There has been a lot of chatter about a handshake lately starting with Michael Arrington’s - Hand Shaking Is So Medieval. Let’s End It. Everyone acknowledges the long history and the difficulty of changing the habits, etc. So let’s work backwards and reverse engineer the electronic handshake. In essence this means that both parties virtually allow communication, information or perhaps even the current to flow in both directions. So regardless if you shake or kiss on both cheeks the motions is not a substitute to the essence of the ritual, that is a shot of the emotional currency, acknowledging the other party and being expressively tuned into the reality of the other human being. I was reminded of this today when I attended a bris. There were people there that did connect regardless of a handshake. A handshake is not a substitute of turning on the switch and allowing the emotional flow in both directions. In fact a bris is sign of a covenant between a person and his God. Not to get carried away with the shaking metaphors but this is pretty much a sign of being accepted to Gods friends list. Is it too much for the mortals to shake on it?
Further reading:Reverse Engineering a Handshake
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