8 historic symbols that mean the opposite of what you think

[TZ]

If you want to motivate people, you don't rely on logic and reasoning. No, what people need is a symbol. A slogan, a flag, the face of a hero to stick on a T-shirt.

So what do you do if the real world doesn't provide you with something people can rally around? You just make that shit up.

http://www.cracked.com/article_18606_8-historic-symbols-that-mean-opposite-what-you-think.html
Another HR for Cracked! When did a humor and parody site become some of the best skeptical commentary around?
BTW, I love the "Don't Mess With Texas" one..BWAHAHAHA..:rofl:

[realisticphish]

1. They should get a Skepty

which is a skeptical award that I just made up

[lazarus]

2. I second your Skepty nomination

that was a great article. I read Cracked every day.

[Behind the Aegis]

3. There are some really interesting articles on that site!

It was awesome. I love the Guy Fawkes stuff. LOL!

[Dr. Strange]

4. I love their article on Gilbert Gottfiried.

http://www.cracked.com/funny-2538-gilbert-gottfried/

For purely nefarious reasons.

[Iggo]

5. If I click on that link, I'll be out of comission for like 2 hours.

Is that what you want?

[Iggo]

6. Turns out it was more like four hours.

Thanks a lot!!!

[charlie]

7. What's also remarkable

is that Cracked was a Mad Magazine also-ran. The consolation purchase when Mad was out of stock.

Who would've guessed they could reinvent themselves as a snarkier, punchier Straight Dope and become the Web's most addictive read?

[realisticphish]

8. the key is

I think they stayed more relevant than mad; once they moved to the internet, they had a wider, "hipper" audience than mad does now. Mad may have been the granddaddy of them all, but that doesn't mean they can't be dethroned.

That's all conjecture, though.

[TZ]

9. Here's another interesting one..

http://www.cracked.com/article_18627_6-things-from-history-everyone-pictures-incorrectly_p2.html
They really are funny and well informed...
Best line ever..when they are talking about the "white washing" of Jesus..", the Church was better off not reminding people they were praying to a little, brown Jew." :rofl:

[realisticphish]

10. god (no pun intended)

I remember in 2002 when Popular Mechanics did a feature called "The Real Face of Jesus" (there's another publication that often has brass balls... see their attack on twoofers). They got a shtitstorm of complaints, though no one could really say WHY they were complaining.

[LeftishBrit]

11. In this context...

with regard to Christmas, I find the grafting of Northern Europaean holiday traditions onto a story concerning Middle Eastern Jews a little funny at times. Especially as Britain is neither the Middle East *nor* (especially in southern England) Northern Europe, and the idea that we are being short-changed if it's not covered with snow is faintly ridiculous if you think of it. I doubt that it was snowing in Bethlehem!

There is a cognitive test for dementia, where people are shown a pyramid and invited to match it either with a palm tree, or with a pine tree that is drawn to be more visually similar to the pyramid. If people rely on visual similarity (the pine tree) rather than semantic association (the palm tree), then this could be one symptom of cognitive decline. Which makes the association between fir trees and the Middle Eastern Nativity a little funny. Though admittedly Christmas trees are fun, and palm trees not so easily obtainable in England! It is more the idea that It Wouldn't Be Christmas if it weren't as much like Scandinavia or north Germany as possible that is a little bit funny.

[realisticphish]

12. I think

it's evidence of the Victorian origins of the modern Christmas holiday. Keeping in mind that this is from memory only, AFAIK Christmas wasn't a big deal for most of Christian history. Easter was the big festival, not Christmas, and it was a relatively subdued thing. But the Victorians grabbed it, and started making it into a huge deal.

[iris27]

13. Holy crap, that site is worse than TV Tropes for making me click

on link after link until THE END OF TIME...!!!

[lazarus]

14. I have a permatab open on TV Tropes

One day, I'll read the whole damned thing, and then, well, I'll have done that.

[realisticphish]

15. except

that it changes constantly...

[lazarus]

16. sigh

I know. I just ignore that part of existence.