If you're a baby boomer:

[Baitball Blogger]

Do any of you remember how freaked out everyone would get when you were a child and used your hand to point at something. I remember people getting upset like we were flipping people off, when we were distinctly using our index finger.

If you had the same experience, do you have any idea what that was about?

[Ocelot II]

1. No, never. ???

[padfun]

2. I don't recall such a thing

I'm 69

[deRien]

3. It was considered

rude to point…

[pat_k]

13. Am 64 and yes, "It's rude to point" (at a person). . .

. . .was a thing growing up.

[msongs]

4. "it's not polite to point - fave admonition from grandma nt

[catbyte]

5. I remember my grandma telling me not to point at people because it "wasn't polite."

But I don't remember my mom and dad giving a rip, lol.

[Raven123]

6. Yes, in a context. It was considered impolite to point at someone.

[Baitball Blogger]

7. Maybe it was meant to stop pointing at people, but that got lost over time.

I remember one of my friends say that it's to force us to use our words and not over rely on the pointing.

[surrealAmerican]

8. I don't remember it being such a big deal, but ...

... I did hear "it's not polite to point." many times.

I would move on to, "... over on your left ..." sort of language.

[regnaD kciN]

9. Yes...

I don’t think it had anything to do with which finger was used, but more that it would draw attention to that person from people who weren’t in the conversation and thus didn’t know the context, so that those people might jump to conclusions and decide that you were singling the person out for something bad about them.

[hlthe2b]

10. Maybe subconsciously because when Bill O'Reilly was everywhere, his aggressive pointing on air drove me crazy...

So, maybe I recall something but not the specifics... Forgive the photo size... Only one I could find

https://mediaproxy.salon.com/width/1200/

[Mister Ed]

11. It's still rude to point, I think. There's a good alternative.

Whenever I need to direct someone's attention toward a person, I extend my arm toward that person with a full, open hand instead of pointing with my index finger.

[Lulu KC]

12. Yes

I cannot point. My muscles freeze if I try to. If I have to point to an object I make sure there are no humans in the line of sight before I do it.

But then, I still send thank you notes, too. Color me ancient. A dinosaur.

[megapuzzler]

14. Yes, and with the admonishment: "Remember whenever you point your finger at someone else,

there are three fingers pointing back at you."

I had forgotten that bit of parental lore.

[gab13by13]

16. You beat me to it.

[gab13by13]

15. I remember, I'm 77

It was a polite thing. The saying was, when you point your finger, 3 fingers point back at you.

[Sequoia]

17. Constantly

Yes, I remember. If it was a person the adults would say it was rude and impolite, other people might notice and look at person who'd get embarrassed. For other things the answer was because it was uncouth and childish.

[Cartoonist]

18. Here's another thing to consider

If someone sees you pointing at them, you might spark a confrontation.

[Different Drummer]

19. I'm 62 and, as a child, I got the "It's impolite to point" admonition. n/t

[Polybius]

20. I'm not a Boomer, but yes I know

I was around a lot of older folks in the 1980's. They would pop a gasket when I pointed at something. I always thought it was ridiculous.

[Figarosmom]

22. Its not polite to point

Is what mom would say.

[Intractable]

23. With my mother, it was do as I say, not as I do.

My mother was the master of pointing at people, all while telling me that it's rude.

It's as if she can't talk without that finger.

[Baitball Blogger]

25. Now that's funny.

Sorry you had to go through that, but, yah, us moms can have a moment of insanity now and then.

[pansypoo53219]

24. my mom sure has a thing about it.

[elleng]

26. No

[arlyellowdog]

27. Now, a developmental milestone for year old babies

Miss Rachel (points) “What’s that?” The pre schoolers and kindergarteners are taught rudimentary sign language. I’m assuming that us repressed Irish Boomers are learning our Italian in-laws were right all along. Talk with your hands.

[Donkees]

28. The man pulling radishes pointed the way with a radish. -- Issa

[murielm99]

29. We were taught that it was rude to point.

Maybe it was an extension of that "children must be seen and not heard thing". It called attention to the one pointing more than the other way around.

[bamagal62]

30. Yes. I was taught that

It was rude to point. I still can’t really point at a person or point out a person.

[LisaM]

31. Context matters in this case. It was about pointing at people.

We were asked not to do things like point at strangers out in public when saying something about them, even if it wasn't anything bad. I stand by that. I used to eat out with a friend every Monday night who pointed at everything and it made me self-conscious.

Pointing out a building or what direction to go or at someone in a meeting or in a class who is answering a question - no issue there.

[Emile]

32. Must be a late boomer thing 😕.