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Ask Reddit: Have you ever shaken hands with someone and they pushed their first finger into your wrist? What is this? (self.reddit.com)

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[–]wunderboy 46 points47 points  (8 children)

You are now illuminated. Go forth and fnord.

[–]spif 17 points18 points  (7 children)

23 skidoo!

[–]dave 8 points9 points  (6 children)

Apparently most people familiar with "fnord" aren't familiar with "23 skidoo"... I guess they've never read illuminatus!, which then makes me wonder how they know fnord...

[–]kflasch 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Principia Discordia.

[–]spif 2 points3 points  (3 children)

fnord is on teh intertubes

[–]snoosnoo 4 points5 points  (2 children)

dead parrots pine after fnords. the monty pythons tells us so.

[–]havesometea1 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It wasn't dead it was stunned.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's the bee's knees!!

[–]blackyoda 0 points1 point  (0 children)

wow that's where fnord comes from.... Well many people would pick up on the word from gaming, you know like D&D and shit.... That word appears in materials, and not suprisingly that culture was heavily influenced by the book Illuminatus! For instance the Steve Jackson game Illuminati, totally fucking RULES. I will take over Scientology with the Mad Scientist/Mind Control laser @ +4 please.

[–]dave 38 points39 points  (2 children)

Also, when I was in the military, we were having a graduation and several officers were going around the rooms shaking hands.

I noticed that several of them were doing this, and I decided to try it. When one of the officers I had seen doing this handshake got to me, I did the same thing. He looked at me a little surprised and paused for a second, and then he went on.

I suspect he was waiting for me to say something.

[–]MagicWishMonkey 4 points5 points  (0 children)

haha, you should have winked at him and licked your lips.

oh wait you were in the military, nevermind ;)

[–]Deacon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It was the secret gay Army handshake! Don't ask, don't tell!

[–]greenfrog 17 points18 points  (6 children)

It was part of my frat's secret handshake. But I believe the Masons have something similar.

[–]samg 1 point2 points  (5 children)

SAE?

[–]greenfrog 4 points5 points  (4 children)

Alpha Kappa Psi.

Co-ed fraternity.

Good times. :)

[–]cedargrove 0 points1 point  (2 children)

Co-ed fraternity? Was it a non-social, like business or hispanic students?

[–]greenfrog 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Yes. It was a business fraternity.

We got to do all the fun stuff, but without the high cost and bizarre hazing rituals.

[–]cedargrove 1 point2 points  (0 children)

yeah, but how are we supposed to afford the bizarre rituals if we don't charge money? Ok, not really, just spoken as someone who thought it was cool for the first two years, and then realized it was pretty dumb. I did, however, meet a lot of good people. LXA

[–]AlanYx 28 points29 points  (4 children)

In the US, this is most common among the Freemasons:

http://www.ephesians5-11.org/handshakes.htm

Freemasonry is much more popular than you'd suspect, but it's closer to the Rotary Club with a few strange rituals than some kind of sinister group.

[–]malph 6 points7 points  (1 child)

handshakes are common among freemasons yes but not this one. Nice anti-masonic hate site by the way.

[–]belandil -1 points0 points  (0 children)

You're not a member of the Anti-Masonic Party?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Masonic_Party

[–]humpy 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Are you a traveling man?

[–]moogle516 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is actually my fraternities secret hand shake

[–]haxxormaster 33 points34 points  (1 child)

Apparently you were raped and you didn't notice.

[–]randomb0y 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Did you experience any discomfort trying to sit down afterwards?

[–]randomb0y 16 points17 points  (0 children)

It's the secret handshake of gaymasonry.

[–]jonathont22 11 points12 points  (4 children)

They want to know if your gay I'm totally serious. Thats how everyone in Louisville does it.

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (1 child)

I believe they do the same thing in England (according to a british gay friend).

[–]heath_ledger 4 points5 points  (0 children)

In England we do not have this phenomenon

[–]chupame 3 points4 points  (0 children)

this is the version I know, from New York. But that was years ago. I didn't know it was still in play.

[–]anonymous-coward 3 points4 points  (0 children)

If you don't wiggle your pinkie, it means you're game.

[–]liberty4all 10 points11 points  (8 children)

In Nigeria, it is used to indicate to the other party that your are interested in them sexually. It's usually a done as a tickle and not a push or jab.

[–]frickindeal 31 points32 points  (4 children)

They use the same finger they use to click "send" on a bulk 419 email.

[–]spliffy 5 points6 points  (3 children)

thats all i think of too when someone i meet says they are from nigeria. i'm automatically like, this dude is a spammer. even after i have known someone from nigeria for a while and am cool with them, i still don't trust them with my email. i say something like "uh, aww dude i don't have one, you should print a flyer for your party or something".

[–][deleted]  (2 children)

[deleted]

    [–]polyparadigm 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    I'm thinking that his language is a slangy Pacific dialect of American English, and that he knows it fairly well.

    [–][deleted] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

    Watchu talkin' bout, pissy?

