While the infinity heart symbol doesn't show up in that book, the lesson I took away from it is there's extraordinary value in using visual imagery that doesn't require complex explanation for the layperson to understand. I poured over that book when I first received it! I also keep a copy of it on my bookshelf, as one of the few books that I would rather have physically, rather than digitally.
I can spend hours pondering the design of the "save" icon! Many years ago, I bought a book called The Dictionary of Symbols, which is a series of "discussions of various aspects of ideograms." These include a discussion of signs and meanings, an overview of the historical development of signs, as well as sections on ancient American ideograms, the astrological system of symbols, the mystical pentagram, and the signs of the alchemists.
I get really nerdy and excited about icon design, and small spot illustrations that have a limited amount of space to communicate a complex idea. I consider myself a student of visual language, so I'm deeply entrenched in thinking about visual and symbolic communication. Professionally, I work in user experience, which roughly means I design digital experiences for users of the products my company makes.
When I started using computers in 1983, there were only about 16 colors that could be used, but by the time Evans made his flag, there was a dizzying array of 216 "websafe" colors he could use.) Evans chose bright blue ( representing openness and honesty among all partners with whom we conduct our multiple relationships) bright red (representing love and passion) and black (representing solidarity with those who, though they are open and honest with all participants of their relationships, must hide those relationships from the outside world due to societal pressures.) (Tech history sidebar: 20+ years ago, there was a limit to how many colors monitors could accurately display, and there was a list of colors that were considered "safe" to use on the web because those would mostly be represented accurately, depending on the person's monitor settings. He made it using Microsoft Paint, using websafe colors. He created it because at the time, no polyamory pride flag existed. I remember talking to him about his flag design at a party he hosted at his house. I actually knew Jim Evans back in the day, since we both lived in the east side in the Seattle area, and I totally had a crush on his then-wife. You’re now looking at the modified version that was created in Colorado in 2017 by the University of Northern Colorado poly community, according to their website.Jim Evans created the original a polyamory pride flag that (over time) became the pride flag most often associated with our community. The history: It can be traced all the way back to Jim Evans in 1995, who “wanted to create an anonymous symbol for the polyamorous community,” according to the Gender & Sexuality Resource Center at University of Northern Colorado. “The infinity heart sign represents the infinite love for multiple partners at the same time,” according to the Gender & Sexuality Resource Center at University of Northern Colorado. And the infinity heart sign on top of all the colors is truly where you see its meaning.
“Polyamory is a form of consensual nonmonogamy that emphasizes emotional connection among multiple partners,” says Elisabeth Sheff, PhD, author of The Polyamorists Next Door: Inside Multiple-Partner Relationships and Families, who previously told Cosmopolitan. The meaning: First, it’s important to understand the term.