Unionist/Orange/ Loyalist tradition/culture

[Main Street]

If the music wasnt wonderful would it not still be culture?

It wouldn't be a wonderful expression of culture, would it?

The fact that you dont rate it seems to be your criteria for not counting it as culture. I think that it is culture - good or bad. Distaste for something doesnt make something "not culture" in my opinion.

I have given my reasons on which I base my opinions. Personal distaste is not an issue.
I have already stated CLEARLY that there is stuff I really don't like personally but I still regard as culture.
I hope I don't have to write that again.
But you never know, probably will have to repeat that again on page 7.

Of course you are entitled to your opinion, im just wondering what forms your opinion. Why sport is culture but parades arent for example. I really dont feel like youve explained what makes culture, but fair enough

.
I think I have gone out of my way to explain myself pretty good.
I am not going to write a book on the subject.
Look for ways to expand your own awareness rather than spend your energy engaged in an endless nitpick debate figuring out a hundred different ways why you don't rate my explanations.

[Aerlik]

Since when was a language a culture? Is the French or German language a culture? How many people make the journey to Croagh Patrick each year? I've been on bigger sponsored walks.

You've raised a couple of valid questions.  Language is not Culture in itself, but is one of the most important aspects of a nation's culture.  For us the Gaelic Language is one aspect of our culture as is hurling, traditional music or that unique style of Irish singing without musical accompaniment, not far removed from North African (especially Algerian) or even Indian styles whence it may have derived through trading in the Middle Ages.    Even our interpretation and use of the English language is uniquely Irish in some respects due to our usage.  Phraseology such as  "I'm/was after (do)ing (something)" eg. "I'm/was after telling him to hurry up".  It can be directly related to an Irish language word usage.  There are a whole plethora of examples similar to this.  Our thatched cottages are part of our culture as they reflect the economic times of years gone by, as is the case in Japan.

Likewise, religion is part of the overall culture of a country.  Shintoism is unique to Japan.  Aspects of the religion can be found in daily life and has influenced the overall culture of the country.  Similiarly with Taoism and Confucionism and Buddhism in China.  The pilgrimage to Croagh Patrick or to Lough Derg is primarily religious which just happens to be associated with Catholic Ireland.  The Japanese are encouraged to climb Mt.Fuji once in their lives (an old Japanese proverb says s/he he who climbs Fuji-san twice is a fool...either that or they have a very high boredom threshold) as it is a sacred Shinto site.  French Catholics in the village of Les Saints Maries de la Mer in the Camargue region have a sacred festival which is unique to their region where statues of the Blessed Virgin and Mary Magdalene are carried out of the sea and onto land, supposedly depicting the arrival on French shores of these two individuals after the Crucifixion of Christ.  It doesn't mean every Catholic in the world is aware of it or is obliged to partake in it.

Muslims in Malaysia and Indonesia are the polar opposites to North African muslims who in turn are very dissimilar to Bosnians.  Again this is down in many ways to the physical environs these people have stemmed from.

It pains me to hear the bowler-hat brigade (with tracksuit-clad lackies in tow) ranting on about how their Protestant Orange cultural rights are being "trampled over".    (Perhaps they should take the mirror and look over their shoulders and see the damage their jackboot-style of "culture" has inflicted on the six counties.)  There is no such thing as Protestant Culture just as there is no such thing as Catholic, Buddhist, Islamic, Jewish or whatever other "culture".  Too many people confuse religion and culture. 

Sadly there is an ever increasing use of the term "the country of Northern Ireland" (sic).  It is not a country in the international sense of the word and never will be, certainly not in my lifetime.  It's almost as if the media is drip-feeding our psyches with this notion in the hope that eventually the listener/viewer/reader will become so immune to the actual implications of the term (having heard it so much and not having thought about it)  that s/he will just roll over and accept it.  Likewise the whole saccharin-sweet image of the Orange parades on TV.  FFS, do we see the KKK having their annual hate-fest blasted all over the media?  No.

[nifan]

The fact that you dont rate it seems to be your criteria for not counting it as culture. I think that it is culture - good or bad. Distaste for something doesnt make something "not culture" in my opinion.

I have given my reasons on which I base my opinions. Personal distaste is not an issue.
I have already stated CLEARLY that there is stuff I really don't like personally but I still regard as culture.
I hope I don't have to write that again.
But you never know, probably will have to repeat that again on page 7.

Yes and i read your comment. However your comments on the alleged culture imply a distatste for it, that you dont "rate it highly".
Dont get me wrong I havent got the time of day for parades, but they are still a cultural phenomena with a large turnout, and occur around the world in small numbers as well as in the north.


there is little point arguing, we obviously have different opinions on what culture means - i believe that culture is warts and all, not simply the best of "Arts, Theatre, Literature, Music and Sports etc."

[Hardy]

Phenomenon

[brokencrossbar1]

Phenomenon

"Do-do-de-do-do"

[ziggysego]

Ivan Little has a problem with that.

[dodgy umpire]

A big well done to whoever burnt down the Milltown bonfire!

[thejuice]

only a small matter but would it be more accurate to say "Ulster Scot" culture rather than Unionist culture. As I would think that in the same sense there is no Republican culture, but there is Irish culture, not that the 2 are anyway inherently linked.

[Main Street]

The fact that you dont rate it seems to be your criteria for not counting it as culture. I think that it is culture - good or bad. Distaste for something doesnt make something "not culture" in my opinion.

I have given my reasons on which I base my opinions. Personal distaste is not an issue.
I have already stated CLEARLY that there is stuff I really don't like personally but I still regard as culture.
I hope I don't have to write that again.
But you never know, probably will have to repeat that again on page 7.

Yes and i read your comment. However your comments on the alleged culture imply a distatste for it, that you dont "rate it highly".
Dont get me wrong I havent got the time of day for parades, but they are still a cultural phenomena with a large turnout, and occur around the world in small numbers as well as in the north.


there is little point arguing, we obviously have different opinions on what culture means - i believe that culture is warts and all, not simply the best of "Arts, Theatre, Literature, Music and Sports etc."

Yes NI fan there is little point in debating when you are quick to repeat that shite.
As I said, I knew I would have to repeat this line, but so soon?

I have said before that my personal taste does not come into it.

Alluding to that I have said that ´culture is a best of´ is just rank stupid at this stage.

[Hereiam]

Did anyone see on the news last nite where an 11th night bonefire had been lit premature and caused traffic delays in Belfast. I drove past that bonefire last sunday and seen the hard working locals building at it and thought wouldn't it be great if that was lit before the 12th. What sickin me was the fact that the news reporter was not asking how these pile's of shite are allowed to be built, but instead it was all about who is responible for the safety of them. Was nearly going to throw the TV out.

[dodgy umpire]

irish news says arsonists....god bless them

[Orior]

Its quite a scarey experience walking past the bonfires while they're being 'guarded'

[nifan]

Alluding to that I have said that ´culture is a best of´ is just rank stupid at this stage.

I apologise.
That is what I took form the comment

Culture is the finest expression of our existence as seen in Arts, Theatre, Literature, Music and Sports amongst many things.

[Main Street]

I apologise.
That is what I took form the comment

Culture is the finest expression of our existence as seen in Arts, Theatre, Literature, Music and Sports amongst many things.

As you can read
that says,  the finest expression of our existence as seen in Arts etc

Not expression as seen in the finest of arts etc. according to my taste.
I have stated that my personal taste does not come into it.

Did the Flight of the Earls come in for any important attention in regards to your Ulster history as was taught in school?

[nifan]

OK main street.

Aye we covered the flight of the earls. We covered loads of irish history in fact. Whats your point here?