Surely you have met men with long nails on their little fingers. These men could be of different ages and social status, but they were clearly united by a very unusual manicure. What does this eye-catching detail mean? Why do men grow a nail on their little fingers? This nuance can be interpreted in completely different ways. Consider the main reasons why people at different times grew their nails.
First of all, the prominent fingernail on the little finger is considered a distinctive detail by which you can recognize a person belonging to the Masonic lodge. Masons - a secret society that arose in Europe in the XVII century. The organization is based on general moral and ethical principles, originating in monotheistic religions (mainly Christianity). Masonic society is fully consistent with the image that arises in the mind with the phrase "secret organization": it is known for its secrecy and a whole set of different rules and rituals. Why men grow a fingernail on their little fingers to show their affiliation with the Masons in this way is not entirely clear, but such an explanation of the details we are considering is very common.
Fast forward to the XVIII century. At this time, an elongated nail was considered a sign of a man's belonging to the intelligentsia. But why grow a nail on the little finger
representatives of this social layer? Mostly for utilitarian purposes only. With the help of a
long nail, mail envelopes were opened: a letter knife was not always at hand, and indeed, hardly anyone would carry it with them. In addition, in France there was a curious etiquette rule: before entering the room, one should not knock on the door, but scratch one's fingernail.
In the XX century, the tradition of growing the little finger on the nail goes from intellectuals to representatives of the criminal world. For example, here is a fairly well-known fact, which is often recalled when trying to explain why men grow a fingernail on their little fingers: in the 70-80s, drug dealers and their clients thus measured the dose of bulk drugs (mainly cocaine). This measure was called - "nail", that is, "nail". Card cheaters using a long nail imperceptibly placed the desired card into the deck during shuffling. Perhaps the image of Ostap Bender will make you remember another answer to the question “Why do men grow a fingernail on their little fingers?”: Such a detail was found in house-thieves. Using a nail, you can open simple locks, and Bender knew this well.
An extended little finger nail may be necessary for professional convenience. Engineers, for example, twist with a fingernail ribbons displaying information about the progress of the train. Increasingly, this detail is found among programmers and system administrators - a nail can be used instead of a stylus, and it’s convenient for them to press buttons.
Why do guys grow a nail on the little finger in our time? Most likely, there is no symbolism behind this, and someone just considered a long nail a stylish and interesting detail. But you can never know for sure. Take a closer look: suddenly, behind a long fingernail of that unfamiliar man, is there some secret meaning?