Social Cohesion.
It's what the Nordic countries value highly and what has helped them to literally survive the pretty tough climes they have.
They are top of an international list.
They don't all have oil, just Norway, but they have all managed pretty well despite meagre resources.
When oil came to Norway, and Shetland, and Orkney, they quickly realised that it was a get it right/one shot deal.
They both had the inherent social cohesion of their communities and got it right.
Despite being just fishermen and sheep farmers they did a great job of getting the best deals out of the oil companies who themselves are pretty tough cookies.
The Norwegian education minister was asked in an interview recently what was their top priority."Social cohesion" was the reply.
Pretty odd I thought at the time but it soon made sense because it doesn't really matter what resources you have if your society isn't right.
By the way, their academic standards are very high internationally.
So what social cohesion do we have? Hmmm, tricky one that, but lets face it, we've had enough to see us this far in the UK.
Norway and Sweden had come to the point of war before they split.
Whatever we do have will be further stretched after the result of the referendum is announced because a high proportion will not get what they want.
We are already a pretty fractured country. There's your lowlander, your highlander, you islander, your Orkneys, your Shetland, and as part of some or all of those there's your gaelic speaker and I apologise if I've missed anyone out there.
Further divisions are, catholic, protestant, immigrants of all nations and then there's the clans and don't even go there. Well ok then, my mum was a McDonald and she still held a grudge against the Campbells.
How am I doing?, get the picture? or rather the jigsaw.
Whichever way the vote goes one thing is for sure, things will never be the same; more factions have been introduced.
If it's No then some folk will have their dreams snatched away and will forever hold a grudge as Scots do.
I won't say as only Scots can do 'cos that wouldn't be fair on say Sicilians
.
If it's Yes it'll start a roller-coaster going and a lot of folk will not be happy 'cos they would have rather have stayed on the bus.
Some folk who currently have jobs and who have or had a reasonable expectation of keeping them may see themselves losing those jobs due to folk who haven't got a job and have no expectation of having one.
Everyone is entitled to a vote and one vote is no more or less powerful than the other.
It can be a bit difficult to see that though when the blame game starts.
Personal opinion here, life is a lot better when folk help each other and dividing into smaller fractions doesn't help that.
Check out what's going on around the world as a comparison.
The big question is, which ever way it goes, how are we going to get our society right?.
Will a "lottery win" of oil solve the gap between folk in say Maryhill and those just up the road in Bishopbriggs ? (big opening here for funny comments, I know).
Whatever happens, all the best to all here, North and South of the only border I personally want to see.....the current one.
