AND because wearing a kilt is considered, "different." Strange, because I'm not one to enjoy standing out in a crowd, but I'll wear a kilt even though I constantly feel that pressure that comes from standing out. So, to some extents, I can identify with the article you mention.

On wearing kilts for individuality, yes, you stand out, (more often than not), if you wear a kilt at this point in history, (though the popularity is growing, so this at least has the chance, to change in the future). Yet, we who wear kilts always flock together, at pubs, gatherings, even on this very forum, so just how "individual" are we, really?

I see this in all sorts of groups of people. Say the punk rock group from my personal past, or, more recently, the goth scene for examples. They preach nonconformity, yet insist that each member look and act like each other member. Sort of defeats the point to some extent. And, if we were such "individualists," why do we feel the need to correct or "tweak" someone else who doesn't wear the kilt or accessories the way we feel it should be worn?

I've also often wondered if forums like this take the role of a type of "support group" for people who wear kilts. In a way, I think it does. We come here to share snippets of our kilted lives, things that happen for better or worse while we're kilted. We encourage each other to "cowboy up" and wear our kilts with pride, not caring what the world thinks of us. And yet we come back here and post time and again about things people say to us when we're kilted, either to complain about comments we've heard, or brag about compliments. If we were truly "individualists"...would we even take the time to do so? Or, feel the need to join up with like-minded people at all?

Sorry if I'm getting too far off topic...just rambling a bit.

[wildrover]

Canuck: I totally LOLd

Budd: Third paragraph...there is a Southpark episode which mentions that exact phenomenon. Fourth paragraph...yep. I don't think it has anything to do with subversion, Marxism, anarchism, or politicosocioenviroeconomic-anything.

Kilts are just wicked cool ways to make a connection with heritage and/or culture, and that's enough.