This kiss....

[Katniss]

Originally Posted by The_Lady_Snow

The cultural kiss, in our culture the kiss is a greeting, a sign of affection or familial validation. Men kiss be it on the cheek or the mouth and it's not viewed or assigned the assumption that it's about sex. It's a heartwarming greeting that I miss the most... I often feel Americans could use a bit more *touch* in its cultural pot pie.

I wholeheartedly agree with this. In Egypt men stroll hand in hand all the time and it is not uncommon to see them sitting and chatting and squeezing one another's thigh during the conversation. There is nothing sexual about it and considering the dim view they take on the gay lifestyle I don't suggest you assume and congratulate "the happy couple" or you may come out the worse for wear.

Other cultures do seem more at ease with general touch and the "cultural kiss." I was on a 21 hour flight and out of sheer coincidence was seated next to the same man on the 2nd leg as we changed planes. He was from Madrid and we chatted a bit. I fell asleep only to wake up slumped on his shoulder (thank you alcohol and ambien) but he just laughed and pointed to the seat tray where he had stacked a little pyramid of chocolate bars (I love Swissair) that he had the steward leave every time they came by with the basket. As the flight ended and we prepared to deplane he gave me the "cheek kiss" and wished me well. Nothing sexual about it. Just two people stuck on a crummy plane so might as well get along.

I wonder if some of this reluctance to touch is because we are such a litigious society? I've had employees break down in my office over personal issues and while I would naturally want to put my arm around them or pat their back and comfort them all the EEO and harassment training my organization drills into us prevents me from doing so.

That said I adore when my little Aussie friend is in town because she does the "Swiss kiss" to all she meets.


Katniss~~