Will Fear of Flu Lead to the End of Current Social Greetings?

The ways that people catch flu and other illnesses haven't changed. The measures people take to avoid sickness have become common if not extreme. We're all warned to wash our hands frequently and clean any surfaces that might be germ infected. Many of the household cleaners that are used daily now include germ fighters. You can walk through any large shopping mall and notice people wearing protective face masks. Many stores and most hospitals now keep germ fighting foams or gels that anyone can use on their hands. It's quite obvious that fear of infection has become a way of life for many people.

This led me to wonder what changes might be coming in social behavior, especially as far as common greetings go. I can not help but wonder how much longer the simple handshake greeting will survive. It may seem a small thing to give up , but I'd beg to differ. The handshake is a solidly friendly greeting. It conveys many things from one person to another. Looking into the future with an eye on the present, I fear this social greeting is but one thing of many that will be lost to fear.

Fear is a large issue these days. The world has the year 2012 looming over it's terrestrial head. People are very unsure of the possible dangers coming. With television feeding the public a never ending stream of issues to worry over, fear has become a common if not constant threat in most minds. Watching the world react to all the constant threats of flu and other socially transmitted illnesses, I wonder how long it will be before expressions of affection such and hugs and kisses become a memory of the past.

It's amazing how fear feeds fear. It literally scares me to think how far fear might eat away at the small and beautiful daily interactions humans have. Will future mothers be encouraged to wave goodbye to their child as they go off on the school bus for the first time rather than give them a hug and a kiss? It's not hard for me to imagine posters of a mother kissing her child goodbye with Uncle Sam looming above them shaking his finger at them in a disapproving manner. It is possible that something similar to that will be a reality for us all in the near future.

The dilemma is how to use knowledge wisely without mortally wounding society. Do we really want a world where husband and wife are encouraged to mate while wearing rubber gloves and face masks? From my perspective of watching the world react to the fear of illness, it's not that far fetched of a thought.

It seems to me that it's obvious that people should take advantage of germ killing hand cleansers. Using protection to prevent the spread of disease is also a no brainer. We just need to decided as a society that we're not going to let fear over come our lives. Taking simple precautions to stay healthy and flu free should be a common practice for everyone. Taking an active stance to protect human interactions should also be a priority for people concerned with human issues.

I personally hope that the day never comes when we're all afraid to give each other a hug. It may be that with all the precautions people are taking now, the wheels could start turning in another direction. Maybe there will be less flu and socially transmitted illnesses and the future result will be stronger social interactions. One can always hope and I do.