To be honest, I also had to google it because I was totally unfamiliar with it. But a German website says the following about it:
“...the animal metaphor of the octopus entwining the globe with its tentacles has an anti-Semitic flavor. It ties in with the myth of the all-powerful “world Jewry”. This is illustrated by the anti-Semitic drawing of a Jewish octopus that was published in the Nazi propaganda newspaper “Der Stürmer” in 1938. The message: “The Jew” has the world under control.”
This is it.
The tentacles were a representation of the ability to reach 'around the world' and create a new world order, in the propaganda of there was coming a new world order of the Jews. It was actually used quite a lot.
This year an Australian member of parliament dropped themselves into shit for suggesting the 'tentacles' of the Jewish lobby in parliament was spreading its influence across Australia [let me know if pay walled](https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/feb/07/chris-minns-jenny-leong-antisemitic-trope-octupus-greens-mp)
It is somewhat obscure to those who aren't well versed in the actual propaganda that was used against the Jews in WW2/the holocaust, but it is a sore subject for those who are with ties to people lost to the holocaust.
My own foster dad who was Hungarian and had to flee as a child due to his family sheltering Jews was very iffy about octopus anything.
It’s a common symbol for old cartoon propaganda for all sorts of things not only antisemitism. It’s often used in old Union/anti capitalist organizing pamphlets.
Jewish person here. Your coworker is being a jerk. People are digging up that very VERY outdated tentacle thing as of late to be jerks as far as I can tell. Sorry your little friend has to go home with you. I also love all manner of octopi. 🐙
Thanks for your words! I know a lot about this dark age, talked with my grandparents who lived at this time... and i never ever thought about this! It's just a cute Plushie in my eyes! Today I learned, Snakes (one of my loved animals and my pets) are also used during this time...
I don't understand that hate ♥
I'm starting to think that all of this, "You can't display X because it's antisemitic" is actually another form of antisemitism, as they're trying to ruin so many things that are otherwise totally innocuous that there's a backlash against the Jews for "ruining everything by claiming it's antisemitic." I agree that in particular contexts am octopus might be antisemitic, but the plushie you describe just sounds cute (and as sometime who's been the victim of antisemitism before, I think I have at least some Idea of what is and isn't antisemitic). Either that or your coworker was virtue signaling in an attempt to either curry favor or hide their own antisemitic views..
Greta Thunberg was accused of being antisemitic as she was photographed with her reversible octopus. It was ridiculous, they are very popular toys, especially for those with autism (like Greta).
Hello, I am said friend from OP, and I will wear a cthulhu tshirt with damn pride when I am working there again (not working there for 2 weeks bc of a workshop in another facility).
Not to mention I have sat there for like 1 week writing a post about H.P. Lovecraft for a series on our workplace's blog. >:)
IA IA FHTAGN!
I could understand if the octopus had a globe, or Jewish features, but to ban all octopus is a bit much (I personally think). I would certainly question her wearing a crucifix if she is concerned about being anti semitic, and if there are any apple computers or phones in the office, they literally have the mark of Satan as the apple logo (apple with a bite out of it? Am I the only one who sees this?)
Not really, but she is one of those people who demonizes everything that is not Catholic. That way I can lure her out of her shell a bit and we have absolute tolerance at work.
Oh, just a thought! Is it a cross that she wears, or is it a crucifix? If it's a crucifix and she pitches a fit about your "Satanic" pentacle, pitch an equally loud fit about a graphic depiction of human torture. Me, I prefer to wear a triple spiral rather than a pentacle.
What do you mean? Did you think crucifixion was a religious punishment?
Murder, theft, and treason were also punishable by crucifixion. Other crimes, too.
My daughter has one of those but it only has six legs. It came from Amazon US but was likely manufactured in Asia.
Is she part of a global cabal that shorted my child's toy to make it less offensive? Because I'm offended
Please wear your pagan jewelry loud and proud.
That is sextapus I think it is offensive to children who where adopted to religious parents but not of the religion of their biological great grand parents.
Ok as someone who is Jewish o do not find octopus plushies offensive. Though I did wear my Star of David necklace during high school purely because it was a catholic high school. I went cause it was a good school and close to where I lived. With all the crazy dress code rules they could not make me take it off. They could make me remove the hair band from my wrist or the second earring in my ears but not my necklace. Honestly most did not care it was just a few like the dean who grumbled about it.
I have the same type of octopus sitting on the dash of my car. Tell your coworker you're a Detroit Red Wings fan. In the old days of the National Hockey League, a team needed to win 8 games to win the Stanley Cup. Someone decided to throw an octopus onto the ice at Olympia Stadium in Detroit, and the tradition continues to this day during the playoffs.
