Why are the icons for our voting in Yahoo Answers consist of a phallic symbol and a symbol of murder? (thumbs up, thumbs down)
seems like these symbols meanings have evolved over time.
keywords: 'over time'
2007-01-02 00:26:03 · 12 answers · asked by Invisible_Flags 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I am not implying 'agenda', I am implying a change in meaning for the symbols of religions... even the source of religions themselves. A good piece of literature on this matter is 'On Aggression'.
2007-01-02 00:36:14 · update #1
This is social / cultural evolution. Just as the unit of biological evolution is the gene, the unit of social evolution is the meme. Both the meanings and iconography have changed over time.
2007-01-02 04:26:58 · answer #1 · answered by novangelis 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Depends how far back into the cultural identity you want to go back, and exactly whose culture you refer to. In a modern context, thumbs up for 'approval' and thumbs down for 'disapproval' are recognised in Western culture despite possibly sinister origins.
Like verbal and written vocabulary, body language and gestures do evolve through usage and acceptance. I'm sure if you really want to. you can find less 'human' reasons for the way we behave and communicate. I doubt many would give it a second thought, even if they were aware of the original usage...
2007-01-02 00:43:46 · answer #2 · answered by keltarr 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"Over time"? It seems to me that these symbols have stayed pretty well static in meaning over many many centuries.
A better example of change would be the word "gay" whi[ch has changed its meaning. The application of evolutionary theory to cultural phenomena has been put forward by Richard Dawkins in his "meme" theory. (It doesn't quite work though as the theory is a bit oversimplistic)
2007-01-02 00:41:22 · answer #3 · answered by anthonypaullloyd 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A better example would be the flu virus. Every year we have to spend a lot of money developing a new flu vaccine because the accursed bug evolves in less than a year, and last year's vaccine is useless.
2007-01-02 00:31:49 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 1⤋
What the heck does a thumbs up have to do with a stylized penis, and how is a thumbs down a symbol of murder. Evolutionary Psychologists are a mockery of academia.
2007-01-02 00:31:14 · answer #5 · answered by onewhosubmits 6 · 1⤊ 3⤋
For the word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing apart of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart
2007-01-02 00:44:10 · answer #6 · answered by Two Peas 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It is like the light switch on your wall. Up means on, down means off. It does not change appearance when you turn it on or off does it?
2007-01-02 00:40:34 · answer #7 · answered by Ex Head 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Very observant of you.
However it seems a bit trivial, and I'm certain the makers of those icons had no deeper agenda...
2007-01-02 00:31:33 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
symbol of murder never heard that 1?????
2007-01-02 00:29:49 · answer #9 · answered by Dotr 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
thats the worlds dumbest question
2007-01-02 00:38:01 · answer #10 · answered by VILLAIN 2 · 3⤊ 1⤋