Well, I do know that yellow has always had extremely negative implications in Christian symbolism. Judas is consistently shown wearing yellow in paintings. In the Middle Ages, Jews were forced to wear yellow clothing and yellow badges, and then the Nazis also used this color again for their Jewish badges. :(
My guess would be that the connection of yellow with betrayal, disloyalty, jealousy, and cowardice could have something to do with jaundice. Illness. Kidney and liver problems, physical weakness, thus "bad blood," bad character, or moral weakness.
Maybe it has something to do with Yellow Journalism? Back in the day when Newspapers only had black and yellow Ink. So the really scary Headlines were printed in Yellow. Often exaggerated acounts used as propaganda. I seem to remember from my History class about the sinking of some ship and the "yellow Journalism" was used to incite the U.S. into war.
The Yellow Kid comic strip was Created by this Unique phenom. I am not sure if that is were Yellow got its bad wrap or not. Maybe it has something to do with chickens (baby chickens usually being yellow in color). Maybe it comes from the japanese being refered to as Yellow devils in the world war propaganda.
Who know maybe all those factors may gave yellow its bad reputation. Or yellow already that concept attacthed to it and influenced all those examples.
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momijizukamori
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Date: 2002-07-21 12:52 am (UTC)extremely negative implications in Christian
symbolism. Judas is consistently shown wearing
yellow in paintings. In the Middle Ages, Jews
were forced to wear yellow clothing and yellow
badges, and then the Nazis also used this
color again for their Jewish badges. :(
My guess would be that the connection of
yellow with betrayal, disloyalty, jealousy,
and cowardice could have something to do
with jaundice. Illness. Kidney and liver
problems, physical weakness, thus "bad blood,"
bad character, or moral weakness.
Re: that seems logical to me
Date: 2002-07-21 03:56 am (UTC)Have you seen the Yellow sign?
Date: 2002-07-21 10:26 am (UTC)Back in the day when Newspapers only had black and yellow Ink. So the really scary Headlines were printed in Yellow. Often exaggerated acounts used as propaganda. I seem to remember from my History class about the sinking of some ship and the "yellow Journalism" was used to incite the U.S. into war.
The Yellow Kid comic strip was Created by this Unique phenom. I am not sure if that is were Yellow got its bad wrap or not. Maybe it has something to do with chickens (baby chickens usually being yellow in color). Maybe it comes from the japanese being refered to as Yellow devils in the world war propaganda.
Who know maybe all those factors may gave yellow its bad reputation. Or yellow already that concept attacthed to it and influenced all those examples.
Re: Have you seen the Yellow sign?
Date: 2002-07-21 03:20 pm (UTC)So I know it was pre-WW2.