Is Obama a boob for bowing?

[longhorn_92]

Let's talk about bowing in Japanese culture, also known as Ojigi:

Ojigi (bowing) is an essential part of Japanese daily life. People bow when saying hello, thanking someone, apologizing, saying good-bye and introducing themselves. Although shaking hands (akushu) has become accepted as a form of greeting, many Japanese still are not used to it.

The deeper you bow, the more respect you are showing. There is an old haiku poem; "Minoru hodo atama no tareru inaho kana." It means "Young rice stalks stand upright, the mature grains bow low," implying that one grows to understand the meaning of humility. When somebody's position is higher than the other, the person in the lower position bows his or her head a little lower than the person in the higher position. Generally speaking, older women bow very politely. There are many who bow deeply while shaking hands at the same time, and there are others who bow many, many times. However, greetings between friends are fairly informal. They would casually raise their hands or lightly lower their head (eshaku).

Let's check a bit more:

Basic bows are performed with the back straight and the hands at the sides (boys and men) or clasped in the lap (girls and women), and with the eyes down. Bows originate at the waist. Generally, the longer and deeper the bow, the stronger the emotion and the respect expressed.

Generally speaking, an inferior bows longer, more deeply and more frequently than a superior. A superior addressing an inferior will generally only nod the head slightly, while some superiors may not bow at all and an inferior will bend forward slightly from the waist.

When dealing with non-Japanese people, many Japanese will shake hands. Since many non-Japanese are familiar with the custom of bowing, this often leads to a combined bow and handshake which can be quite complicated to execute. Bows may be combined with handshakes or performed before or after shaking hands. Generally when bowing in close proximity, as necessitated when combining bowing and shaking hands, people turn slightly to one side (usually the left) to avoid bumping heads.



Let's watch the video:
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So, Obama not only bowed, but he kinda did it wrong, back wasn't straight, hands not at his sides, he did the shaking hands thing. Notice that Emperor Akihito neither bowed nor shook his head. Afterwards, Obama did the head shaking thing. So, the question is, is he an idiot for attempting to practice a Japanese custom with no real knowledge of how these things work, especially in terms of POTUS meeting the Japanese Emperor, or, is he a complete boob who was trying to place himself, and the USA, in an inferior position? The Emperor knew the protocol, namely, shake hands, no bows. Doesn't Obama have people to tell him these things?

[Lodge2004]

The Emperor knew the protocol, namely, shake hands, no bows. Doesn't Obama have people to tell him these things?

That's the part I struggle with most. Either BHO ignores those giving him advice because he wants to be different or those giving him advice are ignorant and making him look bad. Either way, its getting kinda old.

[Oldgringo]

Lodge2004 wrote:

...making him look bad...

I'm a little more concerned with him making the rest of us look bad.

[USA1]

Is Obama a boob for bowing?

No , Hes just a boob.

[Aggie_engr]

[Zee]

I admire anyone who acknowledges others' cultures. Its thoughtful and shows a willingness to understand someone outside your own neighborhood. I don't imagine he intended to show off as a bowing expert.

[Kevinf2349]

Don't politicians have advisors that tell them the protocols when making overseas visits....like throwing up etc?

[boomerang]

It depends. Is Obama an American citizen? If so, he shouldn't bow to foreign royalty. Japanese or Saudi.

[The Annoyed Man]

Is Obama a boob for bowing?

No , Hes just a boob.

You beat me to it...

His bow is exaggerated. Years ago, my native born Japanese Sensei once taught me that in the correct formal Japanese bowing gesture, you A) never bow lower than the person you are facing because to do so would be a formal acknowledgment of your subservience to that person; and B) you never take your eyes off of theirs while you're bowing because to do so actually indicates disrespect.

That said, I think that too much is made of these gaffs. I don't see the ignorance of protocol in and of itself as particularly damaging to the national interests, and I suspect that Emperor Akihito is a worldly enough man not to take the improper bow to mean anything other than as a demonstration of Obama's fundamental lack of international sophistication. Rather, it is just one more symptom of how dangerously provincial and truly uninformed are the Obamas and the administration.

[HankB]

After bowing low before the king of Saudi Arabia, Obama should have known better, and seen to it that he wouldn't repeat his gaffe.

The fact that he didn't, and actually repeated the same type of mistake, reflects poorly - very poorly - on both him and the country that elected him.

He is an embarassment and a source of shame for this country.

[USA1]

He is an embarassment and a source of shame for this country.

Completely !

Also let us not forget that the Whitehouse( Robert Gibbs) denied that obumer ever bowed at all.

[longhorn_92]

He is an embarassment and a source of shame for this country.

Completely !

Also let us not forget that the Whitehouse( Robert Gibbs) denied that obumer ever bowed at all.

Gibbs will try to use his "jedi" mind tricks on you once again...

CNN Reporter: Excuse me but, why did the President bow down to a world leader once again?
Robert Gibbs:What you think you saw, not, you did. It that way see. Hmmmmmm.
CNN Reporter: Ok...
Robert Gibbs: I will have such a question like that again not. Yes, hmmm.

[Zee]

Maybe he should have given a back rub and called it a day.

[kirock7]

This is one of those threads that makes me bite my lip so hard... just to keep from saying anything. I'm biting so hard as to bleed... so just a short comment; I can't believe the unbridled hate for the president that seems to be such a common thread throughout this part of the forum. I'm absolutely amazed that so many folks hate Obama so much.
Bush made me sick, but this makes me even sicker. (Rant over).

[Lodge2004]

Not sure where you are seing "hate". We should all want our President to represent us well. When he makes a mistake, as this was, it can have unintended consequences.

I felt the same way when Ford stumbled down the stairs and tried to eat a tamale with the husk, when Bush II butchered common words, when Clinton danced around the word "is" and when Carter sat in the chair with that silly sweater.