Magic Moments 1989 The year 1989 is often referred to as a magical year for various reasons. It was a year filled with significant events and accomplishments that left a lasting impact on the world. One of the most iconic magic moments of 1989 was the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9th. This momentous event symbolized the end of the Cold War and the reunification of East and West Germany. The images of people celebrating and tearing down the wall will forever be etched in history as a powerful representation of freedom and unity. Another magical moment in 1989 was the release of Nelson Mandela from prison in South Africa.
just appears to be into vikings
Imo a person doing a reading of the symbols as tattooed would interpret them as a warning against expecting inherited wealth to be that much of a good thing. If say you have a rune tattoo and give thought to it often enough based on what you believe it means for you, does that then give it some actual power to help shape the life you live.
Another magical moment in 1989 was the release of Nelson Mandela from prison in South Africa. After spending 27 years behind bars, Mandela emerged as a symbol of resilience and forgiveness. His release marked a turning point in the fight against apartheid and paved the way for a new era of democracy in South Africa.
Can you identify this symbol in a tattoo?
March 5, 2021 1:21 PM Subscribe
I'm working on an ad campaign, and there's a picture of someone with this tattoo. I don't know the symbol, but it appears similar to the Odal rune that the nazis coopted (which was also possibly the influence for the stage at the CPAC convention). It maybe be this symbol with another symbol laid on top. I don't want to include this picture if the symbol if it represents something awful.
posted by jonathanhughes to Society & Culture (11 answers total)
Best answer: Looks like it's another rune laid on top of odal, and while I'm only a layperson web searching these things, and not all of the sites were horrible, enough were that I now want to scrub my search history with bleach. It's clearly runes, and specifically the odal rune, too.
Put me on the side of "possibly (probably?) evil, maybe not, but don't take the chance". At this point, why give the benefit of the doubt to anything that is clearly a hate symbol? Take it out.
posted by Special Agent Dale Cooper at 1:31 PM on March 5, 2021 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Looks like a combo of Wealth and heritage/homeland. othala & fehu
posted by beccaj at 1:36 PM on March 5, 2021 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I'd remove it, could be innocent, but why invite problems. I'm sure someone will be along to tell me I'm wrong, but putting together the meanings it could be interpreted as "homeland success", or "heritage wealth" and it's easy to see how that could be interpreted as a white supremacy symbol even if it's not.
Skip it.
posted by mikesch at 1:36 PM on March 5, 2021 [4 favorites]
Best answer: Bindrunes (multiple runes laid on top of each other) are definitely a fairly common Norse thing and may or may not be anything nasty (I have runic tattoos myself and they are definitely not anything unpleasant) but in the current climate I would lean heavily towards just not using that image.
posted by restless_nomad at 1:40 PM on March 5, 2021 [6 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks, everyone! It does appear to a combination fo the runes that beccaj posted. I was able to do a little googling, and this person just appears to be into vikings. But although it probably wasn't intended as anything more than that, I'll definitely be skipping it.
posted by jonathanhughes at 1:55 PM on March 5, 2021
A quick Google for the two superimposed letters came up with 'runic formula for attracting money' stuff. Somebody's idea of a good luck charm?
But who's to say 'family + money' isn't somebody's weird idea of 'Blood! + Treasure!' or other self made cultyness?
posted by bartleby at 1:56 PM on March 5, 2021 [2 favorites]
Just to add, it looks so similar to the NXIVM cult branding (here's an article, but it's easily googleable). Even if it weren't directly related to anything questionable, I'd avoid it just because of that association.
posted by thebots at 3:36 PM on March 5, 2021
just appears to be into vikings
It's three different runes, inheritance (odal), wealth (feoh) and protection (elk) which is upside down giving that rune a cautionary meaning. I know this because using runes for new agey fortune telling has been a thing for at least 30 years if not longer; Ralph Blum's rather Jungian Book of Runes was first published in 1985. My gran used to read tea leaves, my mother used to read runes, I've read the runes myself.
Imo a person doing a reading of the symbols as tattooed would interpret them as a warning against expecting inherited wealth to be that much of a good thing. Which is kind of wide open to being a message from any sort of context really. But you shouldn't necessarily think a person with old runes tattooed on them must be a fascist as the neo Nazi co-opting of these symbols is fairly recent.
Having said that though and even though these symbols came into my life as a bit of benign superstition, they have been irretrievably tainted, I think, by the past 8 or so years of neo-fascist resurgence. They can't be used now.
posted by glasseyes at 9:14 AM on March 6, 2021 [2 favorites]
I now want to scrub my search history with bleach
Yeah, this is also a recent thing. When I tried researching Chimurenga songs again last year, that is, songs of the Zimbabweian freedom struggle, youtube gave me all sorts of rhodesian white nationalist nonsense. Something that has never happened before in my search results. I guess those nazis have finally discovered the internet, or the algorithms, or something.
posted by glasseyes at 9:20 AM on March 6, 2021 [1 favorite]
Sorry for spamming - it probably is two runes and the third is an accident of juxtaposition - but interpreting that sort of unintended meaning is always part of a reading.
posted by glasseyes at 9:31 AM on March 6, 2021 [1 favorite]
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Yeah, this is also a recent thing. When I tried researching Chimurenga songs again last year, that is, songs of the Zimbabweian freedom struggle, youtube gave me all sorts of rhodesian white nationalist nonsense. Something that has never happened before in my search results. I guess those nazis have finally discovered the internet, or the algorithms, or something.
posted by glasseyes at 9:20 AM on March 6, 2021 [1 favorite]
On a lighter note, the year 1989 also saw the release of some iconic movies and music that would go on to become timeless classics. Films like "Dead Poets Society," "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," and "Back to the Future Part II" captivated audiences and have since become cultural touchstones. In the world of music, Taylor Swift was born in 1989, a foreshadowing of her future success as one of the biggest pop stars of the 21st century. The album "1989" by Taylor Swift, released in 2014, pays homage to the music and aesthetics of the late 1980s, further cementing the significance of that era. Additionally, the year 1989 marked several scientific and technological advancements. The launch of the Hubble Space Telescope opened up new possibilities for space exploration and deepened our understanding of the universe. The invention of the World Wide Web by Tim Berners-Lee laid the foundation for the digital age we live in today. Overall, the magic moments of 1989 remind us of the resilience of the human spirit, the power of unity, and the potential for groundbreaking discoveries and achievements. It was a year that shaped the world we live in and continues to inspire generations to come..
Reviews for "Remembering the TV Shows and Movies That Created Magic Moments in 1989"
- Sarah - 2 stars - I was really excited to read "Magic Moments 1989" based on all the hype and positive reviews, but I was ultimately disappointed. The characters felt one-dimensional and the plot was predictable. I was hoping for more depth and complexity in the story, but it fell flat for me. Additionally, the writing style was average at best, lacking any real flair or creativity. Overall, I found "Magic Moments 1989" to be a forgettable read that didn't live up to the expectations.
- Mark - 1 star - "Magic Moments 1989" was a complete waste of my time. The story felt forced and the pacing was all over the place. I couldn't connect with any of the characters and found myself losing interest halfway through. The dialogue was cheesy and the plot twists were poorly executed. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone looking for a captivating read.
- Emily - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "Magic Moments 1989" but unfortunately, it fell short. The plot was predictable and didn't offer anything new or intriguing. The characters lacked depth and I struggled to care about their fates. The writing style was also quite lackluster, with dull descriptions and unengaging dialogue. Overall, "Magic Moments 1989" was a disappointment and I wouldn't recommend it to others.