Hug vs. Handshake

Re:Hug vs. Handshake by RyanMcGreal on Wednesday May 15, 2013 @09:38AM (#5711835)

My favourite definition of "awkwardness" comes from Steven Pinker: it's the uncomfortable feeling you get when you realize that your concept of your relationship with someone else doesn't match their concept. The intensity of awkwardness roughly corresponds to the magnitude of difference in relationship concepts.

For example, I was at a dinner party recently and greeted a female friend with a handshake. She said, "That was formal," and slight awkwardness ensued. When we were leaving I made sure to give her a hug.

If, at the end of dinner, someone had pulled out their wallet and starting putting money on the table to pay for their meal, the awkwardness would have been much more intense.

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Re:Hug vs. Handshake by aristus on Wednesday May 15, 2013 @04:17PM (#5714578)

There's also culture. Among my friends, I have to keep straight whether they expect 0, 1, 2, or 3 kisses on the cheek.

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Re:Hug vs. Handshake by migueldiab on Wednesday May 15, 2013 @05:24PM (#5715042)

You can always ask in advance, making it nonchalant :) "1 kiss, right?", that at least will be a nice ice-breaker that will minimize awkwardness

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Re:Hug vs. Handshake by gertertsgsdfa on Thursday May 16, 2013 @06:00AM (#5717708)

Really? That's your minimal solution for awkwardness? Ice-breakers should be fun or interesting conversation starters, they shouldn't be you calling attention to how awkward you are. Just learn follow the other person's cues. If you must do it, the excessive-honesty-in-order-to-elicit-sympathy tactic can be saved as a back up plan for when you make mistakes.

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