Two things of monumental importance are happening today. It is my fathers' 83rd birthday and there's a referendum happening in Scotland. Born 1931, a few days later the United Kingdom abandoned the 'Gold Standard' that unit of measurement for monetary conformity, the pound devalued by 20%. Apt then that 83 years later if Scotland decides Yes, the monetary integration of the United Kingdom once again looks set for restructuring. To me my father still seems the same as he has always done. Older yes, but not 83 years of age, that seems an astonishing age for one so young in outlook. Yet it is but a blink of the eye. The ever youthful James Dean was also born in 1931 and by a cruel turn of fate his death in September 1955 left us with an image of a 24 year old in the prime of his life. At that time my father had just left the RAF after national service and was heading in the direction of a career as a production artist, in the prime of his life. I met two paths and followed the one......
Modern Scotland was born in 1606 when the Act of the Crown made for a single Sovereign. Acts in 1706 and 1707 sealed the union of the two kingdoms of England and Scotland and a remarkable dynasty was created which over the next 200 years allowed this tiny island cluster off the coast of Europe to dominate the World in a way far and above it's actual size. As with many things the emergence of the British Empire meant that everyone wanted to be on-board and lapped up the spoils of success. All things wax and wane, so too has the importance of the United Kingdom, struggling to adapt to its new role as understudy upon the World stage. So when the going get tough the tough get going and although I would hate to see the Union fracture, I think it is inevitable. We live in complex times, everyone and every state wishes to be self governing. The self has become prominent in the much weakened self-adhesive. We see it in individual 'know my rights' ways of thinking, and we see it in the break up of large states into their historical boundaries. The advent of the Internet (to a wider non-military use audience) was intended to bring people together with a common good. Yet as many suspected the chaos of un-regulation the Internet brings to the World, is partly fuelling the Independence and self above others debate around the world too. Certainly in 1931 one would only know what newsprint editors decided to print. News travelled slowly and in a regulated way. Now everyone has a voice and with 7 billion on the planet, that's an awful lot of independent chattering discussing the needs of self over adhesive.
My father said growing up in the 1930's was a simpler time. Not necessarily better, just simpler. Life now seems much too complex for real happiness. Always a man of few words, but having supreme common sense and intelligence, I think he may have a point.
Happy Birthday Dad.
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