Why you should tap the table twice?

PLUS: Threads & Fediverse, TimeMaps, Hexagon chess & Anti Chess and many more...

Jul 14, 2023

gm 👋 Prado here

We are 4173+ interesting people reading these letters every week.

Every Friday, I publish one essay & 10 interesting things that will help you become healthy, wealthy and wise 👇

Essay of the week - Two Taps

Ever since I remember, I’ve been tapping twice on the table. I don’t know why I was doing it. Every time I finish a conversation or I’m about to get up, I tap twice. Probably for over a decade, I didn’t know why I was doing it.

I just thought it was a great way to end a conversation with someone or even with myself.

This week the world gave me not 2 but 3 reasons why I do it. There is even a saying for it. Parallel Thinking.

Parallel thinking is two people having similar perspectives or actions but having never met each other IRL (have you ever met someone and you both go, OMG you too) it’s that.

Anyway, so I do this table-tapping thing every now and then and this week I watched House of Cards.

In that, the main character Frank Underwood often does that tapping thing. Here’s the ultimate one 👇

Fun Fact: This is where the Netflix Ta-Dum sound effect comes from 👀

I was so happy to see that someone else apart does this. I got curious and kept watching the TV series to know why he does it.

Then in Chapter 12 around 19mins, he explains why 👇

"Something my father taught me. It's meant to harden your knuckles so you don't break them if you get into a fight. It also has the added benefit of knocking on wood. My father believed that success is a mixture of preparation and luck. Tapping the table kills both birds with one stone." - Frank Underwood

I loved the first reason. It’s meant to harden your knuckles and keep them together in case you get in a fight.

But the second point, I couldn’t comprehend properly. I know people say Touch wood every now and then but I didn’t really know why

So, I started digging a bit.

Seems like it’s a tradition. Love it. I found two reasons why.

I went on lunch with my friend Xia this week and she saw me tapping the table twice after our conversation ended with the waiter. It’s a habit for me now.

She asked why did I do that and I was so eager to tell her why because after a decade I finally learned it. After I told her the reason why I do it, she told me that there is a Chinese ritual too.

My curiosity went through the roof. I was like eff the food. Tell me the reason nowwwww.

Then she googled real quick and sent me a couple of links and give me a quick brief.

There is a tradition that when someone pours tea you show them respect by tapping the table twice.

I went back home and read the two articles she shared. Realised there is a whole story behind it.

TL;DR - A Chinese king travelled into his country in disguise and the emperor told his companions not to bow but rather tap the table each time he refills their cup.

here’s the link to read more (Link 1) (Link 2)

My Philosophy behind this:

If I’m ending my conversation with someone, you’ll see me do it because it’s a way to show respect to the person. Thanking them for their time and attention.

But just because I’m respecting someone doesn't mean I’m not prepared. My fist is balled up and ready for every possibility. Handshake or Fight. I’m ready.

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10 things from InterestingRoad.com 🙌

1. If you have to delete your account on threads, you’d have to delete your Instagram account too. read this blog on Threads and Fediverse (Blog)

2. Something from my Twitter👇

Wrote this tweet because I realised that this is the first week in the last 4 years where I didn’t tweet anything. I guess there is a first time for everything huh? Hopefully, I get back to tweeting.

3. Can Chess, with Hexagons?

Fun fact: I recently got introduced to Anti-Chess by

Neil

and I’ve been hooked on it. Go play it online.

4. The Netherlands got the ultimate rizz - Read TimeMaps (Blog)

5. Interesting Human of the week:-

found these links under this tweet 👇

- https://calculusmadeeasy.org/ (The whole book is available for free)

- https://medium.com/liecatcher/truth-by-science-a73012117806

6. Question of the week:- Would it be easier to make an impact if you were willing to give up credit or control?

7. Picture of the week:-

8. Current read: Still reading Remote by Jason Fried and DHH

9. Meme of the week:-

10. Quotes of the week:

I’m almost never serious, and I’m always too serious. Too deep, too shallow. Too sensitive, too cold-hearted. I’m like a collection of paradoxes.🕊 - Ferdinand de Saussure🖋
(Tweet this quote)
"There's a Japanese phrase that I like: koi no yokan. It doesn't mean love at first sight. It's closer to love at second sight. It's the feeling when you meet someone that you're going to fall in love with them. Maybe you don't love them right away, but it's inevitable that you will." Nicola Yoon, The Sun Is Also Star
(Tweet this quote)
“The record shows that, for society, the richer we become, the harder it is to live within our means. Abundance is harder for us to handle than scarcity.” —Nassim Taleb
(Tweet this quote)