We Should Bow Like the Japanese
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Cindy McCain is now sporting a brace on her wrist. One of the millions of hands she shakes on the campaign trail apparently got a little too excited and caused the injury. The incident gives new life to an argument against keeping up with this tradition we have of shaking hands. Think about how many hands you have to shake in your lifetime. If you miss a hand, somebody’s always gonna get offended. It’s a foolish activity when you think about it, yet it can make or break business deals or job interviews.
Here’s a solution. We should bow like the Japanese do. It’s simple, saves you from getting germs and you don’t run the risk of getting your entire arm ripped off. Donald Trump shares this opinion. Watch him shake hands on camera, you can just tell he doesn’t like it. He also says so in one of his books.
You never know if somebody’s been scratching somewhere on their body (or somebody elses) before you shake their hand. If you’ve been to the men’s room at an Atlanta Braves game, you’ll know what I’m talking about. How often have you been greeted with a hand that’s a sweaty mess, or has dirty fingernails? It’s not pleasant a experience. Yet we engage in this activity with people at places such as restaurants, then sit down and touch the food we eat.
OK, I know Americans are not going to stop shaking hands. How about we do the fist bump more often? It’s cool and works just like a hand shake. Just don’t try it at your next job interview.
2 Comments
Buzzby
August 18th, 2008
at 12:25pm
I think the roots of the hand shake are that is is a form of weapons check and a expression of trust as both parties are submitting to it even though they could each be endangered by it.
I don’t like the bow as it is unilaterally submissive - much like the kow-tow (sp?) in China. When I shake hands, it is as an equal.
Donny
September 11th, 2008
at 6:18am
I’ve never seen the bow as unilaterally submissive.. I’ve always seen it as a gesture of respect personally. And even if it is submissive, who cares? You’re both submitting to each other anyway.. is your pride really that hurt by bowing to someone?
Some of the things we do today, like shaking hands, is kind of silly.. and most people don’t even know why we still do it. Take the term “bless you”.. are we really blessing evil spirits out of someones body when they sneeze?
Anyway, I vote for the fist pounding.. I say we create a large corporation, hire a bunch of people, and instead of shaking their hands in the interview, pound the fists. I think it will catch on, don’t you?