Germ Free Handshake Substitute

By Author: Jonathan Steele
Total Articles: 8
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There is a new handshake on the roster of hand greetings if you have become old. Only thing, there is no shaking involved. With this greeting of the hands, there is no or limited sharing of H1N1 swine flu virus or any other germs for that matter. It is however, a meeting of the hands.

Quite simply, two meeting individuals will make a fist and each will gently extend their right hand in the fist formation toward the other individual. Then, the two fists will meet, knuckle to knuckle. Thus, before there a meeting of the minds, there is a meeting of the hands.

This was brought to you, compliments of the younger generations and their ability to conform to nonconformity.

If you were young when the Beatles got their start, you no doubt remember how their style may not have fit the social norms of our parents. Even more so, their style and sound did not fit our grandparents concept of what was socially acceptable. It is only natural to create our own identity and culture, even though it is different.

Anyone who was a youth during their life time should be familiar with the desires and emotions experienced ...
... in young adulthood.

This desire to be different, find our own way and test boundaries usually does not do any harm. The benefit generally, is only for the generation who embraces the change. In the case of the Meeting of the Hands there is a unique difference. It has the potential to benefit all generations that use it.

We can actually benefit from embracing the nonconformist actions of our young ones.

One benefit with the closed fist meeting up with another closed fist, is there is less skin to skin contact. There is no palmer side of the hand to hand contact. This is the primary source of germ and virus contact transmission. From that contact, if we touch our nose, eye, mouth or allow access to any other portal of entry, the germs or viruses can start their own party.

By the way, even the cuticles at the beginning of our fingernails are portals of entry.

Often we put ourselves at risk with out even thinking about it. Let's say you shake hands with someone. Next you handle your pen. So far, no problem. Then you do the unthinkable. You put the pen in your mouth, basically, not thinking. You have just invited the germs to come in and have a kegger.

The difference here is that instead of beer, these germs get drunk on your cells.

But what if there was a way to prevent or minimize these germs. What if there was a way to avoid the initial contact. Well, our youth have come to the rescue. This greeting of todays youth could be a rather interesting solution to our current health crisis.

However this creates a number of problems.

All of the opinions on what the various types of handshakes mean will have to be revised. The numerous theories on what a hand shake can tell you about someone will need to be adapted to this meeting of the hands. Many of these opinions are on the web and in literature.

Some literature indicates there is no correlation between the manner of handshaking and the character of an individual. The theory is that hand shaking is a learned behavior and once learned, it is the way you most likely will do it.

The truth is perhaps in between the extremes of opinion.

For instance, how would arthritis affect a firm hand shake? Now though, if you bump someone too hard and it hurts, will this mean you are an aggressive alpha type?
If you bump too lightly, will that be taken as a sign of weakness or passivity?

There will be some other benefits that most will gladly pass on if this new greeting of the hands takes hold.

There will be no more sweaty palm hand shakes. No more bone cruncher, limp fish, two handed lingering or the dreaded palm pincher hand shakes.

Since "ninety percent of what we think about a person is determined in the first ninety seconds we meet them," (-Anonymous) how will bumping fists allow us to communicate about who we are?

Also, do not forget the cultural differences from around the world. Since it would be improper for a woman to offer her hand (according to some of the sects of the Jewish Faith) in some places, it would seem to be likewise improper to offer to bump knuckles.

And do not expect the elderly to catch on. After all, it was a long time since they were kids. Cut a little slack to those over 90.

Hand in Hand

The Middle Five

The Pressure Is All Mine

Make Mine Dry

The Standard Hand Shake

The Lingering Hand Shake

The Push Off

The Pull In

The Superior

The Lesser

The Finger Cruncher

The Bone Cruncher

The Palm Pincher

The Twister

The Dead Fish

One big problem that this new hand shake creates for social scientist, psychologist, conspiracist, and psychologist wannabe's is defining the underlying meanings in the body language.

Believe it or not, it is there. More importantly, there is more real science behind this than the old fashioned hand shake. It is a science called micro-expressions. It can be seen in facial cues, head tilt and posturing.

The meaning of the meeting of the hands hand shake is the fodder for another article.
In the mean time, meet, greet, and be germ free.
Learn more about traditional hand shakes at The Common Hand Shake Mistakes

Jonathan Steele, RN is a public speaker, artist and host of Your Public Speaking Speechmastery Resource

Copyright 2009 Jonathan Steele. Permission to use granted provided links are kept live and article is unchanged.