6 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
6 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

The Next Time You Give Someone The Middle Finger...

by bravo75
5 replies
  • OFF TOPIC
    • |
Read this article first, you might think twice about it. Especially if you are British.

BBC News - When did the middle finger become offensive?

  • Profile picture of the author Daniel Evans
    I wouldn't even use the gesture.

    Humans together with their trends and taboos can be such pitiful creatures at times....

    "Just Saying" - (I seriously detest this!)
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5572315].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author bravo75
      Originally Posted by Daniel Evans View Post

      I wouldn't even use the gesture.

      Humans together with their trends and taboos can be such pitiful creatures at times....

      "Just Saying" - (I seriously detest this!)
      I was going to title the thread: "It goes without saying that the overwhelming majority of us are decent, loving and law abiding individuals. But for the extremely small percentage that are not, please read this short article in order to refrain from such obscene gestures in future."

      It was a bit to long, so I stuck with: "The Next Time You Give Someone The Middle Finger..."
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5572409].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Daniel Evans
        Oh no, you got the wrong end of the stick.

        I wouldn't avoid using the gesture because it's vulgar.

        I'd simply avoid doing it because everyone else is doing it. That's my most humans are pitiful. They act out of trend and taboo. They sometimes don't even know why they speak of the words they do, or give certain gestures but they will do it anyway for the sole fact the next person is doing it.

        What I know is I wouldn't stick up my middle finger without first knowing entirely what it means - which admitedly I didn't before reading the article.

        I did however know the meaning and history behind two fingers which relates to archers. I don't however have any association with archers so the gesture would not only be common but totally innappropriate.
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5573225].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author garyv
    I think the gesture given during the super-bowl had very little to do with the actual message of the gesture itself, and more to do with marketing. I had no idea who the woman was before the Superbowl - In fact I probably wouldn't have known after either had it not of been for this incident.

    And the risk/reward ratio was good for her, because the gesture was like writing a highly targeted copyright. Those not offended by it are her targeted audience anyway.

    I wanted to be offended by it, but Elvis Presley got a similar response the first time he did his Pelvis gyrations during a live airing of a Milton Berle Show. Which for some people has the same meaning as the "middle finger".


    There's an age-group and demographic that always likes the sexually charged / naughty performances. It's been that way for a very long time. And those that liked the flipping of the bird during this Superbowl - will be the ones complaining about some weird gesture in Superbowl 65.





    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5573394].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Kierkegaard
    I heard that this (and the traditional two-fingered version) were used to ward off the 'evil eye'.

    It was believed that someone could give you the evil the eye and make you barren or infertile. The way to ward this off was to do the single digit (phallus) or double digit (ovaries) gesture.

    Here's something else to think about:

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5573537].message }}

Trending Topics