An American television network has apologised after pop star M.I.A. extended her middle finger during Sunday night's Super Bowl halftime show. What does the gesture mean, and when did it become offensive?
A public intellectual, expressing his contempt for a gas-bag politician, reaches for a familiar gesture. He extends his middle finger and declares: "This is the great demagogue."
The episode occurred not on a chat show nor in the salons of New York or London, but in 4th Century BC Athens, when the philosopher Diogenes told a group of visitors exactly what he thought about the orator Demosthenes, according to a later Greek historian.
The middle finger, extended with the other fingers held beneath the thumb, is thus documented to have expressed insult and belittlement for more than two millennia.
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3 comments:
Just like words,
they are only offensive because people see lawsuits in them...
Basically they allow themselves to be offended or they allow themselves to make a word offensive or racist...
If people would re-grow balls (for guys) and boobs (for women) and stand up and say I will not allow it to offend me because I have better things to be worrying about or that offend me...
Like Niger, or Nigerly... If you look at the DEFINITION then it is not offensive or racist... It is then left to the idiots to decide what is or isn't offensive or racist and since everyone wants money for free, they see lawsuits in it so, then it bothers them so they can sue...
Just like with the city or county council meetings... If you don't want or like the prayer then get the fuck out of the room until its over or just don't show up or don't show up until the prayer is over...
Just as it is your right not to hear it, it is our right to hear it... With me you will not win, I will tell you as easy as it is not to say the prayer, it is just as easy for you to not listen, or to walk out of the room or show up after the prayer...
Point is you ALL have the ability to make things non-offensive but do it in the right way by ignoring ignorant people...
When did ignorance, rudeness, become acceptable?
When some one thinks they are giving me the finger it tells me they are intelligent enough to count to one( sometimes two if they use both hands)
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