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

Sun Oct 23 18:29:10 UTC 2011

Mary Ann,

I shared this article with all the cat lovers I know.  They will enjoy it 
and I appreciate you giving me the opportunity to share it with them.  A 
little over a year ago, we inherited three cats and love it when they come 
and perch themselves on or near us purring their little hearts out.

Thanks,
Merry

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Susan Tabor" <souljourner at sbcglobal.net>
To: "'Mary Ann Robinson'" <brightsmile1953 at comcast.net>; "'Human Services 
Mailing List'" <humanser at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, October 20, 2011 11:24 PM
Subject: Re: [humanser] Cat Stroking, Not Facebook Poking,Satisfies Needs 
For RealInteraction

> 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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