🚀 go-pugleaf

In <NEVES.94J...@ballard.cs.colorado.edu> ne...@ballard.cs.colorado.edu (NEVES RICHARD K) writes:

>I was VERY disturbed to see this huge swastika in one of the rooms.
>It bothers me 'cause it makes me think the creators of the game have
>some sort of agenda.   That's really nasty and dangerous symbolism,
>don't you guys think.

As others have pointed out, there's far less attractive symbolism in the
game than the NAZI swastika.  Luckily, none of those concerned about it need
worry: I submit you have all mistaken the arrangement of walls on the level
in question for the symbol of the National Socialist German Worker's Party. 
In fact, the symbol they adopted bent the ends of a cross clockwise.

You'll note the ends of the "cross" one sees on the map are bent in the
opposite direction.

I remember hearing/reading somewhere that the symbol we're seeing in Doom is
actually a Hindu holy symbol, but cannot recall the faith it represents.

Inevitably, there will be those who will assert the NAZI association
with the symbol remains.  Just because the orientation of the symbol is
wrong, they'll say, doesn't mean id Software didn't intend for people to
make the association.

>I shouldn't have to explain what is BAD about this symbol.  It is not
>fictional.  It is part of history that is scary.
>
>So, someone tell me.  Is this convenient scenery or something more?
>
>I would be relieved if it was just convenient scenery, but I still
>don't thing it deserves the pixels.

>From a purely utilitarian philosophy, symbolism and imagery elsewhere in the
game must be considered far more evil.  The pentagram, it could be argued,
is even less harmful than the swastika as far as symbolism goes.  Actually, I
found subliminal references to the inverted cross in certain areas far more
disturbing.  And I needn't discuss at any length the imagination of the
authors in determining what to do with corpses.
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