--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What's a handshake after all, except a…" description: "\"“What's a handshake after all, except a socially acceptable way to make sure the other guy doesn't have a knife behind his back”\" — Noah Hawley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab1/noah-hawley-3673_handshake_what-s-a-handshake-after-all-except-a-so_2971432.jpg" --- # What's a handshake after all, except a socially acceptable… ![“What's a handshake after all, except a socially acceptable way to make sure the other guy doesn't have a knife behind his back” quote by Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab1/noah-hawley-3673_handshake_what-s-a-handshake-after-all-except-a-so_2971432.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab1/noah-hawley-3673_handshake_what-s-a-handshake-after-all-except-a-so_2971432.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab1/noah-hawley-3673_handshake_what-s-a-handshake-after-all-except-a-so_2971432.jpg) > ““What's a handshake after all, except a socially acceptable way to make sure the other guy doesn't have a knife behind his back”” [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A handshake is a social ritual that masks underlying mistrust, implying hidden threats. **In simple terms:** Handshakes hide possible danger. Key Takeaway Question trust in superficial agreements. Themes trust social rituals paranoia communication Mood cautious skeptical analytical Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - business meetings - first encounters - negotiations Key Concepts symbolism defensiveness skepticism Questions to Reflect On - When should you rely on formalities? - How to balance politeness with caution? A Different Perspective Not all interactions are dangerous; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [The government has once again made the right socially acceptable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elfriede-jelinek/the-government-has-once-again-made-the-right-socially-acceptable/) [Elfriede Jelinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elfriede-jelinek/) > [Why does reading freak people out so much? Sure, I could be pretty anti-social when we were on the road, but if I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/why-does-reading-freak-people-out-so-much-sure-i-could-be-pretty-anti/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [In civilized societies, we spend our lifetimes trying to become what is socially acceptable. We're dark and we're light. We all have both sides…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/in-civilized-societies-we-spend-our-lifetimes-trying-to-become-what/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [Stress is nothing more than a socially acceptable form of mental illness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carlson/stress-is-nothing-more-than-a-socially-acceptable-form-of-mental-2/) [Richard Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carlson/) > [“Stress is nothing more than a socially acceptable form of mental illness. Richard Carlson”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-huljich/stress-is-nothing-more-than-a-socially-acceptable-form-of-mental/) Paul Huljich > [All the stereotypical ‘dude’ geeky things I like are socially acceptable, and all the stereotypical ‘lady’ geeky things I like are frowned upon….](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-hocking/all-the-stereotypical-dude-geeky-things-i-like-are-socially/) [Amanda Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-hocking/) > [I just want to watch Elf but have it be socially acceptable because its not Christmas time yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-just-want-to-watch-elf-but-have-it-be-socially-acceptable-because/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I think it's a rule that it's socially acceptable to wet yourself when aliens enter your mind for the first time. If it wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-think-it-s-a-rule-that-it-s-socially-acceptable-to-wet-yourself/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [Ah, Facebook, where it is socially acceptable to talk to a wall¦](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jezreel-scott/ah-facebook-where-it-is-socially-acceptable-to-talk-to-a-wall/) [Jezreel Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jezreel-scott/) > [I think more things are becoming socially acceptable. I think that just by having more media, whether that's TV or Internet, we're able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brie-larson/i-think-more-things-are-becoming-socially-acceptable-i-think-that/) [Brie Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brie-larson/) > [I'll be ready to give up everything to right what I consider a wrong - even though I know that my response might not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/i-ll-be-ready-to-give-up-everything-to-right-what-i-consider-a-wrong/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [Comedy is a socially acceptable form of hostility and aggression. That is what comics do, stand the world upside down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/comedy-is-a-socially-acceptable-form-of-hostility-and-aggression-that/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [“Maybe we women gravitate toward comedy because it is a socially acceptable way to break rules and a release from our daily life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/maybe-we-women-gravitate-toward-comedy-because-it-is-a-socially/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [“Falling in love is kind of like a form of socially acceptable insanity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-jonze/falling-in-love-is-kind-of-like-a-form-of-socially-acceptable-insanity/) [Spike Jonze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-jonze/) > [We live in a society where it's more socially acceptable to be a teenage parent than gay. Let that sink in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-live-in-a-society-where-it-s-more-socially-acceptable-to-be-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Noah Hawley > [It's always very important to me to try to create a story that feels unpredictable. You can't jump ahead and see what's coming, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/it-s-always-very-important-to-me-to-try-to-create-a-story-that-feels/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [A two-hour movie tends to be a plot-delivery device; you tend to have to introduce all the characters, say what the goal is, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/a-two-hour-movie-tends-to-be-a-plot-delivery-device-you-tend-to-have/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [For some reason, I tend to take on the stuff that people are really passionate about. If you make a list of people you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/for-some-reason-i-tend-to-take-on-the-stuff-that-people-are-really/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [One of the things that I've always appreciated about the 'X-Men' style of storytelling versus other Marvel stories is how fluid the line between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/one-of-the-things-that-i-ve-always-appreciated-about-the-x-men-style/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [One of the things I've always loved about genre, comic books, science fiction and fantasy is that there's a certain level of playfulness to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/one-of-the-things-i-ve-always-loved-about-genre-comic-books-science/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [What's great is that each medium has a unique set of things that it does and does well. Film is a visual medium, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/what-s-great-is-that-each-medium-has-a-unique-set-of-things-that-it/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [I think that we're pattern-seeking animals, and what we like best is a story where everything fits together, where there's no puzzle pieces left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/i-think-that-we-re-pattern-seeking-animals-and-what-we-like-best-is-a/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [Obviously, when you do something with drama and comedy in it - and by that, I mean a scene that has drama and