this post was submitted on 29 Oct 2025
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No Stupid Questions

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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!

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[–] WeirdGoesPro@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 6 days ago (4 children)

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.

[–] FatCrab@slrpnk.net 0 points 5 days ago (1 children)

The gesture is very old because, and I know this is a wild unsubstantiated theory, it's a pretty natural and organic way to hold your hand when speaking to or before a large group? I suppose magic makes more sense.

[–] WeirdGoesPro@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (2 children)

These gestures aren’t exclusive to any particular group—part of the reason they last is that they are easy to discover multiple times and use in multiple ways, plus they seem somewhat natural. It’s similar to how the “devil horns” gesture can also be seen as an owl, a longhorn, or an I Love You. They’re multi-purpose, which is part of why they end up being commonly used.

I’m not suggesting that everyone who uses the sign of the fig is using it in a Masonic or occult way, but rather that some politicians probably picked it up from that background and began using it, and then it was copied by other politicians who liked their style. Eventually, it just becomes a standard political gesture, and only some politicians would be aware of its roots.

It’s possible that they just came up with it independently and copied each other, but if that were the case, I’d expect to see more closed fists with the thumb around the fingers mixed in rather than them synchronizing to the thumb on top (the “fishing reel” as described in this post). This is just my theory—I never had the chance to ask Bill Clinton where his thumb gesture came from, but it aligns with what we know about the connections between American politics and Masonry.

Edit: Here is a good photo of Clinton with his thumb on the middle finger. He did it more commonly in his earlier years, later changing it to the thumb on top with his pointer knuckle jutting out as a base:

https://media.gettyimages.com/id/50372601/photo/bill-clinton-and-hillary-rodham-clinton.jpg?s=1024x1024&w=gi&k=20&c=i2AwLQrnLVW64MFRCNF1_fRJN2D_gNeVo5PE-7L_sFM%3D

[–] Holytimes@sh.itjust.works 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

And Clinton likely picked it up from Bob dole..

[–] WeirdGoesPro@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 5 days ago

The Wikipedia article that talks about the Clinton thumb theorizes it is from JFK.

[–] FatCrab@slrpnk.net 1 points 5 days ago

Fair. I appreciate your reasonable and informative reply to my admittedly more than a bit snarky post!

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[–] mechoman444@lemmy.world 5 points 6 days ago (1 children)

It's so other lizard people know.

[–] balance8873@lemmy.myserv.one 3 points 5 days ago

Actually it's only a small part of the secret handshake that lets you into Epstein island. But it is a prerequisite.

[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 6 points 6 days ago

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.

[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 5 points 6 days ago

The "counting money" gesture? You still have to ask this?

[–] RizzRustbolt@lemmy.world 4 points 6 days ago

They learn it at The Bohemian Grove.

[–] Nemo@slrpnk.net 4 points 6 days ago

It's a conductor's baton.

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago

You got me thinking. Pretty sure I do this when addressing groups, like teaching a class in the workplace. Maybe I finger point in place of the fishing rod? Next time I hold a talk, I'm going to record it.

[–] anyhow2503@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

They are trying to appear human. Somehow that seems to involve catching invisible fish.

[–] OldChicoAle@lemmy.world 2 points 6 days ago

It's a natural resting form for our lizardian overlords.

[–] Xanthrax@lemmy.world 2 points 6 days ago

It's rude to point, and they all have arthritis.

[–] YurkshireLad@lemmy.ca 2 points 6 days ago

It’s all about portraying authority and trying to give off the “trust me” vibe.

I’d love to see an interviewer respond with a bizarre hand gesture in response.

[–] dan69@lemmy.world 1 points 6 days ago

In my non edumacated knowledge, they pretend to whip the heard into believing what they spew.

[–] benderbeerman@lemmy.world 1 points 6 days ago

Air-dicking is a hard practice to break free from, ig... easier to retrain into air-fishing

[–] modus@lemmy.world 1 points 6 days ago

Because concertina hands are too nazi-ish

[–] PillowD@lemmy.world 1 points 6 days ago

the slang term used to be 'thumb wrestling' and the politicians were called thumb wrestlers when they did it.

[–] msokiovt@lemmy.today -5 points 6 days ago

This, I think, is a sign or symbol of some sort. What symbol? I have no clue.

[–] WhatGodIsMadeOf@feddit.org -2 points 6 days ago

Because you can learn how to be an asshole.

[–] BuboScandiacus@mander.xyz -1 points 6 days ago

It's zuck's new toy /s

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