Curb The Swine Flu: Lose The American Handshake

In 2005 during the Avian Flu hysteria, I wrote a column here called "Curb The Avian Flu: Lose the American Handshake". I had just come back from living in India with my family and found myself enthralled with the practice of Namaste -- pressing both palms together and making a bow to greet others in lieu of the handshake. I thought myself clever for the alliteration of "American" and "Avian". Needless to say, the piece got mauled in the comments section by pack of raving right-wing lunatics who claimed I was just like all the rest of the unpatriotic unappreciative American left-wing nut jobs that wrote for the Huffington Post -- then in its infancy. It was one of my first blogs and I was so traumatized that I didn't publish anything for months afterwards.

But, alas, I had a point. With global travel, chronic antibiotic overuse and an ever greater means by which a virus can spread across the globe, why must we touch hands every time we meet or greet someone? The handshake is an obvious vestigal gesture left over from a time when hands needed to be shown free of weapons. It's time to lose the handshake once and for all and embrace Namasté as the new greeting.

Israeli-born Dan Fishel of Columbia University demonstrating the nuances of the American Handshake.

I had never given much thought to the way Westerners greet each other. Grab firmly, pump and look straight in the eye and say hello. Nothing is worse than a limp handshake. In fact, I'll take the fist bump over the handshake any day. I'd rather do pretty much anything else than touch the one part of the body that's touching everything else all day. I used to live in Paris, and I just loved all the kissing. Not super hygienic, but the only way to go if you're going to catch a killer virus.

Before spending time in India, I had, of course, performed the obligatory Namaste in yoga class. I didn't know exactly to whom I was praying but all I knew is that it cleared my mind made my back feel fantastic. When I arrived in India, at first I thought I was getting an elaborate performance of service by the people who worked in the hotel we where we were staying in Delhi. Then I noticed that everyone in the whole continent greeted each other this way: hands pressed together in a praying motion, eyes closed and saying "Namaste".

Before I had become acclimated to the gesture of Namaste in India, I was introduced to a man in Jaipur who wore a beautiful orange turban. "Kimberly meet Anu. Anu meet Kimberly," my friend said. Just as he bowed toward me with his hands together, my right hand instinctually jutted forward and smashed right into the poor man's soloplexis. From then on I made a conscious effort to greet people with a subtle bow and Namaste instead of the handshake. As I did it everywhere I went, I became aware of how my movements affected my attitude. When we came back to the states, I became aware of how aggressive the handshake really is.

I learned that Namaste doesn't really mean Peace as I thought it did. Namaste literally translates to "I bow to the Divine in you" or "The Divine within me honors The Divine within you." What a beautiful way to greet another soul.

With everyone in a panic about the prospect of a flu pandemic upon us, we have a golden opportunity to stop the unnecessary spread of germs, lose the American handshake habit and positively change our attitudes at the same time. Let's change our custom and adopt this better one. So next time you meet someone new, put your hands together and make a little bow.

Namaste and A Santé!

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First Person Artist is a weekly column by artist Kimberly Brooks in which she provides commentary on the creative process, technology and showcases artists' work from around the world. She has also had it up to here with plastic. Come back every Monday for more Kimberly Brooks.

Comments

[Yeppo]

Lose the handshake. I like the wave. Left or right hand.
Yeppo

[marignymitch]

And bring back french kissing! (Or is that freedom kissing?)

[Bystander]

Excellent example of a knee-jerk article, Kimberly!

[tchoupitoulav]

I think I will do like the queen and just wave.

[benne]

When I hear suggestions like this, I think about the 1950s ideas about raising infants. To make them healthier, they would separate them off from other children. They actually got more ill, they finally discovered, because we need human contact, including human touch. I hope we don't sacrifice this greeting gesture just because it will supposedly make us healthier. It may only increase our sense of isolation.

