On giving up Human Contact.

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The sense of touch is a very important part of natural human behavior. You can touch a loved ones hair to console them or show affection. You can pat them on the back to say "good job". You can a give hug, or a handshake or a kiss-- touch is a part of human experience.

Americans are already known as being "cold" in most countries. Just cross the border into Mexico and you will see... people hug and kiss and slap backs; affection is not something to be uncomfortable about. In many countries (including the conservative Middle East) friends will walk down the street hand in hand.

The logical response to a respiratory disease is to get people to stop breathing. What we are going to do is stop touching, hugging and handshaking.

I am on board with this drastic response to this crisis in the short term. I hope that this will not impact who we are as a culture and as human beings forever. The American culture is already dysfunctional when it comes to any show of affection.

I don't accept that this will change who we are as human beings forever. At some time in the near future I am going to find a beautiful woman, I will ask her for a dance. Then I will take her by the hand, grab her by the waist and dance to Salsa music.

Because that is what life is about.

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Type: Question • Score: 11 • Views: 964 • Replies: 32

It’s a regional thing. People in NYC are quite different from people in North Carolina. Find people who have the type of regional temperament that you find meets your needs.

0 Replies

@maxdancona,

It all comes down to being controlled by fear, America has the most insane and stupid laws in the world their own constitution means totally means nothing to them, America is the only country in the world that imprisions children for life as young as 5 or even younger America is not a place I want to be in but sadly I am

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I disagree that Americans are known as being cold in most countries. I have seen countless videos for years in which people from various countries describe Americans as being "too friendly" or at least "friendly." My Bulgarian wife tells me that when she arrived here, she was freaked out by the fact that strangers would smile at her on the street or in stores.

As to the subject of human contact, I, for one, have no intention of changing, although I don't think I'll go for a hand shake while people are still terified of Covid-19.

2 Replies

@Brandon9000,

I think I am going to ask verbally if they would like a handshake. And, I will make a point of asking lots of people as a positive pressure to get people to get over their fear.

And if they say no, that will amuse me.

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@Brandon9000,

Quote:

I disagree that Americans are known as being cold in most countries.

In Latin American countries they are. Maybe my generalization was a bit wide. It would be interesting if there was data on this Wink

.

In Guatemala I had an interesting exchange when a recently made friend told me that I couldn't be an American. When I asked why she said "Americans are cold". I took it as a nice compliment. It is a common stereotype.

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I think we should do away with handshakes and consider the bow. It's an added benefit for lefties who feel awkward.

"Bowing (also called stooping) is the act of lowering the torso and head as a social gesture in direction to another person or symbol. It is most prominent in Asian cultures but it is also typical of nobility and aristocracy in many European countries. It is also used in religious contexts, as a form of worship or veneration. Sometimes the gesture may be limited to lowering the head such as in Indonesia, and in many cultures several degrees of the lowness of the bow are distinguished and regarded as appropriate for different circumstances. "

1 Reply

@neptuneblue,

Bowing (if it is done correctly) doesn't involve any physical contact with another human being.

I am rejecting the idea that we need to give up physical contact. Our sense of touch is a big part of who we are as human beings. Bowing is obviously cultural, but it seems awfully impersonal to me.

The important thing is human connection. A symbol of acknowledgement or respect isn't the same.

1 Reply

@maxdancona,

I'm not hugging my boss. Nor a stranger. Or the deli counter clerk...

1 Reply

@neptuneblue,

neptuneblue wrote:

I'm not hugging my boss. Nor a stranger. Or the deli counter clerk...

That is the reason we have handshakes. I will give a handshake to someone I just met in a business setting where a hug isn't appropriate.

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My adult children and I rubbed shoulders, back to back when they cane over. ( I live alone)

I needed that physical contact.

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@maxdancona,

Think of cats. Some enjoy peoplized or even other cat interaction, some do not. Some are friendly with almost everybody, others are selective.

Same thing happens with other critters and yes, that includes humans.

People are not all the same. Some are outgoing, others just aren't. Some are touch-feely others don't want anybody pawing them.. For others, they are selective and hug, kiss or shoulder rub only certain folks and there are many who only want physical contact from people who they like. Not some random dude or dudette or even dudellette.

Want to shake hands down the road? No need to be asking. People can simply extend their hand it may be accepted...or not. Ask on hugs and kisses. Hugs up to now involve spreading arms wide in a welcoming pose and allowing a person to decide. Maybe keep that practice.

As to past handshakes, I am a left handed shaker. Doesn't bother me or most others. And yes, a person can use the left hand to shake the right hand of another.

You are too caught up in the current situation to see clearly and realize that this will evolve into something else. Yup. Same as life has always been.

1 Reply

Human contact comes in many flavors.

0 Replies

@Sturgis,

There is going to be some jostling to figure out where our social conventions land after the pandemic. I am stating my position... once the crisis is over, I don't want to give up the level of social or physical contact we have now.

What it will evolve into is the question... and as part of society I have a say in this.

Obviously I am reacting to the people who want to turn post pandemic society in to some germophobe utoptia free from physical contact.

0 Replies

@maxdancona,

maxdancona wrote:

The sense of touch is a very important part of natural human behavior. You can touch a loved ones hair to console them or show affection. You can pat them on the back to say "good job". You can a give hug, or a handshake or a kiss-- touch is a part of human experience.

Americans are already known as being "cold" in most countries. Just cross the border into Mexico and you will see... people hug and kiss and slap backs; affection is not something to be uncomfortable about. In many countries (including the conservative Middle East) friends will walk down the street hand in hand.

The logical response to a respiratory disease is to get people to stop breathing. What we are going to do is stop touching, hugging and handshaking.

I am on board with this drastic response to this crisis in the short term. I hope that this will not impact who we are as a culture and as human beings forever. The American culture is already dysfunctional when it comes to any show of affection.

I don't accept that this will change who we are as human beings forever. At some time in the near future I am going to find a beautiful woman, I will ask her for a dance. Then I will take her by the hand, grab her by the waist and dance to Salsa music.

Because that is what life is about.

A good bet since nothing is forever.

It remains to be seen how much this changes us....Humans are now of substantially lower quality than is the norm....learning tends to go slowly....reforming tends to almost never happen.

This will be changing, because BIG PAIN always does the job of teaching in the end if we dont die first.....it is just a matter how how long and how much pain is required to do the job.

1 Reply

@hawkeye10,

The risk will go away. We have had pandemics and plagues before. This is a one time rare event.

This pandemic will end and our level of risk will go back to where it has always been.

1 Reply

I'm just sad that the
only one giving me human contact is me
...
.

0 Replies

@maxdancona,

Quote:

This is a one time rare event.

You don't know that.

2 Replies

@hightor,

hightor wrote:

Quote:
This is a one time rare event.

You don't know that.

Maybe you don't grasp what rare means?

1 Reply

@hightor,

hightor wrote:

Quote:
This is a one time rare event.

You don't know that.

We know from 10,000 years of human history how epidemics work. It is possible that this one is somehow different... I guess.

1 Reply

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