"Its use seems to require a double inversion: first, the people of Ukraine—a nation that suffered some of the greatest losses at the hands of Nazi Germany and one that is currently led by a Jewish President—are rendered as Nazis; then, the Russians, who claim to be fighting for peace and 'de-Nazification,' adopt a visual symbol that appears to reference the swastika.... It took only a week for the 'Z' to become the symbol of the new Russian totalitarianism. But totalitarian symbols are usually created at the top. The red flag and the swastika—the two main visual symbols of twentieth-century totalitarianism—emerged from years of ideological, aesthetic, and even spiritual movement-shaping. The 'Z' is a different animal, a ready-made symbol picked up by a society that has already reconstituted itself as totalitarian."
Writes Masha Gessen in "'Z' Is the Symbol of the New Russian Politics of Aggression/In the days following the latest Russian invasion of Ukraine, the letter came to stand for devotion to the state, murderous rage, and unchecked power" (The New Yorker).
પોસ્ટ્સ
47 ટિપ્પણીઓ:
Couldn’t it simply be a way of intimidating Zelensky? If you want to attack the symbology, then own it. Sale it as a reason to rally behind Zelensky.
This is a huge stretch and reveals thinking too much.
The swastika is an ancient Asian religious symbol that remains very common to this day. It's plastered all over Asian temples. In stone. It was adopted by the Nazis and its negative reputation affects only those concerned with WW2 or later racism. Making a swastika involves an extremely simple "rotation" of a cross. It can be and is reinvented by children.
I can make up a Z story too: Z refers to Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky. The tanks have a "Z" because their weapons are trained on Mr. Z. This is, at least, not a logical stretch.
What about all of the other letters on equipment that didn't come out of Belarus?
Okay, now explain the much simpler "inversion" of ANTIFA as "anti-fascist."
Everyone the Aristocracy deems enemy is now closer to a Nazi.
Be it Russians, J6 protesters, Canadian Truckers.
Shit there be Nazi's everywhere now.
Just don't point out the Giant Multinational Corps and Governments are allying to seize assets, censor all communications, and crush all protests against their rule just like the Nazi's did.
They are even calling on Germany to cross through Poland and attack Russia.
they spray painted 'Z' on their armored vehicles so they know who they belong to
Who knew Zorro was a Nazi? The new yorker can't get any dumber.
Serious Question: What Identification mark; would YOU put on your vehicles?
Remember, it needs to be visible from over a kilometer away
٭ ?
☭ ?
Z ?
The 'Z' is a different animal, a ready-made symbol picked up by a society that has already reconstituted itself as totalitarian."
Indeed.
Or, it could just be an easily scrawled, easily distinguishable, quickly recognizable letter symbol used to identify Russian military vehicles. Ya think?! (Rather a liability, as it turns out.)
The Z is used on those Russian vehicles advancing from the east; those advancing from Belarus use "V". Does the writer propose that those Russians arriving from the north didn't want to be Nazis too?
What nonsense, twisting the Z into a swastika. Like we need to make the Russians into Nazis after a week of their being roundly depicted as every other form of evil. That's all that's left, I guess, for a writer on a deadline.
Graphically, the ‘Z’ is clearly closer to the swastika
And it’s really not all that close. Other, more intelligent and observant, have noted that the ‘Z’ resembles the markings painted on Russian tanks and other military vehicles to identify “friendlies” to Russian SU-25 ground attack fighter jets. Unfortunately for Russian tanks and other military vehicles the Russian Air Force has not established air superiority in the skies over Ukraine, and the Ukrainians also have SU-25s.
Wait until she sees N and M. Maybe the Netflix opening shot is really Nazi propaganda.
Russian Nazis make as much sense as Zionazis.
Eh, she may as well go for it. Although I will point out that Switzerland was neutral for Hitler, but not for the dread PutinHitler.
Z for Zelenskyy
So Zorro is a Putin stooge.
Z is for breezes in Cockney rhyming slang.
Wait, what? An entire article about this war and Nazis, that does not bother to mention that some of the most important Ukrainian military groups (like Azov, in the thick of the fighting in the east) are actual, literal, explicit Nazis - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azov_Battalion. There are more such groups and other leaders: https://thenationalpulse.com/2022/03/04/pbs-hosts-neo-nazi-ukraine-mayor-blurs-image-of-hitler-accomplice-behind-him/
Graphically, the Z is a match for the mark of Zorro. Any inferences of other significance is an indication of speaking truth through projection, exercise of liberal license (to indulge diversity [dogma] including racism, sexism, ageism), and playing with a double-edged scalpel. #HateLovesAbortion
I am not convinced by Gessen's explanation of this symbol.
