Is symbolism useful?

[Alan Medic]

I've heard people speaking deeply and meaningfully about the Olympic torch landing in the UK and what it supposedly means. People will run around the country holding it up. How is this important and what's the point? Listening to some comments I've almost thought wow, this is big. Then I thought, it's just someone running around holding a torch. If it does symbolise something worthwhile isn't it whatever that is that's important? Not that I'm saying it is important. Whatever it is. What do you think?

[Brendan]

It serves the same purpose as this.

http://edibleapple.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/silver-apple-logo.png

It makes you feel big and clever when somewhere deep down you can?t shake this niggling feeling that you?ve just paid more than you can afford for something that isn?t going to change your life in any way.