Is handshaking an unnecessary, out-dated and un-hygienic practice?

[Solomon1 10]

u gotta be kidding me!

 

as stuffy, emotionally-retarded brits we find it difficult enough to have any kind of physical contact with others as it is....without limiting it any further!

 

the risk of anything serious is minimal. the only time we need to be this careful wrt disease is when having sex with someone....coz then you could get all kinds of nasty bugs.

 

any further analysis is simply OCD-related.

 

we are primates, designed for lots and lots of body contact. without it, we literally go mad.

 

so, with introductions....we should really be giving them a hug and a kiss instead of that hand shake!

 

[Pingpang 10]

I know what's provoked this thread

 

I'd be very interested to know how handcuffs are supposed to be applied without making contact

 

lol aye

 

excuse me, mr criminal, do you mind holding your hands out so i can clap the irons on without touching you?

 

or perhaps she could wear special veil like gloves?

[Pingpang 10]

how about an american frat house style headbutting greeting?

[artisan 10]

It's you, isn't it?

 

If it is then keep your nose out, we need some entertainment on here

[Bago 10]

You meanies! It's a serious subject!

 

Good job, I shook hand with my CEO, maybe that's why I was not sacked at all.

[tom3t0 10]

i wouldnt want to shake hands with a person who would be worried about hygiene enough to avoid shaking hands so if they dont want to, it's fine by me. a wink, nod, hug, punch and kiss are other examples of greeting/acknowledgement i use depending on the person.

[1Man&hisBMW 10]

Another thread this morning has caused me to think about whether we ought to find an alternative to shaking hands. This social practice originated in a completely different age, when people had little knowledge of how germs and diseases can be carried from one person to another by physical contact. In Japan I believe, the custom is to bow slightly, which I think is a much better idea. There are, no doubt, many other gestures which might be used instead of handshaking.

 

I wouldn't make a deal with a man who has a weak handshake. Its not let me down so far.

[Phanerothyme 12]

Dimethyl sulfoxide? What's wrong with that then?

 

Well, it's what you mix it with before smearing it on your hands that counts.....

[Sora 10]

Handshake is still my prefered for formal meetings (a kiss on the cheek is still not quite the norm when meeting the bank manager - but hey, i'd go with it if it'll get me an extra few percentage points off)

 

As a Scot, i like to employ many different introduction/greeting methods (or as it has been mentioned before, any excuse to get a snog)

 

I like the european 2 kisses on the cheeks, but if it's friends i think hugs are much better - not enough people hug in my opinion!

 

I am torn tho as the Japanese bow is an amazingly complex statement and i am facinated by it - i'm not sure it's suited to our current culture - can't see lads in the pub doing it somehow LOL

[tom3t0 10]

Handshake is still my prefered for formal meetings (a kiss on the cheek is still not quite the norm when meeting the bank manager - but hey, i'd go with it if it'll get me an extra few percentage points off)

 

As a Scot, i like to employ many different introduction/greeting methods (or as it has been mentioned before, any excuse to get a snog)

 

I like the european 2 kisses on the cheeks, but if it's friends i think hugs are much better - not enough people hug in my opinion!

 

I am torn tho as the Japanese bow is an amazingly complex statement and i am facinated by it - i'm not sure it's suited to our current culture - can't see lads in the pub doing it somehow LOL

they would all be falling over plastered lol, it should be encouraged for the laugh

[Bago 10]

I like the european 2 kisses on the cheeks, but if it's friends i think hugs are much better - not enough people hug in my opinion!

 

I am torn tho as the Japanese bow is an amazingly complex statement and i am facinated by it - i'm not sure it's suited to our current culture - can't see lads in the pub doing it somehow LOL

Sometimes I'm confused by which is more acceptable as the norm! lol...

A handshake may seem too formal, and yet others do not see it as such etc etc. Bleurgh.

 

I've read that there is a different degree of bowing too depending on how close to that person you are, or how formal the situation is. >.<!

[magician 10]

Another thread this morning has caused me to think about whether we ought to find an alternative to shaking hands. This social practice originated in a completely different age, when people had little knowledge of how germs and diseases can be carried from one person to another by physical contact. In Japan I believe, the custom is to bow slightly, which I think is a much better idea. There are, no doubt, many other gestures which might be used instead of handshaking.

 

to unhygenic damn this is a flop