Peace Symbol Revisited

Word count: 298

The peace symbol shows that an image outweighs it’s meaning. For 51 years the peace symbol has been one of the most powerful in the world, but its meaning has changed over time. While the meaning behind it has changed, the symbol’s meaning has not.

In 1958 Gerald Holton designed the logo as a symbol for nuclear disarmament. As it seems, the symbol is simple. It has three parts, a circle, a straight line, and a v-shaped line. The three pieces superimposed created the peace symbol. From that moment the image was seen as a symbol of good and hope and…peace.

But what does each piece mean? First, the v-shaped line means the letter N (for nuclear) in semaphore flag signaling system. Next is the straight line, which is the letter D (for disarmament). Finally there is the circle, which actually has no original meaning. It was originally just added to make the symbol look better than just two lines.

In the 1960’s the image came to American and was adopted by Hippies and the intent completely changed. Hippies originally intended for the symbol to be a symbol against materialism. The image looked like a chicken’s foot and they embraced it, showing they did not care about material things. But the symbol’s meaning still did not change. The symbol was still seen as a symbol for piece rather than anti-materialism.

The symbol was then used to represent unity, as the three branches merged into one line. Also at this point the circle around the symbol had meaning- the world. The symbol was intended to mean world unity and betterment.

Despite the original meaning of nuclear disarmament, the hippie meaning of anti-materialism, and the newest intended meaning of unity, the symbol is still only known for one thing: Peace.