
When does something become uncool? It usually coincides when a politician adopts a word or, in this case, a gesture. I've been doing the "fist" greeting for a few months now. I'm not sure why I started. It's just one of those viral things. Well, after seeing Romney adopt it, I'm gonna stop. It just looks so uncool.

The "fist" as you call it is not inherently uncool as a gesture. But when used by Republicans in jackets and slacks acting awkwardly it comes across as incredibly creepy - the woman in the red dress looks as though she is going to throw up and she has no idea what the hell Mitt is doing! If you personally are not sure why you started using this gesture, which has been around on the street for ages, and you thought that it was "cool" in the first place, then I'd say feel free to stop using it. Signing, graffiti, slang, tagging etc are all social and cultural signifiers with deep and extended meaning and the banging of fists, is just like the charging of shoulders, a particularly male greeting, as in "what's up bro'" followed by either a high five, chest to chest, shoulder to shoulder and yes, fist to fist...street and sports-based I'd say - presidential candidates and anyone else uncertain of the etiquette should perhaps beware...
Posted by: Dave Allen | December 20, 2007 at 11:58 PM