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Thu 13 Jul, 2006 03:51 pm
The lady Diane and I have a sister/brother help with some work around our house. They are native americans from the Acoma Pueblo. The young man is named "William" and when I first met him he reached out to shake my hand and I immediately noticed a VERY LIMP handshake. I was somewhat startled at first and then remembered that a soft and slightly turned inward handshake is a sign of deference, respect and humility in his culture. I found it interesting that I would be so quick to judge without knowing what the fuc*k I was judging. However, I'm sure no one else here would make the mistake I did.
I continue to be amazed at the limp handshakes from Mexicans (Mexican intended, not Hispanic) involved in serious labor. I wonder if they're really afraid they will crush your hand. Anyway, if you're hiring a crew, go for the ones with the lightest handshakes.
Well, I'd glad to know no one else here is as quick to judge as I am.
As you no doubt noticed, that is the quickest judgement possible. It works.
Limp handshake = rural/indian cultural origin.
May be good for getting hired as part of a hard labor crew in the US. But it's terrible for doing business in Mexico City.
(there's a style editor in the paper, we call him The Destroyer. He'll redo any piece and put it in no less than perfect, sometimes too perfect, Spanish. And every time I've shaken his hand, in different periods over 16 years, he comes with this limp handshake and I think: "still with his Oaxaca town modes"... BTW, he's anything but humble).
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