The peace sign is really represented in 2 fashions. The first is the actual sign , rooted in pagan practice and roman polytheistic rhetoric.
This is a symbol of raw power from the 5th century in ancient rome
The original peace sign lacked the circle around it. It was called a “Nero’s cross” and would often be used by Roman Legionnaires as brooches and insignias on their shields to show their enemies that resistance was futile and anyone that resisted would be crucified. This was literally the case in the famed legend of the many excursions into Judea. There, Christ was crucified by soldiers of the Nero cross. So how did something like this become a peace sign? Well , that we cant tell you for sure.
Nero’s Cross
Lets move on to the second form of peace that we can recognize as a symbol of peace. After all, aren’t symbols worth a million words?
The second symbol that comes to mind is definitely the V shape with the pointer and middle finger! Yes, this is reminiscent of the hippie era right? Getting high off bongs and chilling all day, screw war, screw political ideology, nothing better than relaxing all day.
Typical Hippie
But did you know that this was the most famous symbol for continuing the withering war effort of Great Britain against Nazi Germany?
Keep fighting chaps
Indeed, the famous Winston Churchill himself came up with this one. He called it his “V for victory” And every time a city would get bombed, he would be there, in the rubble, giving this famous symbol. Rather than using it to promote peace, Churchill simply used it to keep his people in the mood to continue the war -which at this point every citizen of London had lost 1 or more significant others-.
Churchill poses here with the v
Another V here
And another V
And the cream of the cake
Conclusion: everything appears to be rooted in violence. Perhaps psychologically this became a symbol for peace because it brought people together, in hopes of besting the cause. Not caving against overwhelming odds, and simply chilling while your cities burn, after all material matter is meaningless without company right? We for one wouldn’t have minded meeting Churchill in person. He sounds like a really interesting guy.