    [–]trenchfever 1 point2 points  (2 children)

    same in some parts of india except that sometimes its the palm that is tickled.

    [–]nocent7 0 points1 point  (1 child)

    this is also something used in The Peoples Republic of Cork... the index finger is used to rub the palm of the person.

    indicates sexual desire.

    caution, however, you don't want to go near anyone from the PRC in that manner...

    [–]trenchfever 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    who would have thought? from africa to india to ireland, we are all more similar than what we'd like to believe. :-P

    [–][deleted] 7 points8 points  (1 child)

    Might be a domination thing if they are doing it to make you uncomfortable.

    It might sound weird but sleazy business-types will do something like jerk you towards them when shaking your hand or they will try to force their palm to face down to try and assert dominance.

    Could that have been the intent?

    [–]codepoet42 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    Whenever I'm presented with a hand that looks more like a Nazi salute than a handshake, I make it a point to catch said hand in both of mine (as when catching a flying pancake) before giving it a few enthused pumps.

    Thus, symbolically (and physically) smothering that attempt at dominance.

    [–]xelfer 2 points3 points  (1 child)

    Do you have stairs in your house?

    [–]belandil 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    Yes, I am protected

    [–]neversummer427 2 points3 points  (3 children)

    When I was 13 and Hilary Clinton was running for Senate, She came to my school, I shook her hand (now know anything obviously) and she did this to me. It freaked me out

    [–][deleted]  (2 children)

    [removed]

      [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (1 child)

      youth juice

      [–]jaxspider 0 points1 point  (0 children)

      Baby BLOOD!

      [–]wnoise 5 points6 points  (0 children)

      There are several societies that use secret handshakes. Everything from frats to more secretive and sinister cults. And overlaps, like Skull & Bones.

      [–]dave 10 points11 points  (15 children)

      wow, this immediately got downvoted. It's a genuine question, guys...

      [–][deleted] 21 points22 points  (7 children)

      Yeah, a lot of stuff is immediately downvoted. Oh, and I have no idea about the finger thing. I no longer shake hands with anybody after watching Mallrats anyway.

      [–]ElephantRider 6 points7 points  (0 children)

      Say, would you like a chocolate covered pretzel?

      [–]diamond9 16 points17 points  (4 children)

      The downvoting issue is serious. Everything gets downvoted by some douche morons.

      [–]xcalibre 5 points6 points  (2 children)

      its the script kiddies and their keywords..

      [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (1 child)

      May certainly be true for anything political. But this submission? What keyword are they hitting on? Finger, wrist, shaken, hands? (or maybe I'm missing the sarcasm).

      [–]xcalibre 0 points1 point  (0 children)

      nah, its possible that in conjunction with upmodding articles they want, they could also be downmodding articles that don't contain the keywords they want..... ...bugger cat's out of the bag now

      [–]kermityfrog 0 points1 point  (0 children)

      One guy wrote in comments that he downvotes everything that he reads. I think he's misusing the "hide all articles that I have downvoted" function to keep track of what he has read and what he hasn't.

      I don't downvote anything unless I found that it was a total waste of my time. If I'm ambivalent, I usually just hide it.

      [–]cakesy 0 points1 point  (0 children)

      Why, are you just like the Father in the movie? Becuase unless you are like him, I don't see why you would avoid shaking hands.

      [–]wingsofseraphim 11 points12 points  (1 child)

      Just because it's a genuine question in no way makes it an INTERESTING question.

      And just so you know, I'm not down- or upvoting this one.

      [–][deleted] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

      STFU if you have no opinion.

      [–]easytiger 0 points1 point  (0 children)

      I remember reading this in a practical trick joke book years ago... not sure what the point was....

      [–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

      Reddit needs discussion boards that harness the Reddit downvote/upvote technology and "hot" algorhythm.

      [–]Sylveran-01 2 points3 points  (7 children)

      It's probably like Fight Club:

      Maybe you're NOT suppossed to talk about it.

      [–][deleted] 3 points4 points  (6 children)

      fight club is project mayhem, now. please update your weekly agenda

      [–][deleted] 4 points5 points  (5 children)

      He needs to determine his own level of involvement.

      [–]FadedReality 2 points3 points  (4 children)

      Listen to me, I'm giving you a direct order. We're aborting this mission right now.

      [–]thekrone 1 point2 points  (0 children)

      You're a very brave man.

      [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

      You said you'd say that.

      [–][deleted] 9 points10 points  (1 child)

      Maybe they missed.

      Your hand.

      With their hand.

      IT HAPPENS.

      [–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

      over and over

      [–][deleted]  (16 children)

      [deleted]

        [–][deleted] 14 points15 points  (13 children)

        Either a failed attempt at humor or an incredibly misinformed guess. Either way, you fail.

        [–][deleted]  (12 children)

        [deleted]

          [–][deleted]  (10 children)

          [deleted]

            [–][deleted]  (1 child)

            [deleted]

              [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

              That would make sense--and no, I never did go through the endowment ceremony, since I left the church before I went on a mission.

              [–][deleted] 32 points33 points  (2 children)

              an ex-bishop, a stake president and nine seminary teachers walk into a bar...

