Egalitarian and endorsed by Obama, the bump got a huge boost from the pandemic. But is its archaic rival getting a grip again?
Of late I’ve been intensifying the frequency with which I bump people’s fists. Bit of unexpected banter in the street? Fist bump. Saying goodbye to a friend from an awkward distance that would necessitate fist bumping on one leg? Fist bump. Holding up the end of a five-a-side match so I can fist bump every last person on the pitch? Fist bump.
I love fist bumping so much, but I do so with the passion of the convert. Once, I was a handshaker. Family got a hug, and maybe close friends after a few drinks, but everyone else got what is described in Business Etiquette for Dummies as the “perfect” handshake: “A firm [connection] with good eye contact [which] communicates self-confidence.”
Paul MacInnes is a reporter for the Guardian
