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Originally Posted by Frosstbyte
It's just one of those built in social mores, for better or for worse. I'd guess it's derived very obscurely from guys wanting to show their strength to one another on first meeting in order to show that they could protect themself/mate/family/etc.
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Actually shaking hands comes from medievil times. A knight would extend his empty hand to show that he held no weapon and thus was not a threat. Not that it's relevant, but saluting also comes from knights, who would raise their visor to expose their face, and thus, identity as a sign of respect.
Perhaps it's just that I don't come from a business environment where this would matter. Or is this something that matters in casual relationships, too? I wonder if the parents whose hands I shake are making some sort of judgment about this? I never offer, but will return when another offers, but only for as brief a time as possible. As I said, I dislike being touched by strangers.