# Index-and-pinky sign, used by audiences **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 26, 2003, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/index-and-pinky-sign-used-by-audiences/150941 "2003-01-26T00:35:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/index-and-pinky-sign-used-by-audiences/150941/1 "2003-01-26T00:35:59Z")
I caught a bit of a Blink 182 concert on TV today, and I noticed some of the audience making a sign by making a fist, extending their index and pinky fingers, and thrusting it forward in time (or not) with the music. I’ve always associated this sign with bands like Kiss and Iron Maiden, whose music had a “dark” aspect to it. That is, some people think it is “satanic” :rolleyes: and the hand signal is supposed to symbolize the horns of the devil. Maybe I associate the symbol with these bands because that’s where I first saw it. Okay, I can buy the “Satan” aspect. But Blink 182 and other bands where people use this sign aren’t putting up this big pre-goth stage production. Their music just rocks. So what _does_ this sign symbolize? Do the audiences think it’s “satanic” :rolleyes: ? Has the sign taken on another meaning? Are they just sheeple who think it’s a cool thing to do? Or is it something else? ---
**Author:** ![Zagadka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zagadka/32/7272_2.png) [@Zagadka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zagadka)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/index-and-pinky-sign-used-by-audiences/150941/2 "2003-01-26T00:40:41Z")
I think it is a general sign that means rocking these days. It does have some relation to some pagan symbols, though this generally involves folding the thumb up over the middle and ring fingers, so it does look like a bull/goat/ram. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/index-and-pinky-sign-used-by-audiences/150941/3 "2003-01-26T00:44:04Z")
> [@](#): > > It does have some relation to some pagan symbols, though this generally involves folding the thumb up over the middle and ring fingers, so it does look like a bull/goat/ram. I should have been more specific. The thumb (naturally) goes over the two centre fingers. ---
**Author:** ![Zagadka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zagadka/32/7272_2.png) [@Zagadka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zagadka)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/index-and-pinky-sign-used-by-audiences/150941/4 "2003-01-26T00:50:37Z")
_shrugs_ Same basic thing. There are various modifications to it. For the record, it has a sister-symbol on the left hand, which is to fold the pinky, ring, and middle fingers as much as possible, and touch the tips of the thumb and index. This creates a crescent moon. Anyway, I’m sure the rock symbol takes its origins from the pagan/“satanic” roots. Lets not get into a debate about those terms. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/index-and-pinky-sign-used-by-audiences/150941/5 "2003-01-26T01:45:46Z")
They’re all fans of the U of Texas Longhorns apparently. ---
**Author:** ![Splanky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@Splanky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Splanky)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/index-and-pinky-sign-used-by-audiences/150941/6 "2003-01-26T01:49:50Z")
If they only had the ring finger folded it means something else 😉 ---
**Author:** ![dead0man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@dead0man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dead0man)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/index-and-pinky-sign-used-by-audiences/150941/7 "2003-01-26T02:32:44Z")
They could also possibly be mocking the “death metal” that the symbol became popularized by. I saw a punk band do the whole “you will become a member of the satan army if you dont leave the building right now”, done VERY tongue in cheek. Its cool to make fun of things you dont think are cool. Or what you used to think was cool, but in hindsight, is pretty stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Caesar\_s\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/73ab20/32.png) [@Caesar\_s\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caesar_s_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/index-and-pinky-sign-used-by-audiences/150941/8 "2003-01-26T02:49:09Z")
At my school it’s pretty common. It just means rocking and pretty much has lost the other connotations it had. ---
**Author:** ![Daniel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Daniel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daniel)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/index-and-pinky-sign-used-by-audiences/150941/9 "2003-01-26T03:31:33Z")
Today’s kids could learn a lot from watching **Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey**. Ted: “Hey Bill, who’s that?” Bill: “Who do you **think** it is, Ted.” Ted: “Oh, yeah. Well, how do we get his attention?” (pause) Bill&Ted: “_Sign of the Devil!_” ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/index-and-pinky-sign-used-by-audiences/150941/10 "2003-01-26T04:18:32Z")
At all the punk rock shows I’ve been to, it’s been a pretty tongue-in-cheek gesture- kind of subtly making fun of people who lump punk rock together with everything else they percieve as “evil”, as well as showing that punk rockers know how to rock with the best of them. A lot of punk bands have semi-humourous association with heavier bands (Kiss is a pretty popular one) and making the satan sign also pays a bit of tribute to them. Punks have a pretty well developed sense of humor/irony, and they rarely miss a chance to make fun of themselves and their detractors at the same time. [elitism] Somehow I think a lot of that is lost on the Blink 182 crowd, though…[/elitism] ---
**Author:** ![Zagadka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zagadka/32/7272_2.png) [@Zagadka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zagadka)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/index-and-pinky-sign-used-by-audiences/150941/11 "2003-01-26T04:22:13Z")
Er, not many people do it tongue-in-cheek… a lot of them just do it because it is done. It entered a general rock-out symbol and just progressed from there when punk and gunge took over, then right on over to that crap Blink 182 does. _cough_ ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/index-and-pinky-sign-used-by-audiences/150941/12 "2003-01-26T04:22:15Z")
Hold it to your ears/mouth. It’s the sign for “call me, I’m hot.” ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/index-and-pinky-sign-used-by-audiences/150941/13 "2003-01-26T08:23:26Z")
Or “call me, I’m a freaking yuppie with a cell phone and a penchant for annoying hand signals”. 😃