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Dark_solder18 t1_j6h2bhh wrote

It's to show that you don't have a weapon in your hands

And no weapons = coming in peace

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3_Words t1_j6h2iik wrote

literally even how handshakes started, originally people shook hands by shaking each others forearms, this was to prove you did not carry a weapon in your dominate hand.

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KuaLeifArne t1_j6i4vpb wrote

I wonder what would happen if a person was left handed. Could they wield a weapon in their left hand while shaking with their right?

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Doreen666 t1_j6iir4i wrote

no, it's impossible to shake a hand with something in your other hand

try it if you dont believe me

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crookshanks_cat OP t1_j6h2njq wrote

true, but we can still use our fists as weapons and we still raise our hands to show we won’t use them. other animals don’t really seem to do this when they too have fists or something to use. 🤷🏻‍♂️

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Doreen666 t1_j6iixln wrote

fists are really crap weapons. hands break easily.

we've been successful due to tools so a display of "i do not have a dangerous tool" is an obvious evolution to indicate "I am no threat" to another human

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zanfitto t1_j6i5vnk wrote

A fist doesn't mean much for a convention that was stabilished after the invention of weapons

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