Should We Bid The Traditional Handshake Goodbye?

Two Prominent Men May be Leading The Way
Published by The Duchesne

Barack Obama loves this gesture

Dalai Lama fist bumps with Memphis mayor

It's surprising that in today's liberal world the thought of greeting with a fist bump is still looked upon as informal, when in fact its history states otherwise. 

Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln marked the end of the American Civil war with a bump of fists signifying unity.

Barack Obama gave it a revival when he fist bumped with Michelle after a campaign speech in 2008.

Since then, there have been numerous articles on the fist bump and whether or not it is 'appropriate' for high profiled individuals to showcase. Some have even gone as far as branding it a 'terrorist fist jab'. 

(Funny how it seemed to be terrorist when Barack did it but it was not the case when others were doing it.)

In my opinion, I would rather fist bump than shake hands; be cheek kissed or hugged by individuals I hardly know. We definitely do not know where hands have been and from a health perspective, the quickest way to spread germs and viruses is through a handshake, since the palms of the hand and fingertips are extremely receptive to germs. 

As humans we touch our faces repeatedly, particularly eyelids, nostrils and lips without even noticing and we do this almost as often as blinking. It is an innate trait that is also identifiable in our close relatives, the primates.

Medical evidence points out that greeting with knuckles instead of the fingertips renders disease transmission less likely and with serious strains of viruses such as the swine flu, one must really consider which is more important. 

Being a conformist and adhering to what is socially acceptable? Or making one's own choice considering the health implications?

There will always be people with something to say, but at the end of the day the decision on how you live your life, and HOW you choose to greet, lies with you. 

So don't be afraid, the next time someone offers you a hand, bump that fist....

Long live the fist bump!

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Photography, The Web