The Irish Thing

The Irish defeat themselves with a garrarulous and bellicose trait. Did alcohol, the potato famine, their DNA or Catholicism engender this chip on the shoulder? The Irish disease excuses a combative, argumentative, antagonistic, belligerent and confrontational persona. The Antagonism, however, often masks the intelligence, wit and insightful assertions.
Known as the Irish Disease, there were dockyard fights, quarrelsome marriages, the fighting Irish, the IRA, the rebellion and a town called Garrarus Cross Roads. I once told a patient that I would call him an alcoholic if he were not Irish. Most excuse the argumentativeness of the Irish as alcoholism. It may be something more basic.
Misunderstood, victimized discriminated against for a talent that he knows as real, the Irishman reacts against the unfairness of the perception more than the rejection. The Irishman seems a near idiot savant in his interpersonal insights, making snap judgments with what others see as no evidence at all. Dismissed as paranoia until proven otherwise, what the Irishman knows to be accurate assessments go ignored by the Englishman with social skills of another sort. The Irishman reacts. He reasserts --- with greater vigor. He is angry at his marginalization when addressing the core of an issue. Of course, the confrontational attitude results in greater marginalizing and yet another round of assertion. One sees the assertion as paranoia --- if proven right, as an accident.
Decoding the Irishman with a chip can be a delight. Listen to the rant without interruption or response, praise the insight, lock up the guns, break out the Guinness and sing. By morning, he may prove his point.