user1908: The symbolism tag is currently our 16th-most-used tag, and I'm not sure if it's actually doing us any good. Should we get rid of it?

user1908: Consider the following:

Every single question tagged with symbolism is also tagged with something else, suggesting that it doesn't really stand alone. 
You can't be an expert on "symbolism" as a general concept.1 You can, certainly, be an expert on, say, "symbolism in Spirited Away", but that's already covered by spirited-away. 
Since this is our 16th-most-used tag, it will show up in the page title of any question that isn't also tagged with one of the top 15 tags, which isn't that great in terms of search engine searchability. 
Right now, the tag literally says "This is a complementary tag, it should be used in addition to some other tag that specifies the franchise in question", which is basically the definition of a meta-tag! 
The existence of the tag fools well-meaning askers into thinking that opinion-based questions are on topic.

In light of this, I believe that symbolism delenda est. 

1 Well, you can - there's lots of theory devoted to how symbolism functions in literature and art - but none of that is germane to this site, which is not about literary/aesthetic theory, but rather about particular instances of it arising in specific anime/manga/etc. So none of the questions that an expert on the theory of "symbolism" would be equipped to answer are on topic here.

user1587: Elaborating on Senshin's answer, I believe it should remain.
Counter Arguments to Senshin
Every single question tagged with symbolism is also tagged with something else, suggesting that it doesn't really stand alone. 
This can be said for of other tags, really the majority of tags which can "stand alone" are those for series. Tags like symbolism are like theme-song or tropes, adding the series you are talking in your question about can allow others who may know the answer take notice especially with how the Favorites Tags Function allows one to have question highlighted (we see tags being used to try and draw attention with with request lists where a user will use the anime they mention or the most popular anime as their tags). 
theme-song has only 2 questions which it is used stand alone and they are more general to music themselves, out of the rest of the questions one was tagged symbolism so while one could have removed theme-song and toradora since Toradora was mentioned in the question title and we would assume the theme song with the use of ED, however the question may not have gotten the initial exposure had these tags not been included.
You can't be an expert on "symbolism" in general
This is true, at the same time, no one can claim to be an expert of any one series tag except for the original creator and only because they have inside knowledge,
ie. I may know allot about the Nasuverse (Fate/, Tsukihime, Kara no Kyoukai) but Kinoko Nasu is the only one who can be called an expert, he created a lot of the themes in the Nasuverse and only he can say without speculation what happened between Brunestud of the Crimson Moon and Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg. 
In school for about a semester (12-14 weeks approx) my English class studied the symbolism used in a movie and in "A Man of all Seasons" and this was also the case for the exams. The same in my Media class when studying Nuclear Weapons used in 007 Goldfinger and Dr Strangelove and the symbolism of them as reflect during the time they was made. while we was not learning to be experts we was taught the techniques to identity and research symbolism and some people are interested in learning the symbolism behind what they see.
Notes
Since this is our 16th-most-used tag, it will show up in the page title of any question that isn't also tagged with one of the top 15 tags, which isn't that great in terms of search engine search ability.
Actually I think I read a question on a meta regarding tags and having some sort of definable rating to stop something like this though I can't remember where exactly of it's status
Personal opinion
I believe we should keep it as there are plenty of anime which people may ask about the symbolism of certain plot points and the like, eg.

Luffy giving his straw at to Nami before fighting Arlong
The Devolving Butterfly to a Leaf in Revolutionary Girl Utena
The colored scenes in the Monogatari

Not everyone will understand them right away and sometimes the symbolism may not be in any anime but other works such a literature of history and in my opinion if a question is mainly asking about symbolism she should have it as a tag especially if it's seen over a number of different titles

1908: <p>The <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/symbolism" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;symbolism&#39;" rel="tag">symbolism</a> tag is currently our 16th-most-used tag, and I'm not sure if it's actually doing us any good. Should we get rid of it?</p>
 1908: <p>Consider the following:</p>

<ul>
<li>Every single question tagged with <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/symbolism" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;symbolism&#39;" rel="tag">symbolism</a> is also tagged with something else, suggesting that it doesn't really stand alone. </li>
<li>You can't be an expert on "symbolism" as a general concept.<sup>1</sup> You <em>can</em>, certainly, be an expert on, say, "symbolism in <em>Spirited Away</em>", but that's already covered by <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/spirited-away" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;spirited-away&#39;" rel="tag">spirited-away</a>. </li>
<li>Since this is our 16th-most-used tag, it will show up in the page title of any question that isn't also tagged with one of the top 15 tags, which isn't that great in terms of search engine searchability. </li>
<li>Right now, the tag literally says "This is a complementary tag, it should be used in addition to some other tag that specifies the franchise in question", which is basically the definition of a meta-tag! </li>
<li>The existence of the tag fools <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/8742/good-thesis-ideas-for-an-analysis-of-shin-sekai-yori-from-a-new-world">well-meaning askers</a> into thinking that opinion-based questions are on topic.</li>
</ul>