The Cyrillic alphabet doe not have a letter that looks like our letter Z.
The Z sound is written by a letter that looks like the numeral 3.
=======
The expression "Za Pobedu" means "For Victory".
It would make sense to write the letter "P" to mean "Victory".
It does not make sense to write the letter 3 (i.e. Z)
======
In English, we might write the letter V to signify the word "Victory".
We would not write the letter F to signify the expression "For Victory". That would be just stupid.
Still haven't seen any references to the movie World War Z. Could it be that they are trying to start a world war to get their economy going?
The Z is cultural appropriation. Its true meaning is steeped in California history as a symbol of freedom from and resistance to overweening authoritarianism. It is the mark of Zorro.
I'm told that it differentiates battle groups. Z for the northern group and an inverted V for the eastern group. All armies have some variation of it. As sinister as that.
Swastikas, and Hitlers, and concentration camps, oh my.
Rent. Free.
It’s the last letter of the western alphabet.
I just don't see how that can be considered similar to a swastika
The swastika is a symbol of gay appeal, productivity, peace, and prosperity. BLM of Baby Lives Matter. The fist is a symbol of naked aggression. The Rainbow is a symbol of destruction and exclusion. PP of planned parent/hood or excess deaths by Choice (i.e. State, normalization).
The "Z" doesn't look like a swastika at all.
This Z symbol reminds me of ....
* Pepe the racist frog
* the OK finger signal of White Supremacy
It's likely that this Z symbol is just a Reddit prank.
Suppose that here in the USA we saw this symbol -- ф -- in various places.
What is the secret meaning?
In another alphabet -- not our own alphabet -- that letter has our sound F.
That F sound is the first sound in our expression "For Victory".
Therefore that ф symbol secretly means "For Victory".
That is how stupid this explanation would look to Russians.
So....Zorro was a Nazi, eh...?
Soon to be adopted by the socialist/fascist democrats...
As the Regime fails it will lash out against anyone it can find.
The Regime will turn on the American people very soon.
They cannot extend this war forever.
I thought the "Z" was for Zelinsky?
Z is the 26th letter of the alphabet.
If you add 2 and 6 you get 8.
The 8th letter of the alphabet is 8.
H stands for Hitler.
So Z is a Nazi letter (it's even in their name!).
Wasn't it Sarah Silverman who saw some utility markings (water, sewer, electric) on a sidewalk and wondered if it was somehow related to Nazis?
Why yes, it was.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4222140/Sarah-Silverman-thought-utility-markings-swastikas.html
Z is for Zoolander. B is for baby. C is for cat. S is for Scapebaby. Now I know my ABCs, next time won't you sing along with me.
Z for Zorro:
https://youtu.be/SBR-xk_Xknc
Everyone is using the same kit, it gets a bit confusing without an identification mark.
Masha is still a drama queen.
I knew her poor mother.
“ I am not convinced by Gessen's explanation of this symbol.”
She doesn’t take a position on the origin of the symbol. I n a paragraph I didn’t quote, she lists a lot of explanations people have offered.
In the part I quoted, she discusses its use as a graphic.
Wow, it good that we have our writers all over this issue. This is important stuff!
Ann Althouse said...
She doesn’t take a position on the origin of the symbol. I n a paragraph I didn’t quote, she lists a lot of explanations people have offered.
In the part I quoted, she discusses its use as a graphic.
That is not how an article that talks about Nazi's works.
Masha's a they, y'all.
Swastika, schmastika. Symbols for the symbol-minded.
"The 'Z' is a different animal, a ready-made symbol picked up by a society that has already reconstituted itself as totalitarian."
Is the idea here that Russia used to be warm and fuzzy? In Russia, symbol of totalitarianism ready-make you.
"She doesn’t take a position on the origin of the symbol."
Masha's preferred pronouns are they/them. Please respect they's wishes.
Masha is probably still haunted by the Toobin rubout event and needs support from us all.
As Grouch used to say "say the secret word and the duck comes down and gives you $100".
This year's secret word is "Nazi". Work it into an article in New York, you get to keep your job.
Is this parody? If so, It's brilliant.
ટિપ્પણી પોસ્ટ કરો
Please use the comments forum to respond to the post. Don't fight with each other. Be substantive... or interesting... or funny. Comments should go up immediately... unless you're commenting on a post older than 2 days. Then you have to wait for us to moderate you through. It's also possible to get shunted into spam by the machine. We try to keep an eye on that and release the miscaught good stuff. We do delete some comments, but not for viewpoint... for bad faith.