Over the weekend I wrote a post on the disgusting habit of hand shaking: Hand Shaking Is So Medieval. Let’s End It. 500 comments later, about 40% of readers seemed to agree with me. The rest think I have OCD or some other psychological condition that needs treatment. Or just have no social skills.
If I could take a poll, though, it’s clear that the people who have hands thrust at them more than they thrust hands at others are more likely to be opposed to hand shaking. CEOs and journalists, for example, tended to agree. Business development and sales types hate the idea.
But whatever people’s individual feelings on hand shaking, one thing is clear. Some people are using this as a cue to stop the barbaric practice once and for all. And yesterday one brave company and its board of directors were willing to publicly admit that they held an actual board of directors meeting where no one shook hands. That was unthinkable a week ago.
From Chester Ng, who twittered this morning: “@arrington’s “handshake revolution” has begun! We kicked off our BOD meeting w/ awkward yet sanitary fist-bumps w/ @davidcowan @jamescham“
David Cowan, a partner at Bessemer who was at the meeting, agrees: “Arrington makes sense: Hand Shaking Is So Medieval. Let’s End It. » link to Hand Shaking Is So Medieval. Let’s End It. by @arrington. The objections are ridiculous.”
A revolution has begun. lol.
All we need now is a proper logo for the cause, because sooner or later Marvel is going to send us another letter threatening a lawsuit if we keep using the Iron Man image. Create one that we like and win a free TechCrunch Tshirt. Just link to it below.
You still touch when you fist bump! It could be considered more sanitary but not as good as a head nod!
Bring on the head nod!
there will be no splinter groups.
So does this mean no more blood-pacts or spit-handshakes either?
Darn.
;p
Yeah.. stone age is better than medieval times.
You touch door knobs with palm, not fist. Ultimately one day we will have to open doors using fist. And we would not share a pen as it spreads germs. All these are indirect contacts though while handshake is direct touch.
Agree to anything absurd by someone influential and you get to have 15 seconds of fame..
Wow..just noticed that OpenCandy has also managed to get a PR 8 backlink for their one moment of absurdity..
Stroke of brilliance!
Dude, I was told it’s all about start-ups, here.
Is TechCrunch a health blog?
U shag with same hand and shake it with another hand? Shake shake hand is bad.
germs and sperms spread.. yuck
I’m afraid your joking post will only lead more people insisting that you shake their hand and messing with you. But it’s good for a laugh and probably some nice publicity for TC. Kudos to you.
I would take a handshake over someone spitting on me at shows….
Thats the way people great Mike
So if i say “40k german soldiers died”, the actual number is 1.7 million is that being a holocaust denier?
Or am I a holocaust denier only if i messed with the “jewish deaths”?
Why is it the Jews have a trademark on the term Holocaust even though over 56 million people died during WW2, that includes 20 million russians(7.7 were civilians)????
This is a joke right?
I stand by what I said previously. It’s sad the only way TC can get the community involved in a dialogue is to post silly things like this. It was silly when you first posted, and pathetic the second time.
Do you hold handrails? Subway straps? Touch door knobs? Breath the air in the conference room shared by the people whose hands you didn’t shake?
Just silly, and I hate myself for commenting on the post twice.
Hand Thruster.
Michael, you have my complete support. Hand Thrusters expect the rest of us to live by their silly rituals. Even powdered wigs disappeared. We do not want to shake hands with strangers. It is meaningless, wasteful and unhealthy
Sorry, I’m not going to be baited in to responding a third time.
Oh wait….darn you evil manipulator!
I win.
Do you hold handrails? Subway straps? Touch door knobs? Breath the air in the conference room shared by the people whose hands you didn’t shake?
Those are things that, unlike handshaking, you don’t get much choice over. And guess what – I do think about germs with all of those things.
“Touch door knobs?” – OMG!!! Never, never… Although, come to think of it, Arrington opens restroom doors, going in and coming out, with his elbows, knees or other body appendages….
Doing that makes you look just about as stupid as the guy who refuses to shake anothers hand.
Lol, I disagree. My bathroom procedure consists of pushing the towel lever down first until I get about 2 feet of towel, then I turn on the faucet and wash, then I rip the towel off, dry my hands, turn off the faucet with the towel, then open the bathroom door with towel and throw it into the trash on the way out. I’ve been doing this for years.
I’m also the same guy who pushes public doors open by either touching anywhere 12 inches above or below the handle, or I Just use my foot.
Then when I get in my car, GermX is behind the seat.
