One thing that becomes increasingly clear about Scottish culture is the degree to which partisan plays a big part in associations. People will tend to position themselves too much in relation to the things they deem to be theirs, things that in some way they feel belong to them.

As well as to their material possessions which you’d expect, this will also apply to their friendships and their intimate relations. It will certainly apply to their football team. The cases they make, their verbal orientation, will in large degree be influenced by this partisan aspect.

Yes this is present in human behaviour generally but I suspect it plays a more crucial role in the way that the Scots connect with each other. It has a clannish quality, primitive and underdeveloped. The problem you have in trying to engage with individuals in such a community is that you too become immeshed in that prevalent value system; you are measured by the degree to which you belong or are seen to belong to the group. Rangers or Celtic? You must choose!

It’s impossibly difficult to find integrity in a situation like this because connection is too much driven by the base functions. If you’re going for some enterprising thing here you’ll find the dynamic undermined by these innate restrictions. You’ll find the community wedded to them. You’ll find that the roots are deep. Go elsewhere!