Holding hands and touching - is in a spirit of friendship, closeness - it does not make anyone uncomfortable. Nothing is made it out of such things here. It is fairly common to touch and pat, or have ones arms over another's shoulder - the sentiment is simply a sort mutual respect for one another nothing else.
However any form of touching is considered seriously unacceptable by whom are referred to as Westerners. For them touching is seriously offensive if not downright criminal and their reaction is exremely obnoxious. But they are baffled in the way people conduct themsleves in public here. They cannot understand why no one reacts with rage. A term I found out was a new development - 'privacy space' an invisible barrier beween one person and another. Which is downright inhuman. A violation of this space is reason enough for being rude and generally behave badly.
Distancing oneself from all others. The idea of being aloof and absolutely indifferent is a dangerous development. There are people in need, who to be cared for, if 'privacy space' was followed with the fanatical zeal, then one person will stop caring for another. Try to save the life of another. Westerners in particular do not like to be approached and have any physical contact because it is supposed to give out 'wrong messages' or 'wrong signals' . When ordinary Westerners behave in this way, one can well imagine how those holding important positions are bound to react. They probably would like to keep a minimum distance of a mile from everyone.
The belief that Westerners are very broad minded and open is nothing but a myth. They hard to make friends for friendship's sake - there is no such thing because friendship carries the burden of hidden meanings and Insinuations
However any form of touching is considered seriously unacceptable by whom are referred to as Westerners. For them touching is seriously offensive if not downright criminal and their reaction is exremely obnoxious. But they are baffled in the way people conduct themsleves in public here. They cannot understand why no one reacts with rage. A term I found out was a new development - 'privacy space' an invisible barrier beween one person and another. Which is downright inhuman. A violation of this space is reason enough for being rude and generally behave badly.
Distancing oneself from all others. The idea of being aloof and absolutely indifferent is a dangerous development. There are people in need, who to be cared for, if 'privacy space' was followed with the fanatical zeal, then one person will stop caring for another. Try to save the life of another. Westerners in particular do not like to be approached and have any physical contact because it is supposed to give out 'wrong messages' or 'wrong signals' . When ordinary Westerners behave in this way, one can well imagine how those holding important positions are bound to react. They probably would like to keep a minimum distance of a mile from everyone.
The belief that Westerners are very broad minded and open is nothing but a myth. They hard to make friends for friendship's sake - there is no such thing because friendship carries the burden of hidden meanings and Insinuations
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