<p>In light of this, I believe that <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/symbolism" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;symbolism&#39;" rel="tag">symbolism</a> delenda est. </p>

<hr>

<p><sup>1</sup> Well, you can - there's lots of theory devoted to how symbolism functions in literature and art - but none of that is germane to <em>this site</em>, which is not about literary/aesthetic theory, but rather about particular instances of it arising in specific anime/manga/etc. So none of the questions that an expert on the theory of "symbolism" would be equipped to answer are on topic here.</p>
 1587: <p>Elaborating on Senshin's answer, I believe it should remain.</p>

<h1>Counter Arguments to Senshin</h1>

<p><strong>Every single question tagged with <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/symbolism" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;symbolism&#39;" rel="tag">symbolism</a> is also tagged with something else, suggesting that it doesn't really stand alone.</strong> </p>

<p>This can be said for of other tags, really the majority of tags which can "stand alone" are those for series. Tags like <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/symbolism" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;symbolism&#39;" rel="tag">symbolism</a> are like <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/theme-song" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;theme-song&#39;" rel="tag">theme-song</a> or <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/tropes" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;tropes&#39;" rel="tag">tropes</a>, adding the series you are talking in your question about can allow others who may know the answer take notice especially with how the Favorites Tags Function allows one to have question highlighted (we see tags being used to try and draw attention with with request lists where a user will use the anime they mention or the most popular anime as their tags). </p>

<p><a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/theme-song" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;theme-song&#39;" rel="tag">theme-song</a> has only 2 questions which it is used stand alone and they are more general to music themselves, out of the rest of the questions <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/q/3135/1587">one</a> was tagged <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/symbolism" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;symbolism&#39;" rel="tag">symbolism</a> so while one could have removed <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/theme-song" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;theme-song&#39;" rel="tag">theme-song</a> and <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/toradora" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;toradora&#39;" rel="tag">toradora</a> since Toradora was mentioned in the question title and we would assume the theme song with the use of ED, however the question may not have gotten the initial exposure had these tags not been included.</p>

<p><strong>You can't be an expert on "symbolism" in general</strong></p>

<p>This is true, at the same time, no one can claim to be an expert of any one series tag except for the original creator and only because they have inside knowledge,</p>

<p>ie. I may know allot about the Nasuverse (Fate/, Tsukihime, Kara no Kyoukai) but Kinoko Nasu is the only one who can be called an expert, he created a lot of the themes in the Nasuverse and only he can say without speculation what happened between Brunestud of the Crimson Moon and Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg. </p>

<p>In school for about a semester (12-14 weeks approx) my English class studied the symbolism used in a movie and in "A Man of all Seasons" and this was also the case for the exams. The same in my Media class when studying Nuclear Weapons used in 007 Goldfinger and Dr Strangelove and the symbolism of them as reflect during the time they was made. while we was not learning to be experts we was taught the techniques to identity and research symbolism and some people are interested in learning the symbolism behind what they see.</p>

<h1>Notes</h1>

<p><strong>Since this is our 16th-most-used tag, it will show up in the page title of any question that isn't also tagged with one of the top 15 tags, which isn't that great in terms of search engine search ability.</strong></p>

<p>Actually I think I read a question on a meta regarding tags and having some sort of definable rating to stop something like this though I can't remember where exactly of it's status</p>

<h1>Personal opinion</h1>

<p>I believe we should keep it as there are plenty of anime which people may ask about the symbolism of certain plot points and the like, eg.</p>

<ul>
<li>Luffy giving his straw at to Nami before fighting Arlong</li>
<li>The Devolving Butterfly to a Leaf in Revolutionary Girl Utena</li>
<li>The colored scenes in the Monogatari</li>
</ul>

<p>Not everyone will understand them right away and sometimes the symbolism may not be in any anime but other works such a literature of history and in my opinion if a question is mainly asking about symbolism she should have it as a tag especially if it's seen over a number of different titles</p>
