by Rab Bruce’s Spider

People can get used to pretty much anything. That is why changing society is so difficult. Our politicians and media convince us that, no matter how bad things might be, they’d be even worse if we dared to take some drastic action such as, for example, voting for Scotland to be a normal country running its own affairs. Fear of change, and the human ability to adapt to circumstances result in people sticking with the status quo even if that means ignoring the hope that they could improve their situation.

This phenomenon is visible now with Brexit. The Pound has crashed to a far greater extent than even the worst predictions of what would happen if Scotland had voted Yes in 2014, yet the media downplay it, and the reaction from most people is to simply grumble a bit when they don’t get as many Euros or Dollars for their Pound when they go on holiday.

Businesses who rely on imports are either remarkably silent about the problems the collapse in sterling has caused, or the media are giving them no voice. Instead, we hear about the boon for exporters – except that the UK doesn’t actually export very much. Scotland does, and we have seen some benefit, but that must be countered by rising inflation as goods and food prices creep ever upwards due to the lower value of the Pound.

But we get used to it because that’s what people do.

We are now being reminded that Brexit is happening, so we must get used to it. Never mind the consequences because you’ll adapt no matter how bad they are. There is no need for a second referendum on EU membership, nor another IndyRef. Why bother? Both Labour and the Tories are determined on a hard Brexit, and that’s what we’ll get. There is no point in complaining, because most people will adjust.

This natural tendency to shrug one’s shoulders and get on with it is precisely what the Westminster Establishment want. Westminster has a long tradition of resisting any change to the status quo. Look at how long it took for slavery to be abolished, or how long the Suffragette movement was vilified. Westminster talks a lot, but rarely takes any action which will diminish what it sees as its prerogative.

It has happened again in the case of Scotland. We were told to lead the UK, not leave it, so we sent 56 SNP MPs to Westminster – and they were ignored. They made a lot of noise, they worked really hard, they delivered telling speeches and they voted, but it made no difference at all. Westminster will never change unless forced to, but they and the media work hard to ensure that ordinary people don’t protest too much. Marches and demonstrations are inconvenient for the Establishment, but achieve very little in practice.

What is the solution? That’s a tough question. One thing is for sure, though; we can’t sit back and meekly accept that the way things are is the way things should stay. We need to keep trying to persuade others, but we need some political leadership and we need a media platform.

We also need to keep telling people just how bad Brexit is going to be. Jeremy Corbyn has, at last, confirmed what this blog and others have been saying for a long time – he is pro-Brexit and anti-Scottish Indy. Sticking with the UK means Brexit even if Labour do somehow manage to form a Government in the unlikely event that the Tories are kicked out. The Scottish Government can protest all it likes, but it will make no difference. The only solution for avoiding Brexit is independence, so we need to be ready for it, and we need to persuade people that they don’t have to accept whatever Brexit brings. We need to offer a vision of hope rather than the vision of despair Brexit brings. Independence won’t be a bed of roses, that’s for sure, but it must offer more hope than being governed by a xenophobic, insular UK. It’s a big step, but, just as people are being conditioned into accepting the changes already being wrought by Brexit, once that step has been taken and Scotland becomes a normal country, people will soon adapt to the changes. More importantly, if they don’t like the changes the Scottish Government brings about, they can actually influence that by voting the ruling Party out and electing a Party which offers policies the people prefer. That option simply isn’t available within the UK.

So, don’t sit back and accept this slow, dreary decline which is the only thing on offer from the UK. Let’s start hoping for a chance to make a difference. The way things are is not the way things have to be. Let’s get used to believing we can make things better by becoming a normal country.