Quote:
Originally Posted by Logseman
From the other side, I know that symbols and their meaning is always altered... but isn't it always, and I'd add necessarily the case, that national flags become associated with all those things that the states under those flags do?
|
Of course, the only difference between a government, and any cause or organization is the sheer scale of it. And the scale tends to mean that you get more different viewpoints within that organization. And especially if you are an external observer (as we've already seen in this very thread), the symbol can actually mean many different things based on your exposure to the group the symbol represents.
But what I'm trying to say is that a symbol is remembered more prominently for the evil done in its name, rather than the good. And this is more of a physiological phenomenon than a cultural one. It's a survival instinct linked with recognition. Seeing a swastika pre-WWII usually meant you were exposed to cultures that originated in the region of India. Today, it is more a sign that you might want to leave that bar you've decided to try out.
We can call it "hijacking" if we like, but would we still call it hijacking if someone tried to co-opt the swastika again and turn it into a positive symbol? The term itself is loaded, and carries a heavy connotation is another point I'm trying to get across.
So, if we mix this bias we have where we can recognize the negative aspects linked to a symbol very quickly, along with every major nation having their dark spots in their past... and pretty much everything looks to be a symbol that got hijacked for evil.