What makes pointing middle finger rude?
604974
It has to do when the french and english were fighting. The french would cut off the english mens middle finger when captured because thats the finger they would use for their long bows. So at the end of the war the english would show the french their middle finger to show they still had theirs. To make a long story short.
62526
around the 1830's because in theater the gesture was the same as "hissing" an actor- they would either hiss or "flip the bird" - now people just boo basically but in between then and now people used to boo and hiss.  The hissing sound was related to the hissing sound of geese, and thats how the term "flipping the bird" came to be.  Now we just call the middle finger the "bird" because it is the finger used when we "flip the bird"
252688
You should not overtly draw attention to someone else. Staring, pointing and looking and whispering can be signs of someone saying something negative about them. It can make people uncomfortable or hurt their feelings.
1031837
I like to do it when I am pissed off to show more expression. i'm Just kidding. It's annoying when people do that. I sometimes do it when I hit Caps Lock instead of the a. Like this:  One time I was walking down the sidewalk and I happened to come apon a dog with 3 legs. He sID, "WILL YOU HELP ME GET MY LEG BACK? iT'S AT THE TOP OF THE HOUSE BY THE ROOF." i REPLIED, "YOU MEAN THE ATTIC?" HE SAID, "wHAT ARE YOU A JERK? oF COUSE THE ATTIC!"  so yeah that's when I do it.
520211
"The origins of this gesture are highly speculative, but is quite possibly up to 2500 years old. It is identified as the digitus impudicus ('impudent finger') in Ancient Roman writings and reference is made to using the finger in the Ancient Greek comedy The Clouds by Aristophanes. It was defined there as a gesture intended to insult another. It has been noted that the gesture resembles an erect penis."
869010
=I disagree.  How about a thumbs up or making a circle with your thumb and index finger as an OK sign?
118292
because it thinks you like your other fingers better and it wants to hurt you like you hurt it. I would tell it your sorry :)
300307
Psychological ramifications? First time I've heard THAT exuse for rudeness. For strangers such as restaurant servers and receptionists to address clients by first name isn't friendly -- it's FAMILIAR. Familiarity is rude and aggressive. Inviting diners to call one "Winnie" instead of "Waitress" or "Miss" seems to imply that one's tip should be based on friendship rather than on quality of service. Further, if we are instantly on a first name bases, we have lost the pleasure of hearing Mrs. Smith say "Now that we are friends, won't you call me Janice?"\n\nI think the principle of egalitarianism is to blame here, the feeling that if the secretaries and mail clerks are "Ellen" or "Fred", then the boss is "Tom", not "Mr. Green". But I think it should have gone the other way, that boss and secretary alike should receive the dignity of last name and title.\n\nI once heard an extremely gracious deflection of such well-meant but unwanted friendliness. A high ranking goverment official (US Senator?) was on a radio call in show, and addressed the caller as "Bob". The caller responded "Senator, since I don't feel comfortable calling you Mike, perhaps you could call me "Mr. Baines".
495914
They all appear in one row on the keyboard. When you are bored you tend to tap your fingers on the desk like: little finger, ring finger, middle finger, index finger etc. So this rude person was trying to be funny and express his boredom with your answer by imitating the desk tapping on his keyboard.
90687
http://www.google.com/search?q=history+of+middle+finger
368089
Putting ones elbows on the table demonstrates low class and self disrespect. However if you wish to be rude and selfish go for it.
60953
I live in the US where we have become very slopy when it comes to things like this. \nYes, you should stand up. Not only is it rude, it is akward to shake someone's hand while one person is sitting. \nI can see no reason why you would not do this other than sheer laziness.
56436
You guys are unbelievable. I can't believe you all are answering questions in the Etiquette area.\n\nSometimes, you just have to put up with listening to stuff you don't want to hear.  Politely excuse yourself, period.  Tell them you have to go.\n\nBeing rude will net you nothing but another enemy. There's no reason for that - you never know when the person you're talking to now will appear again in your life -- maybe a boss, a co-worker, or a friend's friend, or worse, a waitress or waiter who has the ability and opportunity to spit in your food.  It's always a good idea to be polite to everyone, and it's just the right thing to do.
311491
two fingers means f*ck off\none finger means up yours.
739036
Hi, If they are asking a question that is rude, too personal, or asked to make you feel uncomfortable, simply say, "Why do you ask?"  It immediately puts them on the spot without making you look as offensive as them.  You will find they will stop doing that to you and I must admit, you will get a bit of satisfaction from seeing them uncomfortable.
160658
People who wrote the rules on etiquette were idiots. I don't know why that's considered rude, but it is. Blame a bunch of dead people that made the rules. Or maybe the bunch of living people that mindlessly enforce them.
82910
It is rude. It is rude to the person with whom you are dining, it is rude to the other patrons, it is rude to the waitstaff. Unless you are a medical professional on call, a lawyer waiting to hear that the jury is ready to hand down a verdict or awaiting word that someone close to you is in labor, there is nothing that is so important that you cannot turn off the phone for an hour and check your voicemail after the meal and away from the table.