SumBlog 10: Clifford Geertz and Symbolism

  This past week in class we discussed the theories of both Talcott Parsons and Clifford Geertz, and I found their work and contributions to society very interesting. I decided to focus on the symbolism activity we were given as class ended, which is relatable to Geertz and his definition of culture. Geertz said that culture is made up of symbols, which can be physical or non-physical things, and in his work on thick descriptions he gives winking and sheep raiding as examples, sort of. There are so many symbols around us every day that we don't even notice them anymore. Every morning when I drive to school I pass a large farm that has an American Flag flying in its' front yard and when I see it I can't help but think of symbolism and the importance it has in our lives as Americans. You may only see it quickly when passing by or you may have one outside your home to look at anytime you want. Either way, the combination of red, white and blue is unmistakable against a backdrop of America, and it stands for so many things in our society today.
  The American Flag is a symbol of freedom; it reminds us of the fighting that took place and the lives that were lost to gain our freedom from the British, and the lives that are continuously lost in today's battles. It is a symbol of liberty; when we look to the Flag, we think of our freedom of speech and the other basic rights lain out for us in the Bill of Rights, and that in a nutshell is our liberty. The Flag is a symbol of justice; when we are wronged in some way, we are able to get justice on the offending party thanks to our criminal justice system. The American Flag is held as sacred by almost all Americans because it is something we can look at to give us hope for the future. No matter how many devastating things take place in this country, such as the attacks on September 11th or the Boston Marathon bombing, that Flag will always be there connecting each and every one of us and holding us together as a country so that we can remain strong and keep our defenses up.
  The symbolism that surrounds the American Flag is enduring because the new generations are continually being taught what it means and why it's important. When I was growing up, we said The Pledge of Allegiance every morning in school, which really instilled the importance of it in me. I was only in 3rd grade when the two planes crashed into the World Trade Center buildings, but I still remember it like it was yesterday, and the thing I remember most strongly is the fact that there were American Flags everywhere you went. During that difficult time, the Flag basically meant "Hey, sure you destroyed important buildings and took many lives in an act of terrorism, but we are not just gonna sit by and watch, we are gonna defend our country and take down whoever is responsible for this tragedy." The Flag unites so many people around the country that even if we aren't physically next to each other, we can look at the flag and know that there are other people who believe strongly in the freedom that the Flag represents.
  However, the American Flag doesn't always have positive symbolism, which shows that there are benefits and risks when it comes to symbols. The burning of the Flag is what comes to my mind, and even though it is protected in the Bill of Rights, it is regarded as disrespectful and often leads to public outrage when not done ceremoniously. The Flag may be burned as a symbol against the United States or in protest to something being done here. Overall, symbols can be risky because they can convey negative aspects, such as the Star of David being accompanied with a picture of a Jewish person during The Holocaust, giving the Star of David a negative connotation.

  These are probably two of the most iconic photos involving the American Flag, the first at Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945 and the second at Ground Zero on September 11, 2001. The flags were raised in these places during difficult times to show symbolism and support of our country.