Why do older people unknowingly point at things with their MIDDLE finger?

[kt]

Ok, I had a conversation with my dad today and somehow this topic came up. He does it too, point with this middle finger. And he fits your profile as 50-something. Anyway, according to him it is rude to point with your index finger in Chinese custom. So, if they need to point at something they use the middle finger instead. That's what he said..

 

[dfi]

I did this for a while myself. The middle finger is longer than the index finger, and therefore it's easier to point out something with the middle finger because you don't have to move your arm as much.

dfi

 

[Alphazero]

All the CS teachers at my school always use their middle finger. No other teacher does this regularly.

Interesting....possible support for the worn index theory.

 

[Alphazero]

Originally posted by: dexvx
Maybe because people dont care? Especially recent immigrants, they haven no idea what it means.

My history prof said it originated in England/Scots. To prevent the Scottish archers from accumulating, English troops supposedly cut off the middle finger (used to aim the arrow) off males. So people with middle fingers would wave their middle fingers at English soldiers in defiance. I cannot confirm if it is true or not, but it sounds like a plausible explanation.

Actually, the gesture originated in England. The French would cut off the middle finger of the formidable captured English longbowmen. The English would wave their fingers at them to taunt them.

 

[Jfur]

Originally posted by: Alphazero

Originally posted by: dexvx
Maybe because people dont care? Especially recent immigrants, they haven no idea what it means.

My history prof said it originated in England/Scots. To prevent the Scottish archers from accumulating, English troops supposedly cut off the middle finger (used to aim the arrow) off males. So people with middle fingers would wave their middle fingers at English soldiers in defiance. I cannot confirm if it is true or not, but it sounds like a plausible explanation.

Actually, the gesture originated in England. The French would cut off the middle finger of the formidable captured English longbowmen. The English would wave their fingers at them to taunt them.

the French have the far less efficient way of holding one bicep and then flexing/pumping that arm up towards the shoulder. it's especially funny when they are holding something and try to do it.

I use the middle finger cause it's my longest -- OR -- to send a not-so-subtle message

 

[gotsmack]

Originally posted by: Alphazero

Originally posted by: dexvx
Maybe because people dont care? Especially recent immigrants, they haven no idea what it means.

My history prof said it originated in England/Scots. To prevent the Scottish archers from accumulating, English troops supposedly cut off the middle finger (used to aim the arrow) off males. So people with middle fingers would wave their middle fingers at English soldiers in defiance. I cannot confirm if it is true or not, but it sounds like a plausible explanation.

Actually, the gesture originated in England. The French would cut off the middle finger of the formidable captured English longbowmen. The English would wave their fingers at them to taunt them.

actually it was the middle and index finger

 

[SOSTrooper]

Ok, I had a conversation with my dad today and somehow this topic came up. He does it too, point with this middle finger. And he fits your profile as 50-something. Anyway, according to him it is rude to point with your index finger in Chinese custom. So, if they need to point at something they use the middle finger instead. That's what he said..

Huh lol. I'm Chinese, and I never heard that one before.

Also, my sister said that because middle fingers are rarely used in older days, so older ppl would not realize pointing things with middle finger is such a big offense (even though it is not) until someone tells them that it is impolite (or whatever). A lot of the times, it's just natural for older ppl to point w/ middle finger, but they probably point with index fingers as much as their middle fingers too. I seriously dont think the index fingers are 'worn' out and ppl use middle finger to replace it....