>From http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/us/DailyNews/wolffiles.html
>COURT GESTURES
>Of all people to receive the first documented Bird, it was Socrates. The
>great philosopher was locked in an argument, when his opponent flipped
>him a good one. It?s hard to tell what Aristophanes expected, but the
>audience hated it. The Clouds finished last in an Athenian theater
>competition, and the playwright deleted the dirty segment from the
>classic finished version. ?Then, just like now, the finger wasn?t
>considered high-minded. But it was clearly part of the society,? said
>Schmidt. ?In some Greek theater, the actually hit each other with
>leather phalluses. This was actually a step up.?
Desmond Morris' "The Human Zoo" touches on this subject. If I remember correctly, he brings forth the idea that the "finger" is a phallic gesture rooted in primate social interaction. Instead of displaying our penises (or would that be peni?) to demonstrate our authority or position, humans now use the middle finger.
It's funny that such an arbitrary gesture can evoke an emotional response in many people. I guess we should not underestimate the power of the penis.
Michael Fulford
"Swedish penis enlarger? That's not my bag--baby"
-Austin Powers