Is it an affectation that they're trained to deploy? (If so, why?) Or is it just a natural thing that happens in the very specific circumstance of being a politician on the campaign trail, and that's why no one else seems to do it?
I don't think I've seen it in any other context 🤔
Cheers!
from what i remember, they are coached to do it because pointing is seen as too aggressive but not making any hand gestures is too robotic. so its a way to make a non-aggressive emphatic hand gesture.
Which, ironically, makes them seem even more robotic
Only to people who are actually paying attention to a lot of politicians and likely looking exactly this up.
For the majority of the public? it is just "good public speaking".
Marketing is always the answer.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chironomia
They are taught by "experts" that pointing is an ugly aggressive hand gesture.
It's silly how some of them do this while simultaneously pushing ugly and aggressive policies.
Gotta make those policies seem friendly and non-aggressive!
They’re squeezing their hands like that so they don’t accidentally do the nazi solute again.
It's one of many gestures that are used by trained public speakers as non-verbal communication cues. Here are some examples, including the one you asked about: https://qz.com/work/1093701/a-guide-to-ted-talk-hands-seven-signature-moves
There are many more beyond those. Using hand gestures in public speaking has been around since at least classical times.
Nobody likes being pointed at. The fist point, then, is a way to underscore an important point without the scolding, accusatory associations of a raised index finger—because it uses a thumb instead. Clinton Thumb works best when paired with an intellectually complex point, making it a TED talk favorite. “It is articulating that you’re focusing on something, and that you’re grasping it cognitively,” body language expert Joe Navarro told Business Insider.
Thanks for posting that quote from the article.
I wanna say I've heard that be referred to as the "Clinton thumb" since Bill Clinton did it a lot when president.
I've heard that before too but being an old bastard, I'm pretty certain Clinton didn't do it until after he was debating Bob Dole. Bob Dole used this gesture because he held a pen during debates. And he held a pen in his non-dominant hand because he had an injury in WWII and the way his hand curled made him look weak.
I remember it as a Dole gesture originally, too
If you work for a large company, ask around if there is a toastmasters group. If so join it and you will be let in on all the secrets of public speaking.
Jerking themselves off to the idea of fucking their citizens over
It's the I'm-pointing-at-you-with-a-pen-but-I-forgot-my-pen gesture.
trump and his accordion hands are very noticible, especially when he has to make a lie on the spot.
It's a wand. They are actually enchanting you, the first spell always makes the wand invisible. That's why you never see it.
It’s not a fishing rod, it’s something much more personal
Like... your favourite PH2 driver?
Torx is superior. I could accept Robertson as well.
It is. But everyone needs a dedicated PH2. With torx, a bit set is the better approach.
Get them from Vessel Tools, best screwdrivers I have ever used.
I just recently got a PZ2 driver from Vessel for my Honda. It was remarkable how nice it was to use compared to a Phillips screw and driver. I felt so much torque could be applied while the grip stayed rock solid.
Also learned PZ screws are often used in cabinetry, and lo and behold, all my kitchen cabinet do in fact have that tell-tale X mark to indicate they are Pozidrive screws.
I've still not had the opportunity to use a square drive Roberston screw, but would still like to use them for something one day.
i think they just want to be a kpop star 🤩🥰
Trump just channels his childhood accordion lessons. He doesn't even realize he's doing it.
Remember Biden's "I did that!" (lying) stickers that were placed on gas pumps by maga freaks? It's trivial to put your political opponent in an ad where they are saying something they're not, because pointing is seen as an aggressive gesture by the people coaching them for speeches, debates, etc. So they do the silly thumb-point for emphasis recommended by political strategists...
their fishing rods are invisible for you? including the hook and line? that must be rough. how do you avoid getting caught when you can't even see them?
It's more of a public speaker thing than just a politician thing, but... Well, politicians are all public speakers, so it makes sense that that's the context you've seen it in.
It's literally a practiced gesture - public speaking makes use of some gestures that telegraph well to crowds, but seem unusual otherwise. IIRC, that fishing rod grip is an alternative to gesturing with a fist - it looks less aggressive, but gets the point across.
Oh that?
Thats the motion you make when fanning through dollar bills, one handed, to count em.
They're doing a pavlovian reflex everytime they need to remind themselves where their money comes from, and how its time to focus in on delivering ~~shareholder~~ lobbyist value.
Esoterically speaking, it is a modification of the sign of the fig—a vaginal hand symbol indicating that you are creating with your words. The traditional sign of the fig has the thumb placed between the index and middle finger, which you see Bill Clinton do a lot. Others put the thumb on top, I imagine for plausible deniability of being satanic or something. The gesture is very old, going back to Ancient Greece or earlier.
Historically, politicians have been influenced by groups such as the Masons and the Rosicrucians who would have been aware of the meaning of these gestures, and then it filters down over time to become standard political gestures for people who aren’t aware of their origin.
this could be total bullshit but i wouldnt know. seems legit but ya know? lacks references but has the air of authority
I’m a practicing occultist, so my knowledge of the gesture is from that angle. I’m at work right now, so I can’t drag up the best sources at the moment, but here’s a Wikipedia article about it:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fig_sign
And here is a Wikipedia article about hand gestures that mentions the “Clinton Thumb” under the single handed gestures section:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_gestures
I believe I first heard the Masonic political connection from Lon Milo DuQuette, who I believe is a Mason as well as a practicing occultist like myself. He has over 1000 videos on occultism on YouTube, and I think I probably heard it from there as well as other sources about occult hand gestures.
For the record, I’m not saying it is an occult gesture to imply any conspiracy—just that the history of Masonry and other occult interests in politicians over history have led to certain themes and gestures blending in to the common political vernacular.
Bill Clinton started it. Drives chicks crazy.
Way before Clinton. Jfk was doing it in black and white days. I dunno if he was the first though either.
I always thought it was so comedians can do impressions of them.
Public speaking is a performance and like any performance some people are good at it and some become good at it and some aren't really good at it.
The "counting money" gesture? You still have to ask this?
You have to do something with your hand. This one's pretty neutral, because it's nothing.
It's a conductor's baton.
It's a natural resting form for our lizardian overlords.
It's so they don't point their finger and wag or shake a fist while they are taking. It is seen as a less offensive gesture to people watching body language.
They learn it at The Bohemian Grove.
They are trying to appear human. Somehow that seems to involve catching invisible fish.
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