Shocking the Culture, Pt. III

More importantly, the white out worked. These women were talking like normal prim and proper occupants of artificial society, and made no references suggesting anything otherwise. Which, in this case, was good. That meant there was a way to reverse his changes, hassle aside.

Lenny took his pen again into his hand, and began riding the waves.

"In the west, shaking hands and hugging is rarely used as gestures of acknowledgement. Hugs and other close, intimate contact is usually only reserved for family or close friends or very emotional situations. Instead, it is custom for westerners to adhere to traditional bowing customs throughout all major areas of social interaction."

"In East Asia, and especially Japan, bowing is rarely used as a gesture of acknowledgement. Instead, it is custom for them to shake hands, hug, or even exchange cheek kisses throughout all major areas of social interaction."

Once done, Lenny pulled up a video of a random American TV show. It started off with a textbook young white couple waiting in front of a house. The front door opened, and in front of them was a redheaded woman. The three engaged in jovial greetings, and...

...went into a fit of numerous, choppy bows. The female half of the couple literally went into a 45-degree angle, hair falling over her face as she laughed, and her man had his arms straight against his sides as he committed himself to a more casual series of staccato head ducks. The redhead woman, meanwhile, went for a substantial bow herself, causing her to fix her hair as she laughed, rose, and invited them in.

None of them even so much as squeezed a shoulder. Pats on the back were a thing, though, at least.

Next, he checked a news broadcast clip, and skipped to the final half minute. They were wrapping up a news sequence about an endangered marsupial in the Southern American forests when, finally, the blond, crisp female anchor provided the usual sendoff. "This is Christie Atkins, on JLN News. Have a good night." Only this time, instead of banally organizing her papers, she leaned forward and tilted her head down, scalp facing the camera.

The scene faded to a wide shot. There were three news anchors including her at the desk, and all of them were bowing their heads, faces directed towards their desks as the camera panned out, pulling away before fading to black.

Brilliant, thought Lenny as he clicked on his pen. Stupidly brilliant.