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The US POTUS' fake claim
that the States 'invented everything' reminds me of the Nebraskan school
exchange when a Scot was asked if they had television in Scotland? The
reply: ‘We invented it.'
This came to mind on reading Scottish Minister for Business & Employment
Richard Lochhead, who wonders if one day Scotland could organise a
'Scottish International Exhibition' to showcase and promote the
country's science, technology and other key industries.
Richard Lochhead
'I often think about the amazing benefits such an event could deliver
for our country,' he says. 'For our image, global standing, inward
investment, trade, self-confidence. For the visitor economy, for
national pride. How it could inspire particularly our young people,'
adds the MSP for Moray. 'Just imagine.'
Firstly though. Let's lay to rest the erroneous remarks made by the US
President.
Obviously Scotland did not do everything by itself - other nations
including Germans, French, Italians, Russians, English have their place
in the making of the modern world.
It's just, the Scots more than everyone else 'created the lens' through
which the final product is viewed. When we gaze on a contemporary world
shaped by technology, capitalism and modern democracy, struggling to
find our place as individuals in it - we are, in effect, viewing the
world as the Scots did (and do).
The Scottish Enlightenment is inseparable from its legacy. The age of
Adam Smith, David Hume, James Watt, Robert Adam and Robert Burns, when
Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh were what can be described as the triple
wellsprings of the modern mind, is not solely an episode in Scottish
history.
It also marks a crucial point in America, development of the British
Empire and Europe not to mention the United Kingdom. Of course Scotland
cannot afford to rest on its laurels but it is worth taking time out to
mention just a snapshot of just how such a wee country influenced
practically everything modern on a global scale.
The excellent Wikipedia
independent website - to which I donate a few bucks monthly and urge
everyone to do likewise - comments: 'Scotland has such a rich history of
innovation and invention.
'Key Scottish contributions include the telephone (Alexander Graham
Bell), the television (John Logie Baird), flush toilet (Alexander
Cumming), pneumatic tyre (Robert Thomson & John Boyd Dunlop), ATM (James
Goodfellow).
'Other notable inventions include the steam engine improvements (James
Watt), kaleidoscope (David Brewster), waterproof macintosh (Charles
Macintosh)...
Nostalgia and sentiment apart, just why are so many inventions Scottish?
Revolutionising the world, fuelled by their boundless imagination and
inspired creativity - from the TV to penicillin, to tidal energy
turbines - representing a collective passion for innovation in Scotland
to advance industry at home and overseas throughout history.
Trump proudly cites, and rightly so, how his mother was Scottish: Mary
Anne Trump was a Scottish-American socialite and philanthropist who was
the wife of real-estate developer Fred Trump and mother of five
children, including U.S. President Donald Trump (Wikipedia).
Perhaps a POTUS aide should sign his office up. It only costs a few
dollars here and there.
As for Scotland's inventive government minister's dream of an
international exhibition - surely the number of comments from senior
influential sources to his suggestion via LinkedIn can be converted into
action. Just do it? |