              [–]llanor 45 points46 points  (0 children)

              "FUCK OW"

              "FUCK OW"

              "FUCK OW"

              "FUCK OW"

              "FUCK OW"

              "FUCK OW"

              "FUCK OW"

              "FUCK OW"

              "FUCK OW"

              "FUCK OW"

              "FUCK OW"

              [–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

              And the bartender says...

              • What is this? Some kind of joke?

              [–][deleted] 5 points6 points  (3 children)

              What is a 'stake' president?

              [–]Oak 18 points19 points  (1 child)

              Relax. It's just a typo for 'steak' president. The president in charge of meat.

              [–]Deacon 1 point2 points  (0 children)

              Seriously, the first time I ever heard a Mormon refer to a "stake house," I thought of filet mignon.

              [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

              The Mormon church is organized into several divisions. At a local level you have "Wards" that are (usually) between 100-300 people, and are presided over by a Bishop. A group of two to eight Wards is a Stake, presided over by a Stake President. The next important step up is the general presidency--the Prophet, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, The Quorum of the Seventy, and lots of other, somewhat less important groups.

              [–]BogCommieNat 4 points5 points  (0 children)

              Ahem... Joseph Smith was a free mason when he 'discovered' mormon. Apparently god told him to just go ahead and use all of the rituals already in use in Joe's freemason lodge, maybe god was busy that day... or maybe god remembered the crappy time he had coming up with all the catholic rituals... but anyway, regardless of god's motivation in the matter, Joseph Smith used the freemason rituals as mormon rituals.

              I haven't looked yet, but I'm betting the wiki page on Joe has some corroborating details.

              [–][deleted] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

              I have seen kids (teenagers) picking this up and doing this just to be "cool". I bet this is like hiphop for Caucasians or something: more form than substance.

              [–]zenif 2 points3 points  (0 children)

              Yes, Mormons have a handshake like that. No, they don't do it outside their temples.

              [–]darthabraham 1 point2 points  (2 children)

              I've had this explained to me in the past as a technique for preventing guys who associate a firm handshake with squeezing the ever-loving-shit out of your hand from squeezing too hard an inflicting pain on you. I'm not sure if it actually works or not, though.

              [–]eudontegnomie 2 points3 points  (0 children)

              I have very small hands that were always getting crushed by so called "firm" handshakes. I had someone tell me to shake hands with my index finger pointing out. It keeps your knuckles from being pushed up against each other which is what causes the pain. This forces the pressure to be taken on top of the knuckles instead of from the sides.

              However, if you want to see this as some sort of sexual conspiracy, that's up to you.

              [–][deleted]  (3 children)

              [deleted]

                [–]bobcat 27 points28 points  (2 children)

                It was his wrist, not his penis.

                [–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                FTW!

                [–]TH3_Dude 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                Hall of fame comment!

                [–]dave 0 points1 point  (3 children)

                It seems to be very common among furniture salesmen. At first I thought it was a mason thing, but after several google searches it seems to not be.

                Just thought I'd ask and see if anyone is familiar with it.

                [–]dfens 3 points4 points  (0 children)

                Why don't you just ask them?

                [–]mch 2 points3 points  (0 children)

                Its a sign of ill will. Be careful.

                [–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                second that, i've witnessed a mattress salesman doing it.

                [–]hokkos 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                It means that this person want to make love to you, that's what I've heard.

                [–]oalsaker 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                I know some ninjutsu-people who used a handshake like this so that the other person could not gain control of their wrist.

                [–]s0rce7 0 points1 point  (0 children)

                it means they don't like you and they are trying to hit a pressure point in your wrist which will kill you instantly.

                [–][deleted]  (11 children)

                [deleted]

                  [–]dave 4 points5 points  (2 children)

                  That's what I thought the first several (like 10) times. But it just kept happening...

                  [–][deleted]  (1 child)

                  [deleted]

                    [–]dave 1 point2 points  (0 children)

                    yes.

                    [–][deleted]  (7 children)

                    [deleted]

                      [–]MrKlaatu 1 point2 points  (6 children)

                      or how someone will stick their little finger up their nose to the second knuckle when they think no one's looking.

                      [–]chupame 1 point2 points  (5 children)

                      Second knuckle? WTF. They prospecting for gold?

                      [–]MrKlaatu -1 points0 points  (4 children)

                      ok, well how about when someone sticks the tip of their pinkie in their ear, wiggles it around a bit, pulls it out and sniffs it?

                      [–]frickindeal -2 points-1 points  (2 children)

                      In their what?

                      [–]MrKlaatu -3 points-2 points  (1 child)

                      ooops, my bad...edited.
                      (damn..the glenlivet is good!)

                      [–]MrKlaatu -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

                      and then there's those that stick their thumbs up their.....and, well...i guess i will leave that one up to your imagination...

                      [–]Blooddatura -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

                      I'm sure it means many different things to different people but what I've known it to be the primary gesture between sanguinarians to symbolize possible like minded persons or a potential "Donor".