XX Olympic Winter Games

[Not Afraid]

The swastika is a terrible example. There was so much Hindu symbolism tied up in the swastika long before Hitler took it over. It's become taboo in Western cultures but, with the continual blending of East and West, I wonder how long that will remain the case.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

The swastika is a terrible example. There was so much Hindu symbolism tied up in the swastika long before Hitler took it over. It's become taboo in Western cultures but, with the continual blending of East and West, I wonder how long that will remain the case.

OKay fine, what if it were a shirt that said "Nazi Germany".

[mousepod]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

OKay fine, what if it were a shirt that said "Nazi Germany".

Oh great. One more thing I can't wear to the park.

Seriously though, I think that the CCCP iconography has become a part of fashion. Silly fashion, mind you, but fashion nonetheless. While I agree that many people find old Soviet Union stuff to be representational of an oppressive regime - that's just the viewer applying his own point of view on someone else's fashion choice. I'll bet there are thousands (millions?) of people who felt that life was OK during the time of the USSR, and don't attach any of the totalitarian or oppressive tags to their opinion. Personally, I'm not a fan of the "big brother" government that the USSR represented (at best), but I'll bet there are people who'll find a red, white and blue shirt with USA emblazoned on it offensive for just that reason - and I'm including many in free and democratic countries when I say that.

[Gemini Cricket]

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

The swastika is a terrible example. There was so much Hindu symbolism tied up in the swastika long before Hitler took it over. It's become taboo in Western cultures but, with the continual blending of East and West, I wonder how long that will remain the case.

Now correct me if I'm wrong but isn't a reverse swastika a Chinese symbol for good luck? I see it on Chinese lanterns a lot. If the symbol faces the way 2 letter S's face then it's SS for SwaStika (at least that's how I remember it). If it faces the other way it means good luck.
Has anyone else heard this?

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by Gemini Cricket

Now correct me if I'm wrong but isn't a reverse swastika a Chinese symbol for good luck? I see it on Chinese lanterns a lot. If the symbol faces the way 2 letter S's face then it's SS for SwaStika (at least that's how I remember it). If it faces the other way it means good luck.
Has anyone else heard this?

Acutally, both the clockwise and counter clockwise versions have been used by many cultures before and after the Nazis.

[Not Afraid]

I'm probably not the best person to argue about this. I could care less what people wear on their shirts. I get more disgusted by some of the shirts at T-shirt hell than is someone was to wear "Nazi Germany" emblazened on their chest. But, people can wear what they want and I can be disgusted as I choose. No big deal.




Now, where is my Anarchy Now shirt?

[Ghoulish Delight]

Likewise, I don't particularly care. Largely because I choose to ignore most of what Weir says anyway. But I do find the choice to be in poor taste. I'm obviously not going to call for his head on a platter, but while the Mickey sweater ammused me and raised my esteem for him in a minor way, a CCCP sweater just confirms in my mind his status as someone whom I don't particularly respect.

[Not Afraid]

I sort of like the fact that he gave us a range of Capitalist Icon to Former Opressor to choose from. I mean, what a great dichotomy.

[innerSpaceman]

What about an FCUK shirt? Those were popular awhile back. Certainly potentially offensive, for reasons outside of geopolitics. There's just no accounting for taste.

[Prudence]

I don't know that "Nazi Germany" is the best analogy. It was called Germany then and it's called Germany now and people who wear shirts with "Germany" across the front don't often offend the public.

Unless iSm's around, of course.

Similarly, CCCP was the name of the country. If they'd knocked off the gulag nonsense and become respectable world citizens and still wanted to call themselves CCCP would that be a problem? If the People's Republic of China embraces individual freedoms and renames itself will People's Republic of China shirts be socially forbidden?

I'm trying to think of a better analogy and of course I can't. Maybe "Soviet Gulag"?

Anyhow, I think any item has the potential to offend someone and one makes one's fashion decisions accordingly. I will probably hear in class yet again today about the ramifications of wearing a "fvck the draft" t-shirt in a court house, because we're up to 1st amendment issues. If I really really want to wear a fylfot on my shirt I can, but I should be prepared for the reaction. I think "Nazi Germany" on a shirt might rile a number of people - probably most people. Clearly some people here find CCCP offense. Others find it to be so much kitsch. I suspect that in a larger population the latter out number the former, so it's not solidly in the "poor taste" group.