For the non-Kiwi, (and Hawaiian) a hongi is the Maori ritual greeting, consisting of pressing noses and foreheads together. Here's an explainer and helpful picture of the Prime Ministers of NZ and Australia sharing one yesterday: https://thespinoff.co.nz/books/01-06...whats-a-hongi/
The whole point of the hongi is to share a breath. This means something to people who do it, apparently, while to 99% of the world's population enduring a pandemic, it's something that looks completely insane.
I'd have hoped that Covid taught people that sharing personal space is something to be avoided, and a brief nod is just as good as a handshake. I don't carry sword these days, so I don't believe holding out an empty hand has much point. I've shaken hands with criminals, drug dealers, doctors, lawyers, chief executives and labourers over many years, and apart from the odd and highly amusing Masonic handshakes, they haven't told me anything about a single person, and it's an anachronism I'd gladly leave behind.
The recent trend to hugging mystifies me as well, while I've always found the likes of Barack Obama kissing Angela Merkel while shaking hands with David Cameron, to be utterly bizarre. The tendency of some European people to kiss as a greeting is equally disgusting (would you allow Vladimir Putin to kiss your face?) to me as a hongi.
I'm not OCD, but I don't like people invading my space and arm's length is where I like them to be. Aside from my wife and kids, I do not hug anyone, ever, giving them the Seinfeld treatment if it looks like that's where they're going.
Quite funny that in a world where offence is so widely taken, over so many things that trigger warnings and consent are bywords of life, that it's just assumed that the receiver of these invasions doesn't mind, and as the Seinfeld piece showed, is even considered a bit strange when they decline the opportunity to have someone come and press him/herself against them.
The whole point of the hongi is to share a breath. This means something to people who do it, apparently, while to 99% of the world's population enduring a pandemic, it's something that looks completely insane.
I'd have hoped that Covid taught people that sharing personal space is something to be avoided, and a brief nod is just as good as a handshake. I don't carry sword these days, so I don't believe holding out an empty hand has much point. I've shaken hands with criminals, drug dealers, doctors, lawyers, chief executives and labourers over many years, and apart from the odd and highly amusing Masonic handshakes, they haven't told me anything about a single person, and it's an anachronism I'd gladly leave behind.
The recent trend to hugging mystifies me as well, while I've always found the likes of Barack Obama kissing Angela Merkel while shaking hands with David Cameron, to be utterly bizarre. The tendency of some European people to kiss as a greeting is equally disgusting (would you allow Vladimir Putin to kiss your face?) to me as a hongi.
I'm not OCD, but I don't like people invading my space and arm's length is where I like them to be. Aside from my wife and kids, I do not hug anyone, ever, giving them the Seinfeld treatment if it looks like that's where they're going.
Quite funny that in a world where offence is so widely taken, over so many things that trigger warnings and consent are bywords of life, that it's just assumed that the receiver of these invasions doesn't mind, and as the Seinfeld piece showed, is even considered a bit strange when they decline the opportunity to have someone come and press him/herself against them.
via International Skeptics Forum https://ift.tt/2TAz5Ax
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