I don’t want to shake your germ-ridden hand.

Over at TechCrunch Michael Arrington writes:

The fact is that hand shakes spread germs. You shake someone’s hand and then touch your nose or mouth and you can get sick. I don’t like getting sick. But to turn down a hand shake is such an insult that there’s little choice. The hand is out there, in front of me waiting, so like everyone else I grasp it.

Whenever I do shake a hand I’m completely aware of it, can’t stop thinking about it, until I can wash my hands. Sometimes in a meeting I’ll shake hands all around, then excuse myself to the bathroom to wash my hands, then return. It draws attention, though, and people have pointed it out to me as odd. My response is that it’s nothing personal but I don’t want to get sick. If I get sick I have to take time off and it hurts my business. And there’s a good chance I’ll get other TechCrunchers sick, too, which is doubly bad.

When I read the article I felt slightly relieved. I know I’m not alone with this opinion, but when you read about it makes you feel that you’re not alone. It’s one of many things that makes me part of a minority and makes me feel like an outsider that constantly have to fight for my right.

As I’m an introvert (which is not an illness, but a personality trait!) I’m not too keen on personal contact by default. It’s nothing I’ve developed over time, it’s how my brain is programmed. What I do have developed is some minor OCD and mysophobia. I’ve always been careful with contamination due to my education, but it kind of got worse before I learned I had IBS. Now I’ve recognised it and admitted to it, so I know how to keep it under control without needing therapy.

Now and then my mysophobia gets triggered and flares up, which is not uncommon. It’s usually caused by something that a person might do which will disgust me.
I’m sorry, but when someone walks out of the bathroom without washing their hands when they’ve done a number two I shiver with disgust. If you’re not disgusted by that, I’m not the one that needs therapy.
I’ve seen enough disgusting things in my life to take hygiene lightly.

The comments you about the article by Michael Arrington is extremely stereotypical and respectless. Apparently if you want to guard yourself from a cold you need therapy; and according to others bacteria strengthens your immune system. If you have a weak immune system by default it won’t strengthen it, it can actually be very dangerous.
It’s also amusing to read the comments from certain people who seems to know everything about psychology and microbiology. Of course, it’s the Internet, everyone knows everything about everything.

I applaud Micael Arrington being so brave to write and post an article like this.
Of course, some of us might be a bit too scared when it comes to germs, but let us, because your carelessness when it comes to hygiene is also a type of extreme; so you’re not better or worse yourself.

I’ll end the article with the wise words from Einstein:
A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it.