fist bumping, secret handshakes, and other physical greetings
do you do this shit? I was sitting on the bus today and noticed some highschoolers (I think?) bump into eachother (obviously knew the other from school or something), they did the touch fingers then fist-bump thing. idk i always just feel awkward when people try to do that sort of shit with me, like wtf am i supposed to do next in this little ritual? personally, i'm just a "hey" sort of person. the physical contact stuff just seems weird and makes me think of dogs sniffing eachothers butts.
Last edited by bg; 08-04-2013 at 06:41 AM.
I'm ashamed to admit that my boyfriend and I bump chests like frat boys. Often. IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE HUMOROUS THOUGH.
"[Scapegrace,] I don't know how anyone can stand such a sinister and mean individual as you." - Maritsa Darmandzhyan
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I basically only do fist bumps and hand shakes because other people expect it of me. Same apples to most hugs, unless I feel particularly thankful for something someone's done. I suppose I'm a rather physically distant fellow for this reason, but I make up for it in verbal communication.
Last edited by Galen; 08-04-2013 at 07:14 AM.
I don't think I've ever initiated a fist bump, but some of my friends do it.
I prefer a stern handshake.
There are lots of people with whom physical contact of any kind feels unnatural to me, but getting to touch the ones that don't fall into that category is super important to me. There can never be too many hugs or cuddles or high fives or pats on the head/hand/shoulder.
escalate by asking to sniff their butt. they'll never ask again.
The security guard where I work goes around fist bumping people, but he's frat-boyish and probably bored a lot.
Other than that nobody I know does it - not since school. I preferred it to the intrusive hugging greeting which the females did with that weird shrieking thing. (Maybe that's a British peculiarity, but it always seemed like they'd taken it from American highschool films. Either way it was fucking weird.)
Obama and Michelle fist.
"[Scapegrace,] I don't know how anyone can stand such a sinister and mean individual as you." - Maritsa Darmandzhyan
Brought to you by socionix.com
BnD doesn't.
High fives are too showy.
Secret handshakes are not to be talked about.
..Fist bumping I do practice with people I feel brotherly with. Agarina included.
The occasion must be a right one though.
I have this one friend who is the epitome of swag. Often when something cool happens in front of us and we sit next to one another, we might fist bump without exchanging a glance at one another. Our bottle opener rings click and it basically radiates unpracticed, innate awesomeness that hits Far Out! on the Geiger counter.
But I can also imagine that many people do it with an air of pretense around it, especially in the USA (since many people here are really fucking into that popularity game).
“I tell you, freedom and human rights in America are doomed. The U.S. government will lead the American people in — and the West in general — into an unbearable hell and a choking life. - Osama bin Laden
I think I gave the impression of too hostile of a reaction in my post with the dogs sniffing butts thing. I just always feel awkward with this, like you never know what sort of pattern the finger touches and bumps are supposed to go in so it just feels like awkward flailing followed by unspoken judgement at not knowing how to confidently do the little ritual. I think I do notice that it's a younger thing, like it mostly comes from the 20ish year olds that I know.
I dunno what I do.
I nod. and am I'm a pretty awkward hugger to those I don't really know well/like. I try not to be, but the last time I'd to hug someone at work due to her moving away, we bumped shoulders pretty hard. No idea how that happened.
I jokingly fist bump, but it's usually just with dude friends.
I also occasionally chest bump and/or smack an ass.
Definitely prefer hands on shoulders, gentle casual strokes on back and/or arm, hugs, cuddling.
I think it involves a training process...seeing it done by people close to you, joining in, and making mistakes til you get it right, then it becomes habitual. ... Then you do it to someone who hasn't a clue and looks at you like you're a weirdo.
As a kid there was a little handshake ritual that went around my church. It was so common that i almost thought it was how you shook hands, period. And then I went to a different church in the same religion but different state, and learned it wasn't done by all, lol. That was an embarrassing learning process.
IEE 649 sx/sp cp
hugs feel like a natural expression of warmth to me (not that i initiate hugs), but I don't feel the awkward "in crowd" sort of vibe with those.
Last edited by bg; 08-04-2013 at 11:56 PM.
In professional settings, it's a very common standard to shake hands here. You go to the doctor, you shake hands. You see your boss in the morning, you shake hands (even daily). Your car broke down and you meet the guy who is going to tow it away, you shake hands. It would not be very well received at all if you denied a handshake, so it's basically inevitable. But shaking hands is something I don't mind, so that's no problem.
The same reason, however, made me change my opinion on hugging people. I'm not too much into that (specifically with people who I just met), but it's also very common to hug people goodbye, especially females. So turning down the hug may seriously offend the other person, even if I may liked them. And since the whole issue is not that important for me, I prefer to conform in that case instead of giving people false impressions for no reason.
But I think that those elaborated "secret" handshakes and greetings as they're mentioned in the OP are pretty silly and much more awkward than awesome.
„Man can do what he wants but he cannot want what he wants.“
– Arthur Schopenhauer
my friend who i go visit every week or so actually has stood up for/said something when his younger friends go to do that stuff with me, "Rob's kinda shy, doesn't really like human contact". I think he does it more to cover me for feeling weird about it than to explain to the person trying to do it. but he's good like that, taking the awkwardness out of things by being upfront with it.
I do like to hug people. But i also know that many people don't like being hugged/touched. So upon meeting them, I might initially make the movements, then be unsure if they dislike hugs, so will withdraw before touching, and then things feel awkward for a moment.
Similar upon leaving, but then i go into a headspin about being so stupid and awkward. Grr.
IEE 649 sx/sp cp
aww, it's kind of comforting to hear that this stuff can be as awkward and self-conscious for initiators as it is for people who mess up the receiving. <3Originally Posted by anndelise
I do like to hug people. But i also know that many people don't like being hugged/touched. So upon meeting them, I might initially make the movements, then be unsure if they dislike hugs, so will withdraw before touching, and then things feel awkward for a moment.
Similar upon leaving, but then i go into a headspin about being so stupid and awkward. Grr.
There ya go...reveling in my pain again.
IEE 649 sx/sp cp
People try and do handshakes that evolve into fist bumping, exploding hands. But I typically stand there awkwardly and then proceed to feel left out for not being properly warned or trained.
#StillNotACoolKid
:[
And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won't he more surely care for you?- Matthew 6:30
There seems to be a lot of fisting going on in this thread.
IJ feels left out, guys.
I fist daily, but not in this thread.IJ feels left out, guys.
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