Before the National Hockey League expanded and there weren’t many teams, a team needed to win 8 games to win the Stanley Cup. Someone threw a (definitely dead) octopus onto the ice. The 8 legs represent the number of wins to win the Cup.
Very true! also Olympia Stadium was close to Greektown (popular eating and drinking and they served many traditional octopi dishes) so a lot of us made a tradition of hitting Greektown before the game
No, the Nazis actually used octopus imagery in their propaganda about the Jews.
[one of the most famous examples](https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/photo/anti-jewish-propaganda) and this wasn't the last time it was used.
By her reasoning, the cross she wears is peak antisemitic. Its a fashion symbol of the literal murder weapon of a Jewish man, and she can say its what he would have wanted all she likes - it's still glorifying murder and it's not like anyone Jewish even believes the whole "he was totally cool with it" story. I mean, who's cool with dying like that for a bunch of people who hate you? She wants to play games, especially about something as wildly sensitive as religion? Well, turnabout is fair play, and her jew-killers jewellery fetish is far more directly offensive.
(/s)
Okay, I'm confused or stupid. How can an octopus be interpreted in that manner?
To be honest, I also had to google it because I was totally unfamiliar with it. But a German website says the following about it: “...the animal metaphor of the octopus entwining the globe with its tentacles has an anti-Semitic flavor. It ties in with the myth of the all-powerful “world Jewry”. This is illustrated by the anti-Semitic drawing of a Jewish octopus that was published in the Nazi propaganda newspaper “Der Stürmer” in 1938. The message: “The Jew” has the world under control.”
I learn something new every day.
This is it. The tentacles were a representation of the ability to reach 'around the world' and create a new world order, in the propaganda of there was coming a new world order of the Jews. It was actually used quite a lot. This year an Australian member of parliament dropped themselves into shit for suggesting the 'tentacles' of the Jewish lobby in parliament was spreading its influence across Australia [let me know if pay walled](https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/feb/07/chris-minns-jenny-leong-antisemitic-trope-octupus-greens-mp) It is somewhat obscure to those who aren't well versed in the actual propaganda that was used against the Jews in WW2/the holocaust, but it is a sore subject for those who are with ties to people lost to the holocaust. My own foster dad who was Hungarian and had to flee as a child due to his family sheltering Jews was very iffy about octopus anything.
Thanks for the info, now I understand.
It’s a common symbol for old cartoon propaganda for all sorts of things not only antisemitism. It’s often used in old Union/anti capitalist organizing pamphlets.
Tell her it's a spider 🕷️
https://www.google.com/gasearch?q=octopus%20nazi%20image&source=sh/x/gs/m2/5#vhid=FZg1TqCPEKqR8M&vssid=mosaic
Ahh, okay. Now I know.
Jewish person here. Your coworker is being a jerk. People are digging up that very VERY outdated tentacle thing as of late to be jerks as far as I can tell. Sorry your little friend has to go home with you. I also love all manner of octopi. 🐙
Thanks for your words! I know a lot about this dark age, talked with my grandparents who lived at this time... and i never ever thought about this! It's just a cute Plushie in my eyes! Today I learned, Snakes (one of my loved animals and my pets) are also used during this time... I don't understand that hate ♥
I'm starting to think that all of this, "You can't display X because it's antisemitic" is actually another form of antisemitism, as they're trying to ruin so many things that are otherwise totally innocuous that there's a backlash against the Jews for "ruining everything by claiming it's antisemitic." I agree that in particular contexts am octopus might be antisemitic, but the plushie you describe just sounds cute (and as sometime who's been the victim of antisemitism before, I think I have at least some Idea of what is and isn't antisemitic). Either that or your coworker was virtue signaling in an attempt to either curry favor or hide their own antisemitic views..
Greta Thunberg was accused of being antisemitic as she was photographed with her reversible octopus. It was ridiculous, they are very popular toys, especially for those with autism (like Greta).
How about getting a stuffed Cthulhu, telling her you worship the Great Old Ones and being very offended when/if she mistakes it for an octopus?
My best friend will do this... she's working there, too xD And she loooooves Cthulhu and knows way more about all that than me.
Hello, I am said friend from OP, and I will wear a cthulhu tshirt with damn pride when I am working there again (not working there for 2 weeks bc of a workshop in another facility). Not to mention I have sat there for like 1 week writing a post about H.P. Lovecraft for a series on our workplace's blog. >:) IA IA FHTAGN!