Why don’t you just use Prevex to adapt to people rather than ask that they all adapt to you ? It is an over-the-counter hand cream that forms a very thin chemical barrier. That’s what a lot of hand-shaking politicians use, for example. I use it if I must travel somewhere on vacation and don’t want to catch the inevitable Canadian cold a few days before departure, for example.
change is inevitable, anybody fighting for keeping wasteful and meaningless rituals around has nothing to contribute to the revolution
Then stop gathering around the virtual campfire to share your 2 cents ? This is so 5000 B.C.
my gathering around the virtual campfire does not affect you because you don’t have to be there, you trying to shake my hand when i don’t want to does. We do not want to shake hands with strangers. It is meaningless, wasteful and unhealthy, that’s the point, if that’s how you feel about the virtual camp fire, don’t be a troll, leave!
I suppose u dont breath, use public rest rooms, use underground train, etc etc and of course you are always dressed with your biohazzard hermetic special suit, or, at least, with latex gloves, don’t you?. This ‘no hand shaking’ is one of the most stupid thing i ve ever heard. And ive heard a lot.
Fist-Bump’s are so yesterday!
I am lobbying for the Chest-bump-low-five-behind-the-back-too-slow-jazz-hands-wave as greeting at our next company meeting!
Daniel
https://spideroak.com – Free Online Backup and Smart File & Folder Sync
I like it how you just suggested that 60% of your readers need to see a doctor. Maybe you’re the one that needs to see a doctor about your Verminophobia problem.
whenever 60% of people agree on something, it’s usually a bad idea.
Oh, I see what you did there.
Shh.
He does have a point here. Look who got elected.
We do not want to shake hands with strangers. It is meaningless, wasteful and unhealthy. It is a choice we have and are making, like tea vs coffee. You would not call us names for choosing either…you probably would…there’s a name for that kind of reasoning too
listen boy, stop kissing mike-the-idiot’s ass. ok?
If hand shaking is so medieval so is bowing to each other (it’s even older than medieval) or raising the hand to each other (not to mention saying something as a salute). Why not stop those too?
Let’s invent a new way of saluting, fit for this modern age…
More and more people are keeping the physical distance between them…no wonder services like Twitter or Facebook are thriving.
you are obviously a Hand Thruster. And more than likely you don’t wash your hands after using the bathroom.
Oh yeah, I’m washing my hands when I come out from the bathroom. I have learned that since childhood.
? Or, do you actually want to protect us by not shaking our hands 
?
Do you wash your hands after using the bathroom
I prefer simple tip-o-the-hat or head nod. It’s not a germ thing, I like germs! I just don’t like touching strangers.
Can we slap people on the back instead?
like I said, no splinter groups. You’re either with me or you’re against me.
This just in Mike.. Japan and most of Asia are officially with you on this one.
no physical contact, that’s the point, we are strangers
But how will you know if someone is confident or not?! Think of the hand squeeze! THE HAND SQUEEZE!
don’t be a hand thruster.
10 years later the human population takes a significant dip because of weak immune systems! Thanks Handshake Revolution
less people may not be a bad thing.
You go first
Bwahaha. Awesome.
Michael,
Congratulations!
I’m a Marketing Director and I’m very very happy to see that people are listening to your advice.
When I start my own business, it will be one of the rules that we only greet people with head nods.
I’ve had enough of hand shakes!!!!!!
you mean a fist bump. no splinter groups. we have to keep control of this revolution.
Pfft. 10 minutes into it and the Fisting Revolution’s inspirational leader turns into some sort of despotic control-freak. Figures.
totally.
Fisting revolution? yeah, that isn’t going to work.
Nah, I think it’s a better term. It has a certain ring to it. Plus, I’m pretty happy that your filter didn’t catch that one. Could we have this emblazoned on the logos: The Fisting Revolution Has Begun ?
So Mike is part of a Fisting Revolution??? I always new he was a little wierd, but he likes to get fisted…. wow
Howard Stern has been talking about hating hand shakes for years too. And I agree. I’m not a germaphobe but it is an unsanitary custom.
just because he thought of this before me doesn’t mean he should get credit.
OR….. they pulled a PR stunt to get TC to do an article on them! Genius.
BTW, Mike, don’t listen to the critics that want to force you not to comment on things that are not strictly technology-related.
You are at a position where you can help change things and you should utilize it to the fullest extent for the good as you do.
I was happy to see the Facebook/Holocaust posts and now these about Hand Shaking.
Your voice is heard and you should continue making it heard for all these important yet overlooked issues.
Why does there have to be any physical contact at all?
I can happily live without handshakes, first bumps, high fives, pats on the back or any other form of physical contact with people I meet during the course of a business day. What really makes my skin crawl is business people giving hugs.
The no handshakes revolution has began. Please do not shake my hand … The image icon is at http://i.friend...27d3c29761c37cf
http://i.friend...8e42a7ea5a1a71b
weak.
Weak? This is clearly being put out there to ironically look like a pro-racist/anti-tolerance sign. That’s hilarious.
