Hand raised, palm outward used to signify a friendly greeting without threat.
That gesture evolved into the simultaneous clasping of each other’s arm. Later the greeting was modified into the simple shaking of hands.
Ah, those were the days.
Times have changed. The words “gimme five” produced a sideways palm slap. After that, “high five” meant an upraised hand strike preferred by overpaid athletes and hip dudes.
Now we enter the modern era of the fist bump (aka fist jab, fist pound, knuckle bump, knuckle pound, rock spud or the less benign “get some”).
It’s much more hygienic than the Eskimo rubbing of noses, the European kissing of both cheeks and the canine whiffing of butts.
But are fist bumps really friendly? Boxers, after all, bump gloves before trying to deck each other. And martial artists consider the fist a lethal weapon.
Let’s end all this touchy-feely stuff. And adopt a more standoffish form of greeting such as bowing, nodding and curtsying. (20 JULY 2008)
