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Bill Gates, You KLUTZ!
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 4:27 am
by dales
Next time (if there is one) try researching local customs, you uneducated oaf.
Microsoft founder Bill Gates met with South Korean President Park Geun-hye Monday, part of a visit to build business ties and boost nuclear energy plans. But it was the handshake they shared that created the biggest stir in Korean society, after Gates greeted Park with a smile — and his left hand jammed into his pants pocket.
"Among Koreans, it is considered disrespectful to put one's hand in your pocket while shaking another person's hand," reports The Korea Herald. The encounter occurred at the president's official residence.
Many Koreans went online to see the images — "Bill Gates" was a hot search term Tuesday, The Herald reports — and to debate whether the American businessman and philanthropist had been rude, or was simply oblivious to the gesture's cultural import.
In Microsoft's home state of Washington, the Seattle PI news site is calling it "the handshake that has bruised a nation."
The controversy reshaped South Korea's coverage of Gates' visit, as people took to social media and news websites to discuss whether they had been snubbed. At least one newspaper, The Chosun Ilbo, ran a story on the meeting without a photograph.
After the incident sparked debate, Koreans who researched Gates' handshake habits say they found him to be "a long-time, serial hand-in-pocket shaker," as the gaming and culture site Kotaku reports.
The Korea Herald notes that Gates has kept one hand in his pocket while meeting former South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, as well as France's President Francois Hollande and his predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy.
Re: Bill Gates, You KLUTZ!
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 12:50 pm
by rubato
Bill Gates belongs to an elect group who are very active in public affairs and thus photographed often. If you were photographed as often would you commit such trivial gaffes as rarely as he does?
yrs,
rubato
Re: Bill Gates, You KLUTZ!
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 1:24 pm
by rubato
I interact with scientists and commercial people from different parts of the world and for a lot of Asians there is a specific ritual to handing out business cards. You hold the card face up with the text in the correct direction to be read by the recipient and use BOTH hands (esp for the Japanese, they're real sticklers) and bow slightly. The scientists generally don't care that much but if there are commercial people or managers in the group it matters a lot more. I've got the cards in the right orientation in my pocket so I'll be holding it correctly when I take each one, I've practiced the ritual, and I still only partially do it right. I'm not an actor and I have other things which are much more important to the outcome of the meeting.
You can always tell when a young Chinese scientist is in the US for the first time because they REALLY do the whole show with EACH person in the room; orbiting the ubiquitous conference table with the inevitability of a moon circling a planet. By the third visit they been out for beer with everyone and it's a different thing.
yrs,
rubato
Re: Bill Gates, You KLUTZ!
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 4:31 pm
by dales
rubato wrote:Bill Gates belongs to an elect group who are very active in public affairs and thus photographed often. If you were photographed as often would you commit such trivial gaffes as rarely as he does?
yrs,
rubato
I guess you negelected to read the text of the article.
It stated that Gates has done this faux pas before, that's why he is a
KLUTZ 
Re: Bill Gates, You KLUTZ!
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 4:50 pm
by Crackpot
Uhh not really because this was the first time that it would have been taken as offence. All those other occurs des lend creeds ce to it wasn't intentional.
Re: Bill Gates, You KLUTZ!
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 4:56 pm
by dales
Intentionality aside, he should've known better.
Re: Bill Gates, You KLUTZ!
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 6:12 pm
by Crackpot
Did you?
Re: Bill Gates, You KLUTZ!
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 6:45 pm
by dales
Yes, but being more familiar with Korean culture than the multi-billionaire....
Re: Bill Gates, You KLUTZ!
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 7:24 pm
by Scooter
Is it possible that the action has become so reflexive that he isn't conscious of doing it?
The man did not get where he is by being completely indifferent to the sensibilities of those around him.
Re: Bill Gates, You KLUTZ!
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 7:25 pm
by Crackpot
Have you never used windows Scoot?
Re: Bill Gates, You KLUTZ!
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 7:32 pm
by Scooter
The fact that he managed to get where he is while peddling a POS product rather proves my point.
Re: Bill Gates, You KLUTZ!
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 7:49 pm
by oldr_n_wsr
Seems uncomfortable shaking someones hand while my other hand is no my pocket. And I had no idea that shaking hands while the other hand is in the pocket was offensive.
Re: Bill Gates, You KLUTZ!
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 8:02 pm
by Rick
Dales it's just yer bias the Koreans don't care...
Re: Bill Gates, You KLUTZ!
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 8:19 pm
by Crackpot
Scooter wrote:The fact that he managed to get where he is while peddling a POS product rather proves my point.
Sort of contradicts this tho
Scooter wrote:
The man did not get where he is by being completely indifferent to the sensibilities of those around him.
Re: Bill Gates, You KLUTZ!
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 8:33 pm
by dales
keld feldspar wrote:Dales it's just yer bias the Koreans don't care...
I dunno......most don't I guess.....
http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation ... 34445.html
I suppose I am somewhat biased, I find this funny...
BILL GATES PIE IN FACE ROUTINE
Re: Bill Gates, You KLUTZ!
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 9:40 pm
by Joe Guy
The thing that everybody seems to be missing in the OP picture is that Park Guen-hye's left thumb is stuck up her butt.
It's an old North Korean traditional greeting...
Re: Bill Gates, You KLUTZ!
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 10:10 pm
by dales
OH, I GET YOU BACK.......MR. JOE!
Re: Bill Gates, You KLUTZ!
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 10:38 pm
by Gob
rubato wrote:I interact with scientists and commercial people from different parts of the world
Some of them have REALLY heavy suitcases.