A symbolic action is an action that has no or little practical effect, but symbolizes or signals what the actor wants or believes. The action conveys meaning to the viewers.
Symbolic action may overlap with symbolic speech, such as in the case of flag burning to express hostility or saluting the flag to express patriotism.
In response to intense public criticism, businesses, organizations, and governments may take symbolic actions rather than, or in addition to, directly addressing the identified problems.
Symbolic actions are sometimes derided as slacktivism.
Read more about this topic: Symbol
Other articles related to "symbolic action, action, symbolic":
... A symbolic action is an action that has no or little practical effect, but symbolizes or signals what the actor wants or believes ... The action conveys meaning to the viewers ... Symbolic action may overlap with symbolic speech, such as in the case of flag burning to express hostility or saluting the flag to express patriotism ...
Famous quotes containing the words action and/or symbolic:
“We call the intention good which is right in itself, but the action is good, not because it contains within it some good, but because it issues from a good intention. The same act may be done by the same man at different times. According to the diversity of his intention, however, this act may be at one time good, at another bad.”
—Peter Abelard (1079–1142)
“An ancient bridge, and a more ancient tower,
A farmhouse that is sheltered by its wall,
An acre of stony ground,
Where the symbolic rose can break in flower,
Old ragged elms, old thorns innumerable....”
—William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)