Is Using the Middle Finger as a Pointer Socially Acceptable?

[lisab]

Did you grow up in the DC area?

No, I live in beautiful Washington State .

 

[Cyrus]

No, I live in beautiful Washington State .

Ugh, how dare you call yourself a washingtonian!

You're a washingtonstateonian...

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Ugh, how dare you call yourself a washingtonian!

You're a washingtonstateonian...

Duh, the State always takes precedence over Districts. Lisab is a Washingtonian, and you are a Columbian.

...and I was pointing at you with my middle finger when I thought about it.

 

[Moonbear]

Really? Not in my books it ain't. I find it actually rather difficult to point effectively with the middle finger, whereas it is quite natural to point with the ... well .. the pointing finger.

I agree. Even anatomically speaking, there's more independent extensor muscles of the index finger than middle finger. It doesn't even feel right to try pointing with that finger. I wonder if the people doing it started it as a kid to "get away" with giving people the finger, and it formed into a habit they no longer realize they're doing?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

It says showing a thumbs-up sign in Iran is equivalent to the middle finger in the western countries :)

...US President Barack Obama, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev joked before the meeting and gave cameras the thumbs up...

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?Obamas_thumbs_up_to_G20_summit&in_article_id=607245&in_page_id=34

Whoops! ...or was it? My new buddy, Dmitry?

 

[Monique]

I agree. Even anatomically speaking, there's more independent extensor muscles of the index finger than middle finger. It doesn't even feel right to try pointing with that finger. I wonder if the people doing it started it as a kid to "get away" with giving people the finger, and it formed into a habit they no longer realize they're doing?

I always use my middle finger to navigate (or type, as I'm doing now) on my iPod touch. You can make the other case, I didn't grow up with people pointing the finger at me, so the offensive reaction is not the first emotion that comes to mind.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I didn't grow up with people pointing the finger at me, so the offensive reaction is not the first emotion that comes to mind.

Neither did I, but anyone raised in the US knows the symbolism. Also, as I said earlier, it's not a matter of taking offense as it is conspicuous - more akin to picking your nose.

 

[Moonbear]

I always use my middle finger to navigate (or type, as I'm doing now) on my iPod touch.

In those cases, you likely are keeping your finger slightly bent, not extending it fully, and that makes perfect sense...it is easier to get the other fingers out of the way (extended) while using the middle finger to type or do other sort of button-pushing things. Pointing with that finger would be the opposite, extending it further than the other fingers, not flexing it further than the other fingers.

 

[DaveC426913]

In those cases, you likely are keeping your finger slightly bent, not extending it fully, and that makes perfect sense...it is easier to get the other fingers out of the way (extended) while using the middle finger to type or do other sort of button-pushing things. Pointing with that finger would be the opposite, extending it further than the other fingers, not flexing it further than the other fingers.

I think the index finger is particularly well-adapted to pointing and poking because:
- it is the most independently flexible (try extrending your middle fully while balling the other tightly)
- it is the most sensitive and the most dextrous
- it is on an "edge" of the hand i.e. no need to move the thumb away from it in order to have it stand on its own

I think this more than outweighs any length advantage the middle has.

 

[Moonbear]

I think the index finger is particularly well-adapted to pointing and poking because:
- it is the most independently flexible (try extrending your middle fully while balling the other tightly)
- it is the most sensitive and the most dextrous
- it is on an "edge" of the hand i.e. no need to move the thumb away from it in order to have it stand on its own

The pinky finger fits those criteria as well. Both the index finger and pinky finger have their own extra individual extensor muscles (the thumb does too), while the middle finger and ring finger just go along for the ride, with only extensor muscles that are shared with the other fingers.

 

[DaveC426913]

The pinky finger fits those criteria as well. Both the index finger and pinky finger have their own extra individual extensor muscles (the thumb does too), while the middle finger and ring finger just go along for the ride, with only extensor muscles that are shared with the other fingers.

Mostly, but the pinky isn't all that dextrous and not as sensitive.

 

[Moonbear]

Mostly, but the pinky isn't all that dextrous and not as sensitive.

I don't know about sensitive. But in terms of dexterity, I would argue the pinky is more dexterous than the index finger. The pinky has a muscle that is the counterpart of the thumb muscle with allows opposition of thumb to pinky...that key movement that distinguishes humans from other primates. Ye olde opposable thumb is actually opposition of the thumb AND pinky.

 

[rootX]

Indian Voters Show Middle Finger To The Vote

http://www.anorak.co.uk/politicians/208497.html

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Indian Voters Show Middle Finger To The Vote

http://www.anorak.co.uk/politicians/208497.html

I did the same thing in the last election.