To Shake or Not to Shake
The handshake. It has been a part of our very existence in some form or another for not just hundreds but thousands of years. After watching the news this morning, I became curious as to its origins, so I did some research.
According to History.com, there are several theories which have been all but proven and have substantial evidence to back it up. Besides the fact that Homer refers to the handshake a few times in both the “Iliad” and the “Odyssey” to show good faith and a pact if you will, at its inception it began as a way of proving to others you were not armed. By extending your right hand, you were showing you were weaponless and further, the action of shaking itself was put in place to show that you did’t have anything “up your sleeve” either. So, in short, it’s the preverbal “I come in peace”.
It also was used, as we do to this very day (or at least up until life as we know it changed a few weeks back), as a way to demonstrate good faith and what one did when coming to agreement on something – you shook on it.
Fast forward to this morning and what peaked my curiosity. Dr. Anthony Fauci, a man who to most no longer needs an introduction, was quoted as saying the following during a Podcast with the Wall Street Journal this past Tuesday:
“I don’t think we should ever shake hands ever again, to be honest with you,” said Dr. Fauci, “Not only would it be good to prevent coronavirus disease; it probably would decrease instances of influenza dramatically in this country.”
So, essentially, Americans should avoid shaking hands — “ever” again — in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, according to the top doctor on the White House’s task force battling the deadly bug.
Now remember, this was Tuesday. In an interview he did this morning on The Today Show, he did say that would be the ideal, but in the next breath said he didn’t see that happening in our culture.
I am curious what all of you think! I for one may think twice moving forward…and I’m a hugger. Food for thought.
To shake or not to shake? That is my question to all of you!