Or maybe he just got lucky.
So the author was thinking “Hmm, slow news day. What should I write about? I know! I’ll write about myself.”
I’ve unsubscribed from your RSS feed.
RSS is dead anyway.
So why don’t you just disable it here?
Let me guess, if it does not fit in 140 characters, it’s dead right?
elaborate please
here we go… sponsored by Smibs
http://getdoorb...o-handshake.gif
Cheers!
better, but still weak.
I actually said to a woman that refused to shake hands “What, would you prefer to blow me?” That went over well.
Don’t be an asshole, shake hands you f’n morons.
The no handshakes revolution has began. Engage my mind not my body. Please do not shake my hand!
icon:
http://i.friend...c62c17abc47ff90
Make sure you take a paper towel and or some swipes with you so that you can clean the door handles, desk or table top where and Oh remember to clean the arm rests on the chair that you sit in. Don’t sit on fabric could have bed bugs and or tics. I’m sure I’ve forgotten a few things but as long as
definitely a hand thruster.
What is it?… I am confused now. “hand thruster” or “fist thruster” – The characters at ActUp/PinkPower may take offense…
This is really, really hilarious!…
Obama doing a Terrorist Fist Jab: http://www.huff...i_n_106027.html.
Sanitary, but obviously putting our national security at risk.
2012 – World Health Organization reports alarming drop in communicable diseases leading to dramatic increase in average life spans around the world.
Overpopulation and accelerated crowding is leading to food shortages worldwide.
Board Members of the WHO trace the trend to Michael Arrington founder of the No-Handshake movement who is now being blamed for the millions of people dying from lack of access to proper food and clean water.
“While you would think that less communicable diseases being spread was a good thing, all of our population growth models included a predictable amount of death due to the transmission of person to person diseases. Arrington may have been well intentioned in his campaign to stop handshakes, but this recent data shows he is clearly responsible for the rise in overpopulation.”
No stranger to controversy, Michael Arrington now adds global population growth to his long list of nefarious accomplishments which also includes writing about startups leading to the 2008 Web 2.0 Collapse, and the decline of modern journalism by continuing to blog while newspapers suffered the advertising slowdown.
Asked to comment on the recent WHO news, Mr. Arrington refused to shake this reporters hand.
woohoo!
lolz…. I guess an Indian Namaste does a great job…[:)]
~ marvin
http://yousuggest.us
This whole thing is getting totally senseless. No more hugs! Let’s make kisses illegal! Ban sex!… don´t ever get in the subway again during rush hour. Yeah, it’s better to stay at home, write a “shocking” post, wait for the comments while you prepare the second post because you know it’s gonna create a debate.
Honesty, or this was a premeditated thing or you really have some psychological issues (take it from a psychologist). But erasing cultural memes just because you are phobic?!? Come one! Come “clean”!
This has been the most ridiculous idea I’ve read in a long time, and man, I REALLY like your posts, but this thing is over the top.
Is the problem that it is “medieval” or not hygienic? Both?
You want to erase a cultural trait because it cannot be updated to hand shake 2.0? Right, nowadays not “updatable” things are worthless. Don’t be so nerd.
Not hygienic? Dude you do so many things that are “not hygienic” and you don’t realize. Following your logic, living in society is not hygienic. Being alive is not hygienic. germs are crawling through 100% of your body all day, your body is a germ factory and incubator. Your surroundings as well.
If your wrote all this looking for clicks, please don’t do it again, it’s cheap. (I’ve also read those tips to get attention that say, write a controversial post to generate debate in your blog)
If you wrote it because you think it’s not healthy, well, those are your thoughts and I will just not share your opinion.
no, i really just hate hand shaking. nothing more to it than that.
Which revolution is the next coming Arrington ? Stop using keyboards ?
http://tweakosx...a-fist-bump.jpg
“Even the president is doing it.”
Obama joins the revolution
if we’re going to get political we should really enlist p-diddy and start a “bump or die” campaign
Cute!
He should have kissed her. Is his wife, after all…and if you can’t trust your wife then
…
Human contact make people happier. So, let’s shake hands because it is good.
had to give it a shot… http://s3.buyse...-handshakes.png
i don’t like the actual hand shake going on in these images. too easy to do that with a red line through it. need something more creative.
yeah, that was an obvious concept a bunch of us tried
boring indeed… here’s my last try: http://s3.buyse...handshakes2.png
Ha ha ha. Thanks for the early am chuckles – esp in the comments.
Do the fists have to actually touch? can they be 3 microns apart? Or is that still considered a splinter group?
