IntroductionIn this essay I will argue that symbols cannot be studied in themselves, but that their meaning is directly linked to the way of life, belief systems and values ​​of their associated culture. I will go on to explain that even some symbols can evoke fears, represent well-being and certain emotions/feelings, but how one culture's vision produces a completely different meaning even if the visual symbol is the same from culture to culture. the other. I will then continue by showing how the meaning of symbols can vary within a culture and even more so from one culture to another, but this is not always a given. I will analyze two controversial symbols: the snake and the swastika. Looking at how and why these two symbols have certain connotations linked to them. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the Original EssayApproximately 50,000 years ago, the use of symbols began to develop and then evolved into a “ "symbolic explosion" that spread across the world, including symbols in the form of art, dance, song and ritual. Symbolism is an activity of enunciation that essentially assigns, categorizes and gives meaning to the many elements that make up a story. This also goes according to Pierre Bourdieu (1977) who said “In meaning, symbols aim to give meaning to reality, to construct reality”. Now, this reality would of course be made for the culture that created the symbol. Symbols are the basic elements of culture. The definition of a symbol would be anything that carries a certain meaning recognized by people sharing a culture. Using symbols to indicate qualities and ideas by giving them symbolic definitions different from their literal recognition. Symbols come in different forms but it is usually an object representing something else, which gives it a completely different, much deeper and more meaningful definition. The expression of mystical or abstract ideas is done through the symbolic use of images. This is the special human ability to use complex symbols that include language, gestures, etc. These symbols can be said to be the result of social processes, but then they represented the social process itself after a strong idea/meaning was developed over time. . Humans are therefore symbolic creatures. This is what essentially differentiates us from animals. In our brains, we have representations of things in the real world. According to Sherry Ortner (1979), who says that by definition, anything can be a symbol, a vehicle of cultural meaning. The assembled symbols are then used to communicate with language. "A religion is a system of symbols which acts to establish powerful, pervasive, and enduring moods in men by formulating conceptions of a general order of existence and clothing these conceptions with such an aura of reality that the moods and the motivations seem particularly realistic. » – Clifford Geertz. I now come to my argument that the symbolic meaning behind things can have different/multiple meanings among different people within and outside the same cultures. Beliefs from one culture can instantly make judgments about another by referencing certain symbols they interpret from their own culture/religion. For example the symbolism of the snake in various cultures. Snakes play an important role in many religions and cultures. In Western religions, theChristianity, snakes have a negative connotation that comes from the story of Adam and Eve, where the serpent/devil tempted them to eat the forbidden fruit. The serpent in Christianity versus Hinduism has two completely different views. This has caused conflict and dislike between these religions, but it is essentially a misunderstanding. What I can speak to from personal experience is that Christians may label Hindus as "evil or carrying out devil worship activities", since the serpent is the form the devil took in the stories biblical.In ancient Eastern religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Ancient Egypt, snakes have positive symbolism and are experienced as spirit animals which, as if frightened, represent for example heightened senses, rejuvenation, guardians of the spiritual realms, guardians of knowledge, disguised celestial beings, etc. big difference in the symbolic meaning of the snake between Eastern and Western cultures. Today in Western culture, snakes represent a mixture of motifs as Westerners are now more aware of and involved in Eastern religions and practices like yoga and meditation. Ideas of the snake being the evil snake are changing, but the negative connotation is still used in society, such as in films such as Anaconda, Snakes on a Plane, which uses snakes as absolutely dangerous creatures that lead to the death of people. humans in the end. leave people with negative thoughts and ideas about snakes. Also in the film and television industry, documentaries about snakes and religions offer people more information about these topics and the angle they are seen from and why they represent the way they do for these cultures. This brings understanding and awareness to more people, which now connects the world to a greater extent, but not yet fully at present. I will now analyze the controversial swastika symbol in depth. What makes it such an interesting symbol is that it represented the same meaning in all cultures of the ancient world until World War II, when the German Nazi Party began using it for their own purposes, which I I'll explain in more detail in this section. The swastika (卐) (Sanskrit: स्वस्तिक) is found on all continents, part of all religions for thousands of years across hundreds of cultures, this symbol conveyed and still conveys totally positive feelings. It is found all over the world, embedded in ancient buildings, churches, temples, pottery, armory, coins, clothing, etc. It is one of the world's oldest sacred symbols representing good fortune, peace and light. The majority of people across the world are more likely to associate this symbol with Hindus, Jains and Buddhists, most notably the billions of people who live in Asia itself. This symbol actually dates back to around 10,000 BC, no particular creator is known but as seen above, the English name used comes from its Sanskrit "su" (good), "asti" (exists, there is , be) and “ka”. " (do) and means a "making of goodness" or a "marker of goodness". But it is also unifying in the case of the original and true meaning of the swastika if it connected people in some way because It was a shared symbol that meant representing the same thing but with slightly different visual variations but had overall the same shape. An interesting fact is that these...