Member-only story
Dear Nephew,
I was very pleased to receive your letter in regards to my work at the Bureau Office for Legend and Lore Communication and Knowledge Services. Before I get to your questions regarding our recent efforts, I must apologise for the tardiness of my reply. We’ve been rushed off our feet here at BOLLCKS. You know the expression “The Devil makes work for idle hands”? Well, my hands were already quite occupied, and what’s more the Devil has nothing on The Buffoon. But it comes with the territory I suppose. As we like to say around hear — “That’s BOLLCKS for you.”
Now to the matter; You went into some detail in your letter about “Culture War”, patriotism and Britain’s sordid past. Imperial Truth is the term we use for what you came so close to identifying. Most simply put, it’s the political deployment of the belief that the British Empire was bloody brilliant and any refutation of that belief is nothing short of shameful heresy.
You were spot on — what a smart lad you are — in stating that Imperial Truth is tied to patriotism, but you were mistaken in your assumption that only our side has any patriotism to begin with. You mustn’t underestimate the opposition. They’re quite capable of being patriotic and proud of their country and countrymen…
