Cultural Cringe

The term 'Cultural Cringe' is originally coined by Australian writer, critic and teacher Arthur Angell Phillips (1900-1985) in his pioneering essay 'The Cultural Cringe' (1950), which set the early terms for post-colonial theory in Australia[1]. The term is now widely used to describe feelings of inferiority about one's own culture compared to another, often more dominant, culture.

'The Cultural Cringe' explored ingrained feelings of inferiority that local Australian intellectuals struggled against, and which were most clearly pronounced in the Australian theatre, music, art and letters. Phillips pointed out that the public widely assumed that anything produced by local dramatists, actors, musicians, artists and writers was necessarily deficient when compared against the works of European counterparts. The only ways local arts professionals could build themselves up in public esteem was either to follow overseas fashions, or, more often, to spend a period of time working in Britain. In some professions this attitude even affected employment opportunities, with only those who had worked in London being treated as worthy of appointment or promotion. Thus the cultural cringe brought about over the early to mid 20th century a pattern of temporary residence in Britain for so many young talented Australians across a broad range of fields, from the arts to the sciences.

The term 'Scottish Cringe' is a cultural phenomenon described by some commentators, politicians, and scholars. It refers to a sense of cultural inferiority or embarrassment some Scots may feel about their own cultural identity, particularly in relation to the perceived dominance of English or Anglocentric British culture within the United Kingdom.

In Scotland, this phenomenon manifests itself with the following symptoms:
- Feelings of low self-worth or embarrassment when expressing overt Scottish cultural identity[2], such as using the Lowland Scots or Scottish Gaelic languages, wearing kilts, or embracing traditional Scottish heritage.
- A perceived sense of inferiority relative to English culture, attributed by some to historical and ongoing dominance of English cultural norms within the UK, particularly centered in London.
- Internalized self-doubt about Scotland’s ability to govern itself or succeed independently, often linked to historical events like the 1707 Act of Union and centuries of cultural and political subordination.

The term is often used in discussions about Scottish identity, national confidence, and the psychological impact of historical and cultural dynamics, particularly post-Union and during debates about Scottish independence.

[1] Phillips: The Cultural Cringe in Meanjin (p. 299-203) - 1950
[2] Unger: Legitimating inaction: Differing identity constructions of the Scots language in European Journal of Cultural Studies - 2010