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30 Aug 2009
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Location: Bellingham, WA, USA
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Some do, but most don't. It's an integral part of the modern world, but that doesn't mean you, I, or anyone in particular have to participate or approve.
FWIW, I'm deep into my 50's now too, and I don't give anyone the finger unless I'm ready and willing to fight. This happens rather rarely: once or twice a decade. I haven't had to follow through yet, which is probably best.
I'm having trouble imagining the situation in which I'd use a gesture like this affectionately, or as a sign of inclusion. Surely this inability is just one more sign of my increasing age...but that's quite ok.
Those who do use such gestures or language intending no disrespect had best temper their impulses when away from home. In much of the world--as the OP pointed out--giving the finger might be bad for one's health.
enjoy,
Mark
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31 Aug 2009
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Quote:
Originally Posted by markharf
FWIW, I'm deep into my 50's now too, and I don't give anyone the finger unless I'm ready and willing to fight
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Are you sure your not George Foreman ???
you got to love the USA 
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31 Aug 2009
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Hmmm. I received a nice PM on this subject. I tried to reply but a message came up saying, "You need 8 posts to reply and you only have 5". Okay, so now I have 6, and I do have some other questions to ask in other sections later on, so maybe I will get to 8 soon.
Yes, it could be an age thing. However, I do agree with markharf on tempering this tendency when outside of the Anglophone world.
For those of you who have travelled in the Latin World (and I am going to be bold and include France and Italy in this context), you may have noticed that how a person greets others, and how this person is greeted by others, in restaurants, pubs, and other public venues, often is an indicator of how that person is respected by his peers. So if someone walks into a venue in the Latin World and is greeted by the "FYYFF!" equivalent, jaws would drop and folks would scramble to get out of the way as guns and/or knives get drawn.
Right now I am in Lusophone Africa, where of course the FYYFF! culture has not "evolved", or maybe I should say "de-evolved" 
Obrigado,
Z
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31 Aug 2009
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I expect its just the evolution of the way we behave and what is considered rude by parents is used by their kids as it is seen as rebellious but soon those words gain common usage and so the kids develop a load of new words.
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31 Aug 2009
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Hi,
It's just a cultural thing. Interestingly its essentially a sign of respect. Having travelled around a wee bit I notice that mutual abuse is most common in young Brits, Aussies and Kiwis. Although its usually a bit more sofisticated than just just calling someone a **** or a **** or even a ******* ****** ****.
When you intimate that you may have seen your friends mother (for example) working up a sweat in a local 'gentleman's club' and that her advancing cellulite is putting at risk the family income, you are in fact saying: "You are my mate and I can say these things to you because we are pals and you are a chilled out geezer who I know will not go psycho on me and try and stab me to death because I made a joke."
Like I say, its a cultural thing, usually reserved to young lads, and you'll either get it or you won't. Although, I wouldn't, as a youth, have said anything about anyones mother unless they were a good friend of mine and I was sure that their mother was in entirely respectable employment.
These days, I am too old for that kind of thing, and stick to making arch remarks about peoples choice of vehicle, level of hair-loss and the appearance of their children.
Matt
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*Disclaimer* - I am not saying my bike is better than your bike. I am not saying my way is better than your way. I am not mocking your religion/politics/other belief system. When reading my post imagine me sitting behind a frothing pint of ale, smiling and offering you a bag of peanuts. This is the sentiment in which my post is made. Please accept it as such!
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31 Aug 2009
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Matt Cartney
Hi,
"You are my mate and I can say these things to you because we are pals and you are a chilled out geezer who I know will not go psycho on me and try and stab me to death because I made a joke."
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Plus one there Matt. This is the way me and my best pal all the time, and have done for years. It never gets out of hand and is always followed by roaring laughter. In fact its how I talk to all my close mates, not saying were incapable of deep conversation, its just that when we meet up and ride we'd rather make a few cracks then talk about impending social/financial/environmental doom.
I have met people older then myself (Im in my twenties) who become shocked at this and usually embaressed. I think the older generations are more dignified and therefore have more to loose by using these 'loose conversation' methods.
That being said I do adopt a very formal tone when being professional as to make myself clear, and only talk to close friends loosely.
Last edited by devildiver; 31 Aug 2009 at 15:29.
Reason: Poor Grammer/Spelling
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31 Aug 2009
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One of my experiences with this was in Melbourne, Oz. I was staying at what was then the Shertaton in the South Bank area. There is a casino up the quay from the hotel, the Crown casino. Anways, the place is nice and swanky, good restaurants in there, etc. The crowd is fairly well dressed. So I walk into this bar (there are a few bars in the casino) and there are a crowd of people around the bar, so I am waiting to order a drink, though I drink little alcohol. Some guy asks me where I am from. So I say the US, so he says well "FY!". I'm kinda stunned, so I say "uh,..,FY back!" He looks over at his buddies and says, "hey this fk'er is from the US". His buddy says, "well then why the hell haven't you bought the bastard a  yet?"
These guys all turned out to be policeman. I paid for no drinks that evening, and didn't even gamble. They kept introducing me to these women that were all named "Sheila"
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