comedy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/obviously-when-you-do-something-with-drama-and-comedy-in-it-and-by/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [The last thing you want is to be desperate in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/the-last-thing-you-want-is-to-be-desperate-in-hollywood/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [I'm not that guy who thinks I have all the answers. Writing is a means of communicating, and if enough people say, 'I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/i-m-not-that-guy-who-thinks-i-have-all-the-answers-writing-is-a-means/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [I think a writer's first job is to entertain, even in novels: to tell a compelling story that pulls the reader along toward an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/i-think-a-writer-s-first-job-is-to-entertain-even-in-novels-to-tell-a/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [I think for really good-hearted people, that idea of putting yourself in the shoes of a monster to figure out why they acted that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/i-think-for-really-good-hearted-people-that-idea-of-putting-yourself/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > ['Downton Abbey' didn't have the impact it had just because it was a good story about people. It was something about that period and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/downton-abbey-didn-t-have-the-impact-it-had-just-because-it-was-a/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [Making a new season for 'Legion' is not something you just switch into. It's not something you do between dropping the kids off in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/making-a-new-season-for-legion-is-not-something-you-just-switch-into/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [It's amazing how flexible the human mind is in terms of jumping into a backstory or an aside. Vonnegut is a great example -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/it-s-amazing-how-flexible-the-human-mind-is-in-terms-of-jumping-into/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) [Explore all 124 Noah Hawley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) ## More Handshake quotes > [I never learned the secret handshake. That may be one of the reasons I've grown to love English soccer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-rushin/i-never-learned-the-secret-handshake-that-may-be-one-of-the-reasons-i/) [Steve Rushin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-rushin/) > [I ain't the captain of the yacht, but I'm on the boat; I ain't acting what I'm not, knowing that I don't. You niggaz…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beanie-sigel/i-ain-t-the-captain-of-the-yacht-but-i-m-on-the-boat-i-ain-t-acting/) [Beanie Sigel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beanie-sigel/) > [“With warm pleasantries, strangers become clients. With firm handshakes, contracts become signed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/utibe-samuel-mbom/with-warm-pleasantries-strangers-become-clients-with-firm-handshakes/) [Utibe Samuel Mbom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/utibe-samuel-mbom/) > [Blay didn’t shake the hand that was offered. He reached over, took a hold of the fighter’s face, and drew Qhuinn in for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/blay-didn-t-shake-the-hand-that-was-offered-he-reached-over-took-a/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [Suzanne Collins, it was such a big thing for me to make the handshake with her and to say, 'You can trust me. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-jacobson/suzanne-collins-it-was-such-a-big-thing-for-me-to-make-the-handshake/) [Nina Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-jacobson/) > [“A person who offers a loose handshake, on the other hand (pun intended), may be interpreted as being uninterested, lacking confidence and self-esteem, weak,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/a-person-who-offers-a-loose-handshake-on-the-other-hand-pun-intended/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [I've learned through experience that to trouble celebrities with my handshake doesn't do anybody any good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/i-ve-learned-through-experience-that-to-trouble-celebrities-with-my/) [Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/) > [“Far from being offended, Mencheres went over and flawlessly executed a street-style handshake complete with finger slaps, fist bumps, and a high-low finale.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/far-from-being-offended-mencheres-went-over-and-flawlessly-executed-a/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [The key reason executives are paid so much now is that they appoint the members of the corporate board that determines their compensation and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/the-key-reason-executives-are-paid-so-much-now-is-that-they-appoint/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [Is the Archbishop's blessing any more meaningful than the Politician's handshake? The come, they go, with bigger things than us on their minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/is-the-archbishop-s-blessing-any-more-meaningful-than-the-politician/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [“I have a secret handshake, like the Masons. Except mine is like a true secret in that nobody else knows about it, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-have-a-secret-handshake-like-the-masons-except-mine-is-like-a-true/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Saxton smelled really good and had a handshake that was firm. "You've grown up a lot." Blay found himself flushing as he took his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/saxton-smelled-really-good-and-had-a-handshake-that-was-firm-you-ve/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [The postman wants an autograph. The cab driver wants a picture. The waitress wants a handshake. Everyone wants a piece of you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/the-postman-wants-an-autograph-the-cab-driver-wants-a-picture-the/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [“A strong handshake conveys confidence, clarity, strength, and intention. As with everything else in life, if it is overzealous, it may be seen as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/a-strong-handshake-conveys-confidence-clarity-strength-and-intention/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [If you turn the heat down on the relationship, she will soften, the tension will lessen, and she will eventually inch closer to you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-dickinson/if-you-turn-the-heat-down-on-the-relationship-she-will-soften-the/) [Amy Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-dickinson/) Browse all 151 Handshake quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What's a handshake after all, except a socially acceptable way to make sure the other guy doesn't have a knife behind his back”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noah Hawley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/what-s-a-handshake-after-all-except-a-socially-acceptable-way-to-make/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Handshake" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/what-s-a-handshake-after-all-except-a-socially-acceptable-way-to-make/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab1/noah-hawley-3673_handshake_what-s-a-handshake-after-all-except-a-so_2971432.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab1/noah-hawley-3673_handshake_what-s-a-handshake-after-all-except-a-so_2971432.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab1/noah-hawley-3673_handshake_what-s-a-handshake-after-all-except-a-so_2971432.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What's a handshake after all, except a socially acceptable way to make sure the other guy doesn't have a…” — Noah Hawley", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Noah Hawley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“What's a handshake after all, except...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/what-s-a-handshake-after-all-except-a-socially-acceptable-way-to-make/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/what-s-a-handshake-after-all-except-a-socially-acceptable-way-to-make/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```