• Rolando@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    “Xeepzorp, it’s not that complicated. The thumb-up is like crossing your eyestalks, and the middle-finger is like extruding your rectal tentacle.”

  • Revonult@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    This made me realize that if we encounter aliens there is a non-zero chance there will be alien weebs that become obsessed with our culture and think it is superior.

  • smeg@feddit.uk
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    5 months ago

    It’s not that complicated, aliens

    The middle finger gesture was used in ancient times as a symbol of sexual intercourse, in a manner meant to degrade, intimidate and threaten the individual receiving the gesture. It also represented the phallus, with the fingers next to the middle finger representing testicles

    It’s a classic human cock-and-balls, simple as

  • orphiebaby@lemm.ee
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    5 months ago

    Wait until they learn that the thumbs-up in some countries means what the middle finger does in the US…

    • mycodesucks@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      I’m still trying to wrap my head around the Czech Republic, where apparently holding up a single index finger means 2.

      • reinei@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        Not a Czech but now that you mentioned it I want this here too!

        I mean have you tried counting from either end using all your fingers i.e. thumb == 1? That dexterous shit is hard so making a single index finger two instantly makes it nice and smooth!

        (Instant edit: this obviously only holds if index finger+ middle finger counts as 3, otherwise there really only seems to be an advantage in calling out 2 and my argument collapses)

      • angrystego@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        I do have some experience with the Czech Republic and I’m pretty sure this isn’t the case.

        • mycodesucks@lemmy.world
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          5 months ago

          I was only there a month. I can’t claim to be any kind of expert. But I do know I wound up eating two sausages.

    • kureta@lemmy.ml
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      5 months ago

      Humans vibrate the air in different and complicated ways. One vibration pattern humans like, another vibration pattern they don’t like. sure this “speech” thing is really complicated. also symbols squibbled on surfaces. language, am I right?

  • lolcatnip@reddthat.com
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    5 months ago

    Seems like any aliens advanced enough to study us would very easily figure out that hand gestures are a form of communication.

  • casual_turtle_stew_enjoyer@sh.itjust.works
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    5 months ago

    Fun fact: cats sometimes respond similarly to humans when presented with the middle finger. Without training. And often it with cats that do hate it, it’s that finger specifically and only that specific gesture.

    I still have absolutely no idea why, but some cats just naturally react as if it’s an offense towards them. Maybe they equate it to a tail raised straight?

  • Glytch@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    Let’s see how harmless it is when I jam it in your compound eye Mr. Kleezorp

    • Etterra@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      But some humans think the ok gesture is as bad as or worse than the middle finger.

      • samus12345@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        Others are offended by the index and middle finger being extended in a V shape with the palm facing inward…but never when it’s facing outward!

  • Fleur__@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    Ya know I don’t actually think having widely recognised hand signals with different meanings is all that weird.

    • Taleya@aussie.zone
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      5 months ago

      Body language is ubiquitous as communication in animal species, it’s like saying “why one noise good but another noise bad”

  • Daft_ish@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    “You see, in france, the archers were getting their middle fingers cut off … and that’s why it’s offensive.”

    “Is all that true?”

    “Yes, the history is well documented. Billy from home room told Jessie in gym class…”

  • pH3ra@lemmy.ml
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    5 months ago

    “The gesture is an invitation for the adversary to put their middle finger in their own excreting orifice”
    “Wow it must be painful for them!”
    “They seem to have rather pleasant experience instead”
    “Interesting…”

  • graeghos_714@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    I did corporate training for an international company for about 20 years. Once when I was in Mexico something happened in class and I said something was okay and used my finger and thumb to make the okay sign. They kind of laughed and started talking among themselves. I guess the okay sign means asshole in Mexico so when they explained that I laughed with them and said I didn’t know that. One of the jokers in class said “yeah, okay we believe you” and gave me the okay sign. lol