People 'mind-blown' after realising they've been knocking on doors wrong their whole lives

Have you ever paused to consider how you knock on a door to signal your arrival, or is it an intuitive motion?

Typically, knocking involves lifting one's arm and tapping the knuckles against the surface of the intended door, usually repeatedly, causing the door to respond with a familiar sound. However, a newly highlighted logical flaw has left people questioning whether their lifelong door-knocking technique is flawed.

A TikTok video by user Julien Brown caused quite the stir when he expressed being "mind-blown" by the realisation that raising our hands to knock isn't necessary. The clip he shared demonstrates an alternative method where he keeps his fist down by his waist and knocks on the door without lifting his arm.

The unconventional approach has gone viral, with thousands reflecting on their own knocking habits. Comments on the video range from confused amusement to disbelief, with one user quipping: "Why do we raise our hands to knock lol" while another expresses discomfort stating: "This seems so wrong."

A third commenter simply echoed the sentiment with a succinct "mind-blown." Meanwhile, another individual humorously reacted with "Why did that look illegal," and yet another admitted: "My brain won't let me do that."

However, some individuals believe they have figured out why we raise our arms to knock on doors. "It's a little easier/more comfortable because of the anatomy of joints and muscles," one person commented.

Another suggested: "Old handles were placed up in the middle of the doors and we kept the habit. That's it." A third person speculated: "I'm assuming it's because of how sound travels... knock adjacent to your ears to help sound travel more efficiently to the person on the other side. I don't know