naraburns nihil supernum
1yr ago
(text post)
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Israel-Gaza Megathread #2
This is a refreshed megathread for any posts on the conflict between (so far, and so far as I know) Hamas and the Israeli government, as well as related geopolitics. Culture War thread rules apply.
random bullshit: activist greta thunberg posted a picture of herself supporting gaza. sharp eyed observers noticed the subtle dogwhistle in the background of a blue octopus plushie, and she's been forced to delete it and apologize for this dangerous display of antisemitism.
I have a genuine question, because I haven't been able to find a reliable answer:
Is the "blue octopus" actually an anti-Semitic dogwhiste, like, anywhere? Or is this an association that was just invented yesterday to pile on Greta Thunberg?
I've seen the infamous Nazi cartoon, of course, and it's not unique, but octopuses have long been used to symbolize conspiracies. A fishy alien thing with lots of tentacles reaching everywhere makes a pretty convenient metaphor for any group you're accusing of being sinister infiltrators.
I have never before yesterday, however, seen the claim that blue octopus plushies, specifically, are some sort of secret mascot used by white nationalists.
If they are, I seriously doubt that Thunberg was aware of it and deliberately signaling her own hatred of Jews. So this seems a lot like people freaking out over the "okay" signal.
I also suspect that, just like the "okay" signal, we're now going to see actual white nationalists unironically adopting blue octopus plushies as mascots.
I have a genuine question, because I haven't been able to find a reliable answer:
Is the "blue octopus" actually an anti-Semitic dogwhiste, like, anywhere? Or is this an association that was just invented yesterday to pile on Greta Thunberg?
Not so much Jewish-specific as Jewish-adjacent. The octopus has been a common political cartoon metaphor for malign influence, particularly of strangling and financial and manipulator dynamics, for some times. There's a classic political cartoon regarding Standard Oil from the early 1900s, but it was far from the first. A very cursory google suggests it came in vogue in the 1870s, in Europe as a metaphor for imperialism and in the US as a metaphor for corporate consolidation during the gilded age.
The thing of the octopus metaphor is that it's a single actor with the ability to manipulate or seize many things at the same time, and at an extensive range proportionally far from it's body. In the political cartoon contexts, this is frequently political manipulation and financial influence, and almost always in a malevolent/'strangling' context by a foreign/alien creature... which is a handful of the basic themes of anti-semitic narratives right there.
It's not that there's never been an octopus metaphor related to Jewish influence, but it's not exclusive to it. I wouldn't be surprised that Thunberg was entirely unaware of the overlapping connotations.
That said, I'm in no way familiar with how stuffed octpous is supposed to help with autism, and have no awareness if Thunberg has had it for long, and the chances of it popping up as set-dressing in yet another political stunt is rather low, so... I wouldn't be surprised if someone was aware and wanted it in either.
That said, I'm in no way familiar with how stuffed octpous is supposed to help with autism, and have no awareness if Thunberg has had it for long, and the chances of it popping up as set-dressing in yet another political stunt is rather low, so... I wouldn't be surprised if someone was aware and wanted it in either.
It turns inside out. There's a grumpy blue octopus to communicate that you're unhappy, and a smiling pink octopus to communicate that you're happy.
I'm unsure if Greta has ever needed the happy octopus...
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random bullshit: activist greta thunberg posted a picture of herself supporting gaza. sharp eyed observers noticed the subtle dogwhistle in the background of a blue octopus plushie, and she's been forced to delete it and apologize for this dangerous display of antisemitism.
I have a genuine question, because I haven't been able to find a reliable answer:
Is the "blue octopus" actually an anti-Semitic dogwhiste, like, anywhere? Or is this an association that was just invented yesterday to pile on Greta Thunberg?
I've seen the infamous Nazi cartoon, of course, and it's not unique, but octopuses have long been used to symbolize conspiracies. A fishy alien thing with lots of tentacles reaching everywhere makes a pretty convenient metaphor for any group you're accusing of being sinister infiltrators.
I have never before yesterday, however, seen the claim that blue octopus plushies, specifically, are some sort of secret mascot used by white nationalists.
If they are, I seriously doubt that Thunberg was aware of it and deliberately signaling her own hatred of Jews. So this seems a lot like people freaking out over the "okay" signal.
I also suspect that, just like the "okay" signal, we're now going to see actual white nationalists unironically adopting blue octopus plushies as mascots.
Not so much Jewish-specific as Jewish-adjacent. The octopus has been a common political cartoon metaphor for malign influence, particularly of strangling and financial and manipulator dynamics, for some times. There's a classic political cartoon regarding Standard Oil from the early 1900s, but it was far from the first. A very cursory google suggests it came in vogue in the 1870s, in Europe as a metaphor for imperialism and in the US as a metaphor for corporate consolidation during the gilded age.
The thing of the octopus metaphor is that it's a single actor with the ability to manipulate or seize many things at the same time, and at an extensive range proportionally far from it's body. In the political cartoon contexts, this is frequently political manipulation and financial influence, and almost always in a malevolent/'strangling' context by a foreign/alien creature... which is a handful of the basic themes of anti-semitic narratives right there.
It's not that there's never been an octopus metaphor related to Jewish influence, but it's not exclusive to it. I wouldn't be surprised that Thunberg was entirely unaware of the overlapping connotations.
That said, I'm in no way familiar with how stuffed octpous is supposed to help with autism, and have no awareness if Thunberg has had it for long, and the chances of it popping up as set-dressing in yet another political stunt is rather low, so... I wouldn't be surprised if someone was aware and wanted it in either.
It turns inside out. There's a grumpy blue octopus to communicate that you're unhappy, and a smiling pink octopus to communicate that you're happy.
I'm unsure if Greta has ever needed the happy octopus...
Ah, okay. It all makes sense now. Now I understand why she would put it in the photo. She wants to communicate that she is upset.
That was the only weird part to me as well. Why on earth would someone have left it in the photo? But this makes a lot of sense.
Someone autistic who has been told it's a convenient way to indicate your mood to others?
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