non-handshake greetings

My wife sent me a video link on fist-bumping as a major improvement in social hygiene. You can see in the clip to the right that handshaking is a significant disease spreading vector.

I confess to having hand-shaking deeply embedded into my cultural norms. My circle of acquaintances are probably similarly programmed. I’m not sure this can work.

Of course the lamestream media onslaught of virus fear-mongering should make this an opportune moment in our history for a cultural shift in greeting and deal-making rituals. I suppose that is assuming we don’t want to regularly challenge our immune systems.

I share with you here a photographic set of cultural alternatives to the western handshake. I think a hands at the side, eyes down bow has the best shot at ignoring the proffered hand without causing significant embarrassment for either party.

Observe the efficiency of the group bow