[grailknight]

Not to disagree, but the right-wing fundamentalist, evangelical, non-gnostics will again maul you to suggest that the divine is within oneself, rather than the subservient, personal, and even conversational relationship JC. Also I live in a state where conceal-carry is the law and a legislature that wants to extend it to public college campuses, we still need a handshake to show that no weapons are going to be displayed.

[Cogitoe]

I'll stop shaking hands when the Europeans stop kissing on the cheek. Fair enough?

[leaseaguest]

I think this is a brilliant piece (all of yours are...) and I hope you'll keep presenting that which you feel inspired to share. I've kept my own writing bottled up inside for fear of the pack.... and what a shame it is... Especially after Frank Rich wrote on March 14th in the New York Times:

"What has happened between 2001 and 2009 to so radically change the cultural climate? Here, at last, is one piece of good news in our global economic meltdown: Americans have less and less patience for the intrusive and divisive moral scolds who thrived in the bubbles of the Clinton and Bush years. Culture wars are a luxury the country — the G.O.P. included — can no longer afford."

Keep writing your peace. I think each and every one has been brilliant and illuminating.

[TazoWolf]

Decent Q&A about Swine flu here, backing up words with scientific explanations people can understand to dispel some fears and explain where the real concerns lie. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma7IeWRH7y0

[escribacat]

I used to travel to Paris to work for a week or two each trip. I recall that when we arrived at the office each morning, all my French colleagues went around shaking everyone's hand. Every morning. We Yanks used to joke about it.

[drew ca]

I vote we eliminate hugging and any other form of human contact. I think it's best we live in fear of one another - that's the only way we can really be safe.

We need less isolation, more community. I vote hugs and kisses for all.

[MargaretBBack]

I agree with you on the hand shake - although it will be a challenge for our culture to change.

Another thing that is a challenge for our culture to assimilate is coughing and sneezing into our elbow. I first learned of this 3 years ago and have been a huge advocate since.

We in america cover our coughs with our hands. But, hands touch. Everything. Doorknobs. Lightswitches, keyboards as I type. Coughing and sneezing into your hands is a guarantee that germs and viruses are going to spread.

Elbows don't touch much. Try to touch things with your elbow.

I tried to teach my 3 yr old to cough and sneeze into her elbow but it was hard. So I created the Germy Wormy Germ Smart for kids program to teach them.

If you are concerned about the spread of swine flu and your kids - please check out the Germy Wormy website. If only to learn how to not give and get germs.

[Moshe]

Great idea.

Hygience and health should be our first priorty, especially when there are far better ways to demonstrate respect for those we meet anyway.

What we say and how we treat others is far more important than whether we symbolicly touch hands.

[NW48]

It's an idea that's long overdue. Why continue to show that you're "unarmed". It was a tradition based on violence. Its also a way people size each other up. How nice. I'm meeting you and you're trying to show me you're better than me, or you're not afraid/int­imidated/s­ecretly peeing your pants or whatever ego-based nonsense you live your life by. A greeting should be pleasant, positive and open-minded.

Namaste is not about deference. It's about HONORING that we are EQUALS. Americans have to lose this, "I'm better than you" attitude. Its what brought us all the headaches we have now.

Besides, think of what people do with their hands before they reach for yours: sneeze, cough, wipe their rears, clean their ears, pick their nose, pick up dog poo and now you've met them while they're walking their dog...do you think they are going to wash their hands before asking you to get all their bio-hazards on yours? No. It's not practical.

I believe we need to lose this name calling insecurity Americans have, as well as the out dated and disgusting handshake.

[TheBender]

1. Namaste literally translates to "I bow to the Divine in you" or "The Divine within me honors The Divine within you."

This statement is a wonderful thought, that is until the ACLU decides it is the installation of religion in the U.S. and quickly sues everyone.

2. If not a handshake, shall we try the European cheek to cheek kiss?

Just kidding on both points, although I'm sure a few wingnuts on this site will align with one or both.