Handshakes

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Does anyone else loathe this custom? I hate shaking hands with people. I don't like the texture of someone else's hand in mine, and mine are always so limp because of it. And how long am I supposed to shake hands with someone? God, why can't I live in Japan and just bow to people?

I'm a hand shaker, which is better than hugging, though right?

When someone is extending their hand to shake yours, you should take the hand firmly and then release it quickly. Just a 1 second long squeeze, with you in control. After they have left, use some sanitizer on your hands.

I know this is unpleasant, but it is over quickly if you take control of the shake.

Limp handshakes are obviously a sign of a person who doesn't like to shake. The other person is a jerk for not releasing the handshake quicker and then not repeating it. If the same person is repeatedly shaking your hand, maybe you should ask yourself why they're doing it in the first place. Do they like making you feel awkward? Hm...

I don't like handshakes at all. I like giving hugs, but only to people I trust.

I detest handshakes and hugs. As far as which is worse the hug of course but I'm simply replying to the question

Yeah, I'm not a fan of hand shaking either, or any form of physical contact with people for that matter with few exceptions.

The other problem, if you look at the typical social skills advice, is that you're supposed to maintain eye contact during the handshake - making it even more uncomfortable. And, as someone who is often anxious, I get really self-conscious about my hands often being quite sweaty.

The worst for this is a certain kind of person, usually over-confident, arrogant business people, who believe that how you shake hands is some kind of personality test that they will then use to judge the other person. I've met quite a few managers and sales people who, after I've forced myself to go through the whole pointless ritual, then come out with something which sounds like - "That wasn't a proper handshake, do it again, this time with "feeling"'. Eh, what? I thought the objective was to say "Hi", then negotiate an objective business agreement, not engage in some kind of dick-measuring contest based on grip strength (when I say "dick-measuring" - I have noted that I've never encountered a woman who feels the need to analyse my handshake this way).

I have been known to get my own back sometimes by REALLY squeezing the next time around. I might be all skin-and-bone, but I've played bass every day for thirty years and used to be a rock-climber. If they complain that it hurts, I just tell them, "You just told me my handshake was too limp, I was only doing what you suggested."

In my experience, there is a correlation between this kind of stupid "handshake test" and people who have been through a certain kind of business/management training - the sort that likes to get employees to sit through Myers-Briggs personality tests, and all that other pointless rubbish that real psychologists and sociologists dumped years ago as too simplistic, unreliable, and unrepeatable to be much use for anything.

Yes I hate handshakes, but still doing it. Only when I'm very upset I put my hands away.

Consistent research since the mid 1980's shows that you are far more likely to catch a cold or other respiratory virus from handshaking than actually *kissing* the person. And since I don't like kissing anyone but my spouse and kids, I avoid handshakes however possible without it being too awkward. If I have to do so, I make sure to wash my hands before touching food or my face. Handshaking is a social custom from long before germ theory and it sorely needs to be replaced by something a bit more thoughtful.

I hate handshakes too, and any form of forced physical contact, so I simply refuse to take part. If someone extends their hand to me, I'll screw my face up and say 'Eww, do you always try and force other people into physical contact?' then point out that as a female, I don't want to be rubbing a strange man's hand anyway, thank you very much. Even if it's at a job interview, I don't want to be touching people I don't know, so to me refusing to do so is the only way of getting people to question their weird everyday habits that the rest of us are expected to conform to.

While I generally dislike handshakes, it has to be done because it is customary to greet someone with this, and it is to be expected. Also if you're used to giving "poor" or "bad" handshakes, I'm going to let you on a little advice: just firmly grip the hand (not squeeze or strangle with the force of a locomotive), shake it and let go. Oh and I forgot to mention, you have to make and maintain eye contact for a few seconds, and then proceed to steps 2 and 3 (shake the hand and let it go). I know that can be fairly challenging, but I promise that you'll eventually get over it. Give or take a couple dozens of handshakes later . Now that that's all said and done, that wasn't so hard, was it?

Trouble with that is then you have to figure out all of the complex rules about bowing they have Japan: how low do you bow, how long, how many times: all of it based on the unspoken rules about how the other person's status compares to yours.

American handshaking is complicated enough, but simple compared to bowing in Japan.Or thats the impression I get.

I posted a long time ago about how loathsome and stupid I consider handshaking. A throwback to some ancient warrior custom. In Asia such contact is/was considered invasive and offensive, and that's why they bow heads in greeting.

I like handshaking better than that "bump and hug" modern people have come up with.

I don't like the "fist pump" that much....though I understand the hygienic reason for it.

Handshakes are so awkward. And I'm probably the limpest handshaker in existance. XD

It just doesn't feel right to firmly grab someone's hand for no actual practical purpose.

I shake hands but cringe due to knowing just how unhygienic people can be.

I don't like touching strangers at all, including shaking hands. Hugging is even worse. I to would prefer to bow to people -it acknowledges them, show's respect and doesn't require touching.