Excuse my french but that's what I thought when I came across this parody of Dave Winer by way of trackback to my post about the man himself a few days ago. Employing a wicked caricature of the blogfather and offering "If Dave Winer says it, it must be true!" t-shirts for sale, its an ironic monument to the man's achievements. What I wouldn't give to have someone go to so much trouble to make a mockery of me. Then I'd know I'd really made it. Dave you lucky bastard ;-)
What's this got to do with entrepreneurship? Well it reminded me of the Sunday Times article I read about the apparent gloom descending over Scotland and its economic and social woes. Says one reluctant-to-return-home expat -
“People generally celebrate success in the US but I don’t think we are very good at doing that in Scotland. We have all been brought up to not be boastful and blow your own trumpet. We should be ready to shout about what’s great about Scotland.
“In the business world you have to stand up and be counted and talk about what you do well, which doesn’t sit very comfortably with the Scottish psyche.”
The same article contrasts the relative success of the Irish government -
"UNLIKELY as it might seem, it is possible for a cold, wet country on the edge of Europe to entice back expats from warmer, more exotic climes. Look at Ireland. In 1999, its national employment agency launched the Jobs Ireland campaign aimed at the Irish diaspora. It has proved a phenomenal success."
Ironic really as the Irish used to be world class begrudgers. I remember Bono once describing us thus (I think on Oprah) -
In the States you look at the millionaire in the mansion on the hill and say to yourself, "One day I'm gonna be that guy". In Ireland, you look at the millionaire in the mansion on the hill and say to yourself, "One day I'm gonna get that bastard"
Bono might want to update that opinion now that begrudgery is thankfully dying a slow death in Ireland..... and ironically alive and well in some parts of the States.
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