Don't get me wrong, I am not a fan of being touched inappropriately. And I will be vocal about it, if and when it happens. I am not above, "accidentally," stepping on a foot, in a high heel, or spilling red wine all over a white dress shirt.
Luckily, I can't remember the last time a man acted inappropriately toward me. I realize it does happen, but it has not been a common occurrence for me, and I am glad of it. It is NOT OK to touch someone without their permission. Should the unwilling recipient slap the snot of the offender, well, too bad for them.
And then there is what may, now, be a fear of touching other people, in a completely appropriate fashion.
I am a touchy-feely girl. I love to hug people, and touch them in a non-sexual way, to connect. I think we all suffer from a dearth of the human touch, which brings us together and allows us to have more empathy for one another. Touching other people is truly good for us.
It gives me a twinge of melancholy that some people may be afraid of touching others during something as innocent as a photo op.
Now, I am assuming this is self-protective, and I may be dead wrong about Keanu...but this speaks to a larger issue, anyway, so, give me a little leeway, if you will.
Humans need to touch each other. I am of the firm, but unscientifically backed, belief, that in today's "connected" modernity, we are increasingly separated from one another. We don't touch, we text. We don't hug, we send emojis. And we have become smaller and meaner as a result.
The warmth of human skin, even through a sleeve, brings an instant sense of calm and comfort.
What do you do the instant you see someone in distress? If you are anything like me, you wrap protective arms around them. And yeah, this includes both strangers, and those I know and love.
When you hug someone, you probably aren't thinking about how they voted, or what color they are, or their sexuality. You see a human. A person. And you are creating a bridge, instead of a barrier.
These links to one-another are critical and essential. They make us kinder to others. Those invisible synapses form the netting of community between us.
It may be that Keanu is reacting to #metoo...and trying to avoid the perception of impropriety. and if so, that's sad. But understandable. And still sad.
Heck, he may simply be touch-averse. I've known a few people like that, and I found it heartbreaking. Imagine seeing germs instead of humans? That would suck.
Either way, from my perspective, as we touch less, we drift farther from our collective human experience. It magnifies our difference and minimizes our commonalities.