A scene from superhero movie 'Guardians Of the Galaxy' in which Chris Pratt's Star-Lord shows the middle finger to the camera during a prison scene. From ancient Rome and Greece to modern road rage incidents, the middle finger has transformed from a crude sexual insult into a global symbol of defiance. How did "flipping someone off" come to provoke such strong reactions worldwide? — Photo: Handout
British neurologist John Hughlings Jackson once said that the first man who insulted another person instead of "knocking out [their] brains without a word" actually laid the groundwork for civilization.
An insult can often feel like a sudden, painful slap to the face. But if you also show the middle finger, it can push some people into a full-blown tantrum.