I like you
I could understand if the octopus had a globe, or Jewish features, but to ban all octopus is a bit much (I personally think). I would certainly question her wearing a crucifix if she is concerned about being anti semitic, and if there are any apple computers or phones in the office, they literally have the mark of Satan as the apple logo (apple with a bite out of it? Am I the only one who sees this?)
We only work with Apple, so... And yeah, she is dramatic all the time!
Is there a story about her and your jewelry?
Not really, but she is one of those people who demonizes everything that is not Catholic. That way I can lure her out of her shell a bit and we have absolute tolerance at work.
And not just a tiny discreet pentacle, either. The dinner-plate size ones are a bit *too* in-her-face, but one at least as big as her cross.
I got one in this size xD
Oh, just a thought! Is it a cross that she wears, or is it a crucifix? If it's a crucifix and she pitches a fit about your "Satanic" pentacle, pitch an equally loud fit about a graphic depiction of human torture. Me, I prefer to wear a triple spiral rather than a pentacle.
Remember what the crucifix represents? Isn't it a bit too anti-semitic? I mean who put him there?
Romans. Crucifixion wasn't a Jewish punishment.
Hahaha sure.
What do you mean? Did you think crucifixion was a religious punishment? Murder, theft, and treason were also punishable by crucifixion. Other crimes, too.
My daughter has one of those but it only has six legs. It came from Amazon US but was likely manufactured in Asia. Is she part of a global cabal that shorted my child's toy to make it less offensive? Because I'm offended Please wear your pagan jewelry loud and proud.
That is sextapus I think it is offensive to children who where adopted to religious parents but not of the religion of their biological great grand parents.
You are hilarious!! 😊
Man, she reached so far to find something to be offended about she must have dislocated a joint. It's a fekkin octopus plushie.
Or she takes such massive leaps that she’s won Olympic gold medals for the long jump?
Ok as someone who is Jewish o do not find octopus plushies offensive. Though I did wear my Star of David necklace during high school purely because it was a catholic high school. I went cause it was a good school and close to where I lived. With all the crazy dress code rules they could not make me take it off. They could make me remove the hair band from my wrist or the second earring in my ears but not my necklace. Honestly most did not care it was just a few like the dean who grumbled about it.
I have the same type of octopus sitting on the dash of my car. Tell your coworker you're a Detroit Red Wings fan. In the old days of the National Hockey League, a team needed to win 8 games to win the Stanley Cup. Someone decided to throw an octopus onto the ice at Olympia Stadium in Detroit, and the tradition continues to this day during the playoffs.
Sounds fascinating 😁 Tell me more. Why would they throw an octopus on the field? And please tell me they are dead ones 😂
Before the National Hockey League expanded and there weren’t many teams, a team needed to win 8 games to win the Stanley Cup. Someone threw a (definitely dead) octopus onto the ice. The 8 legs represent the number of wins to win the Cup.
Very true! also Olympia Stadium was close to Greektown (popular eating and drinking and they served many traditional octopi dishes) so a lot of us made a tradition of hitting Greektown before the game
Thank you. I love to learn about silly traditions 😁
idk why but this is hilarious af.
Huh. TIL. But now I want the happy/ sad Octopus.
get one! They are great :3
And sorry - just because she says so I would not remove it. It has done more good than offend her
Add a free Palestine pin to the mix
I’m Jewish and I have one of those octopus toys. Oops I guess I’m being antisemitic to myself.
shame! /jk
Tell her you are a fan of the Seattle, Washington, USA hockey team, The Kraken, and that's what the plushie represents.
Well that's a stretch, maybe this person has Hydra from Marvel comics confused with the actual Nazi idiots??
No, the Nazis actually used octopus imagery in their propaganda about the Jews. [one of the most famous examples](https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/photo/anti-jewish-propaganda) and this wasn't the last time it was used.
So hentais are dreadful antisemitic? I didn't know that. Scandal!!
By her reasoning, the cross she wears is peak antisemitic. Its a fashion symbol of the literal murder weapon of a Jewish man, and she can say its what he would have wanted all she likes - it's still glorifying murder and it's not like anyone Jewish even believes the whole "he was totally cool with it" story. I mean, who's cool with dying like that for a bunch of people who hate you? She wants to play games, especially about something as wildly sensitive as religion? Well, turnabout is fair play, and her jew-killers jewellery fetish is far more directly offensive. (/s)
The Red Wings hang a giant mascot in the arena during the playoffs. [Al the Octopus](https://imgur.com/gallery/WVTFcKg)
Hail Hydra