He talks about North American obsession with touch like a normal thing, but in fact it is the exception in the world.
Being polite changes with the culture. In Morocco it is totally ok for male friends to hold hands in the street.
In South America you touch a lot other people. The same happens in Africa. I had India children and adolescent jump over me just after meeting them just playing.
I had played soccer all around Africa and touched shoulders of my playmates, grab their head and hug celebrated with them goals without a problem. Also it was very manly thing to do.
In China or Korea people to burp is ok. Using a kleenex on your nose is not.
In Spain we kiss women when we meet them and we touch kids we recently met a lot. I used to photograph kids a lot. In the US or UK with the obsession in sex they have they can put you in jail for photographic a kid smiling.