Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Traditional Handshake, or Soul-Brother Fist-Bumping Action?


True racial harmony

 OR

Step 1 of (as much as) 55



Don't you hate that? You reach in for the traditional, widely accepted (in most countries and provinces) firm handshake, only the intended ‘receivee’ has misunderstood or, even more dangerously so, disregarded common social convention and instead gone for the full on soul-brother multi-step fist bump/finger slide/ghetto-gangsta handshake. It makes me feel so damn awkward, and in some cases, so white, even though my skin is a delicious brown. No offence to any white peeps out there or anything, but you know what I mean.

After initial contact is made and both of you realise you've misinterpreted the interaction, no one knows what to do. Either one or both parties attempts to salvage the crisis by continuing their initially intended action, or one or both parties attempt to switch to their receiver’s action, only to further confund the situation. Either that or the entire transaction collapses. A true dilemma.

There should be a uniform standard brought forward to address such an issue and nullify such awkward interactions from here on out. Either ban one type entirely, or create some major differences at the interaction initiation. Here is my proposal:

  • If a traditional handshake is intended, both parties should raise their hands from the side, as usual, at a uniform speed with no hesitations or unpredictable/chaotic movements.
  • If the soul-brother gangsta interaction is the intended course of action, at least one party should start their approach from a higher angle, or have their elbow move backwards til it is at a position behind the side of the body and then come forward for first contact. This way, their intentions are not misunderstood.
This is only an early stage proposal, and any suggestions or improvements are welcome. All I'm trying to do is save some from the severe awkwardness that is felt once a handshake/soul-brother fist-bump has failed. 

God help us all.

2 comments:

  1. Bahaha. This is brilliant!
    I agree at a level I can't express. You see, I don't have "delicious brown" skin, and I feel white to the extreme when people go up for fancy handshakes... Especially when the people doing funky handshakes are just as white as I am. =P
    I think your proposal would work really well and I know it would help me out a lot.
    Great point. =)
    Have a nice day.

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  2. This must become a global movement...

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