What’s next ? Wearing masks when meeting people in sterile rooms ? Perhaps all social contact should be avoided as unsanitary. Let’s hide behind computers and only use holographic telepresence to communicate in 140 characters or less.
p.s I did however shake Mike’s hands once and was immediately possessed with the burning need to wash the slime off.
hand thruster, definitely.
You just having fun with this post, don’t you
?
Just one thought. Hand Shaking has not been there forever. Before hand shaking, there was nothing.
As matter of fact, if shaking hands is medieval not shaking is Prehistorical.
So you want to go prehistorical?
i am not sure i am with you on that one.
70% of your body weight is thought to be bacteria, so good luck germaphobes bacteria is everywhere, even on Mars ….
ok, here is the one that hits the (your) nerve …
http://getdoorb...p-handshake.gif
creative but too complicated.
you’re picky today
What the hell do you mean *today*?!?
You *have* read this blog before, haven’t you?
agree that the handshake should be banished but I will never give up the grasp of forearms…. In ancient times it was the highest form of respect when two warriors grasped each others forearm. You lived by the sword and died by the sword… and respected others who did the same by honoring their sword-bearing forearm.
all of this…
and not one article on Craigslist giving up/changing their Erotic Services…
I would have thought TC would definitely have posted this..
As audacious as this goal is, I think there’s a real chance it will happen if Michael doesn’t relent. Michael occupies a central place in the tech world, full of influencers and early adopters. His influence on social customs might be compared to that of King Edward VII, who once ate a huge meal and was forced to unbutton the bottom button of his vest. Not wanting to embarass the King, his dinner guests also unbuttoned the bottom button of their vests and it became a standard convention in England and other countries.
I think it’s more of a ego trip in this case…
one can only dream of success here:)
Piggyback this revolution onto CDC Swine Flu precautions (pun unintentional, ha):
1) Wash hands often
2) Sneeze or cough into sleeve
3) Use hand thrust when greeting others
This sign will be seen along with a looping clip of Michael demonstrating it on flat screens around all U.S. airports.
Here is a logo. Simple and to the point.
http://www.file...php?file=vJ8hk3
This is going to kill business stock photography:
http://www.shut...nds/search.html
Wow, 40 year old white dudes fist bumping. Geezus. WTF.
last try …
http://getdoorb...-handshake2.gif
Michael, you are abusing your position of influence by making public your juvenile obsessions. Again.
Amen. He’s a step away from being Howie Mandel.
Let’s wrap ourselves in a bubble. 100% virtual Interact. When we want to reproduce, we’ll send our susceptible-to-disease-transmitting-cell-reproductive-globs to the government and they’ll pair us up with like-minded prince and princesses. While we’re at it, let’s kill the 100 trillion bacterial cells that outnumber our 10 trillion human cells and unwind half our genetic code that’s evolved specifically because of the impact of viruses on our genome.
This is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever read. You call this a revolution? Calling for even less physical interaction? How is that going to help society?
Fuck it, let’s ban talking directly to each other, that is so medieval. We can make a call, or IM, now. Talking too close to each other may increase virus propagation too.
Oh, and sex. Let’s ban that. It’s too medieval. We can get STDs, and the pleasure isn’t worth the health hazzard. The world is overpopulated anyway, so, reproducing isn’t essencial to our species. We can even reproduce without having sex if we want. And guess what, I bet you’ll find some indicators that this revolution has kind of started already. So join that one, if you haven’t yet.
Many very talented people have obsessive tendancies, it often goes “hand in hand”
It makes sense that the high paced tech world would foster such opinions on the topic
Great Far Side comic for the next post on this movement:
“Didn’t Wash Hands” Alarm
http://img210.i...ntwashhands.jpg
I think you’re on to something here J… this whole charade supposedly having to do with concerns about germs being passed via handshake may have more to do with assuaging Arrington’s guilt for not washing his own hands after using the urinal/toilet.
Oh great. Now there’s going to be an iPhone app for virtual handshaking and fist bumping. I am off to join a nunnery while Isaac Asimov does a quantum spin in his grave. And what’s with the Tony Stark hand repulsor photo? Iron Man wasn’t an armed germophobic Bubble Boy making blog posts to generate controversy and advertising revenues, he’s a fully armored bad ass that loves physical contact; especially with tall leggy blondes that have Masters degrees.
actually, an iphone app in lieu of handshaking may be a great idea.
did you get this one …
http://getdoorb...-handshake2.gif
This is as much creative power as we can spare. Back to getting our launch ready
Happy bumping!
Actually, I have a weird feeling every time you make a blog post you launch a new wave of iPhone apps. Lord help the iPhone developers if you ever start demanding a cut. I personally would like to know how many Twitter clients there are in the iPhone store now, and predicted by the end of they year.
While we are at it, let’s replace all relational context with RDFa.
Sorry, While we are at it, let’s replace all relational context with RDFa.