Scots Buckle at the Polls: Fear Triumphs over Courage Once Again

The "No" vote ended up winning by a landslide, 55 percent to 45 percent. It was too grand a thought to think the Scots would stand in a majority to deal a blow to Empire. Despite some favorable polls recently and a sense of momentum, the "Yes" campaign for Scottish independence was always operating under an enormous burden, and that burden was that voters had to display some personal courage. There was a tremendous amount of fear-mongering in the mainstream media. Scottish independence would result in economic collapse, or so we were told by the experts.

The overwhelming majority of people are ruled by fear. In light of this, 45 percent for independence is very encouraging.

Fear will always triumph in the voting booth. We saw this in Pakistan's spring 2013 elections. Despite a lot of excitement, activism and momentum, support for Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf collapsed at the polls. Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-N walked away with the victory.

I participated in a similar monumental battle of hope versus fear in the Nader 2000 campaign. In spite of huge Super-Rallies and a legitimate grassroots Green Party volunteer movement, Democrat's fear-mongering carried the day (but not for the Democrats themselves, who continued to blame Nader supporters for costing the listless Al Gore the presidency). Nader couldn't even tally 3 percent of the vote nationally. The goal was to reach 5 percent in order that the Green Party could qualify for public funding the next election.

Fear apparently is much stronger than hope when it comes to a public vote. It is a Hobbesian world.

A Musical Interlude for Our Times

Besides the Scottish referendum on independence to take place tomorrow, there is very little in the news recently to inspire confidence, hope or even a sense that events are moving in a direction that will result in resolution. The sudden growth of Islamic State seems more than ever a ruse designed to facilitate a third Gulf War for the United States; the loosely complied with Novorossiya ceasefire has successfully bleached any higher purpose from the conflict in Ukraine; and, as a result of all the bellicose machinations of his administration, Obama is reaping the "reward" -- approval ratings on par with W. when the Republicans lost Congress to the Dems in 2006.

A musical interlude is called for. Hildur Guðnadóttir, the Icelandic cellist, has a new album out. I have yet to listen to Saman, but I am a big fan of Without Sinking (2009). Below are YouTubes of the fourth and fifth tracks, "Circular" and "Ascent," off that album. There is a lachrymose quality to Guðnadóttir's sound which might well be the score of our fragmenting age.