[humanser] Cat Stroking, Not Facebook Poking, Satisfies Needs For RealInteraction

[Susan Tabor]

Thanks for posting his, Mary Ann! It resonates with me on a number of
levels! (smile!) And my cats thank you as well!
Warmest Regards,
Susan

-----Original Message-----
From: humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:humanser-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Mary Ann Robinson
Sent: Thursday, October 20, 2011 8:09 PM
To: Human Services Mailing List
Subject: [humanser] Cat Stroking, Not Facebook Poking, Satisfies Needs For
RealInteraction

Cat Stroking, Not Facebook Poking, Satisfies Needs For Real Interaction
  BY Martin Lindstrom
  Forget poking on Facebook or IM-ING people, shaking a hand or putting an
arm on someone else's shoulder is where social interaction really begins.
In Japan, this need for touch has extended to a focus on pets, including
cafes for petting cats.
Will emphasizing touch be a new trend in the U.S.?
  As I made my way up a narrow staircase in Tokyo, I wondered what on earth
I was actually doing.  A few weeks earlier, a friend of a friend had
mentioned cat cafes, a new phenomenon sweeping through Japan.  The cat cafe
at the top of the stairs promised an unforgettable lunch, while
simultaneously extending human life by years.  Although I'd hardly consider
myself a cat person, I found the temptation of longevity irresistible.
  Japan has long been obsessed with pets.  It was here where you could first
take your dog or cat for a pedicure or a spa.
Shortly after, gift shops for pets sprung up, followed by restaurants
dedicated to feeding your pet specially prepared delicacies.  The animals
would be seated, whilst their human caregivers would be left outside.  No
joke.  There are many a funeral home and cemetery for cats and dogs.  And
now this: cat cafes.
  In the finest Japanese tradition, I was asked to perform one of those
cleaning rituals that would put sanitary procedures at your average hospital
to shame.  Once cleansed, I was led to the education room, where I was
instructed on correct behavior.  Now enlightened, I was ushered into a large
room with a cafe bar in the corner, and hundreds of cats.  They were curled
up on the floor, reclining on armchairs and sofas and padding around the
room.
  I was not alone.  Many people were there, their focus directed exclusively
to one cat or another.  They held them on their laps, sat beside them,
stroked, patted, and murmured sweet nothings in their ears.  All the while,
the cats purred the deep purrs of creatures entirely satisfied with their
lots in life.  After a cup of coffee and brief interactions with three
separate cats, my time was up, and I could now say I'd had the full cat cafe
experience.
  The more affluent, time-poor, and lonely a society becomes, the greater
the need for pets.  Not too long ago, I was taken to a home for elderly
Japanese people.  At first glance, I noticed people sitting quietly stroking
their little dogs.  I was amused that the dogs all looked remarkably
similar.  My amusement turned to astonishment when the staff explained that
the pets were actually robots disguised as fluffy, white poodles.
  Japanese research has shown that the more time we spend touching pets, the
longer we live.  So, with the help of a government grant, many such homes in
Japan have invested in expensive robotic pets that breathe, snore, shrug,
yelp, and indeed respond to their owner with sounds of recognition when they
see them.
  Will this somewhat crazy, yet undeniably thought-provoking, trend be
confined to Japan? Or will it find a place in the Western world? France is a
possibility.  It's a nation that has always celebrated dogs.  I will never
forget an incident that occurred at a 2-star Michelin restaurant in Paris.
There, at the table beside me, was a dog sitting on a chair, facing its
owner.
It ate from a fine china plate, and drank what looked like red wine from a
bowl on the table.
  I suspect that the U.S.  might be next in line, simply because we're a
nation increasingly deprived of meaningful physical interaction.  "That's
ridiculous," you might say.  But think about it: Apart from the perfunctory
handshake, when was the last time you touched another person? We touch our
iPads and Pods, our fingers fly over our BlackBerrys and fold over our
mouse, but as for touching humans, well, that's another story entirely.
It's not our way.
  If you've ever visited countries like Spain, Italy, and Turkey, you'll
soon notice boys, men, and even the elderly, touch hands with one another as
they saunter along the street.  At presentations I've conducted in Thailand
and the Philippines, it's quite common for businessmen to drape an arm over
the shoulder of the man beside them.  I'm talking a normal working
situation, not an Asian version of a gay Mardi Gras.
  We, on the other hand, like to touch before we buy.  We test an avocado's
ripeness by giving it a gentle squeeze, and finger the texture of the fabric
before we try on an outfit.  But when it comes to touching one another, we
tend to shy away.
  Which brings me back to the U.S.  During the course of my workshops I have
a tendency to gently rest a hand on someone's shoulders when addressing them
directly.  They often come to me at the close of the day to express their
satisfaction.  They say, "I'll never forget your presentation.  It felt like
we established a really clear understanding of one another." I explain that
touch helps facilitate this, and then ask why they don't initiate similar
physical connections.  Their answers rarely surprise me as they talk of
their fear of what others may think.  They don't want to offend anyone and
are afraid of breaking unspoken codes of behavior.  Some go so far as to
express their fear of a potential lawsuit.
  As we well know, animals cannot sue.  You also never look stupid or
inappropriate petting a dog or a cat.  So, when we do, it satisfies our
basic need for touch.  It wakens us to life and living beings and can
conjure up warm memories of deep connection with our childhood pets.
  Here's my prediction: as our social lives migrate online, so our need for
touch offline will become more apparent.  We have two choices--we can either
normalize touching one another in the same way Italian, Brazilian, Thai, and
Spanish people have been doing for hundreds of years, or another commercial
industry will find itself in our lives.  Make no mistake, the need for touch
is hardwired into our being and if we don't get our share, there'll be an
influx of pet cafes, pet gift shops, pet outfitters, and pet podiatrists.
On the one hand, it's adorable, fascinating, and appealing.  On the other,
it's the expression of a desperate human need for touch and connection in
our increasingly disconnected lives.
  Brandwashed Martin Lindstrom is a 2009 recipient of TIME Magazine's
"World's 100 Most Influential People" and author of
  Buyology: Truth and Lies About Why We Buy
  (Doubleday, New York), a New York Times and Wall Street Journal
best--seller.  His latest book, Brandwashed: Tricks Companies Use to
Manipulate Our Minds and Persuade Us to Buy was published in September.  A
frequent advisor to heads of numerous Fortune 100 companies, Lindstrom has
also authored 5 best-sellers translated into 30 languages.
  Copyright B) 2011 Mansueto Ventures LLC.  All rights reserved.
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