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.