10 Ways You've Been Accidentally Insulting People Every Day

7. Thumbs Up

Up Yours Thumbs Up
WWE.com

The next time you feel like telling someone they're doing a good job, double check your surroundings before giving them a thumbs up because you might just be giving them the equivalent of the middle finger.

If you happen to be anywhere in the Middle East, West Africa, South America, Greece, Russia, southern Italy (including Sardinia), Australia, the Philippines, or any parts of the Muslim world, you would be better off finding another way to give someone an approving gesture. That's a lot of countries to remember; perhaps you would be better off avoiding sticking your thumb up altogether?

Scholars believe the thumbs up originated in ancient Rome, and guess what? It had a negative meaning there as well. Crowds watching a gladiator event would give a thumbs up if they wanted the losing gladiator be killed.

In this post: 
Roger-Ebert
 
Posted On: 
Contributor

Hello everyone! I recently got a job at a bookstore (which I absolutely love!) but it just is not enough hours. So I've been working really hard on pitching articles online, and I am hoping that I will eventually start getting things published in the very near future. Reading and writing is my passion, so much so that I have been taking classes online half-time for almost 5 years now to get a bachelors in English/creative writing. I am determined to fulfill my dream as a writer, and I will never give up!