Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Wasai--- Swastika 2



Several days ago, I was shocked to spot a T-shirt with big Nazi Swastika on it. The T-shirt was located in a T-shirt store in Wu Fen Pu. In America, the Swastika symbol is synonymous with Hitler’s Nazi regime and genocide of the Jews. The Swastika reminded me of a serial killer and known as Nazi follower Charles Manson. Someone wearing this type of T-shirt in the United States might be associated withthe Nazis, Charles Manson, or hate in general. Therefore, it was shocking for me to see that this shirt. Swastika is a symbol notorious for “white power,” and against any other race. Anyone purchasing this shirt, in my opinion, would be regarded as supporting this type of attitude.

The major reason is the significance of a Nazi Swastika in both cultures. Because the US is a melting pot of various ethnic cultures, such a symbol of hate would not be tolerated. It would not be tolerated on someone of Caucasian descent or of any other descent for the implied associations. However, in Taiwan, whose population is made up of predominately Chinese, the symbol may not hold such association. Thus, the hate association means little or nothing. This is not to say that Taiwanese are ignorant or insensitive, it just may not be part of their culture. Therefore, to Taiwanese, there is no such negative affiliation with a Swastika. Maybe that’s why this shirt would sell in Wu Fen Pu but you would see it nowhere near Melrose Ave in Hollywood.


Submitted to Wasai Taiwan by: Eugene Yu (Taipei)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

not only has the swastika have no negative affiliation, but in taiwan and in most of asia the swastika (as it was also used all over the world including western countries before the nazis hijacked it) is a highly auspicious symbol (just google it)