Walt Disney strictly forbade his theme park employees from pointing with one finger, mandating a specific two-finger point because a single pointing finger is considered highly offensive in several different cultures.

A closer look

Walt Disney strictly forbade his theme park employees from pointing with one finger, mandating a specific two-finger point because a single pointing finger is considered highly offensive in several different cultures. This rule is still heavily enforced today, which is exactly why Mickey Mouse and all the cast members gesture vaguely like flight attendants pointing out emergency exits. It is fascinating how a corporate obsession with polite customer service accidentally created an entire subculture of people gesturing like aggressively helpful magicians