Positive aspiration
Over recent months, there is one thing that I now find mind numbingly tedious, and this is irrespective of how anyone did vote on Thursday.
When a topic is discussed and it relates to an area that is devolved to Scotland, alto often we hear that in regards or “x”, “y” or “z” we are doing better or worse than England does. As if our mark of success as a nation depends on how we do compared to England (or Wales or Northern Ireland).
In a general sense this is very facile and unpleasant – I don’t want to see Scotland or any other part of the UK be in a race to the bottom, where no matter how bad things are, we tell ourselves that it’s okay as we are doing better than our neighbours.
We need to rediscover a positive aspiration for our country. Irrespective of the independence question, there is so much that we can do and so much that can be done to achieve that. I refuse to accept that just being ahead of our neighbours is good enough.
The “if only” mentality of how everything would miraculously get better “if only” we have this or if only that happened is a recipe for mediocrity and a downward spiral. Essentially it is giving up on the success of a great country.
I would like to see many changes – some on a big scale like constitutional reform and some rather more modest – and I will campaign for those, but in the meantime I want Scotland to be the success it can be with what we have right now.
If we say we can’t achieve that, sadly it says more about ourselves than anyone else.
We need the positive aspiration to be the best that we can be, with what we currently have.
Martin Tregonning
Dunrossness
Note: This letter was received before polling day but was held back until after the election.
