[edale]

Originally Posted by sopas ej

That's still no excuse, though? That implies that multiculturalism isn't acceptable among Canadian French speakers.




Many southeast Asians eat with a fork and spoon, not just Fillipinos. Traditionally, a lot of southeast Asians ate with their hands; many still do at home, and at restaurants where that's the thing to do; in fact there are some Filipino restaurants in the LA area where they offer kamayan ("kamay" means "hand" in Tagalog). I know Indians also traditionally eat with their hands. In the use-your-hands-when-you-eat cultures of southeast Asia, they eat the rice like how west Africans use fufu to eat their food, or how Ethiopians use the injera bread to eat their food, or even how Mexicans use tortillas with their hands to pick up the meat and other food, and then put it in their mouth.

Anyway, when these cultures were introduced to cutlery by westerners, they started using the spoon and fork. The knives weren't necessary at the meal table because any meat or vegetables are usually cut into bite-sized pieces already when serving it, similar to chopstick-using people. But since southeast Asians are rice eaters, and often mix some meat/vegetables/some broth in with the rice before putting it in their mouths, that's what the spoon became used for (instead of mixing it all into a bite-sized clump with two fingers in one hand); you use the fork to push the rice/food onto the spoon and put the spoon in your mouth. The fork isn't used to scoop up food to put in your mouth.

Thai people also traditionally eat with their hands, and when using cutlery, also use a spoon and fork. That's why I think it's funny when white people at Thai restaurants ask for chopsticks when there's already spoons and forks set at the table, as if somehow they're being more "authentic" if they eat with chopsticks. It's actually easier to eat Thai food with a spoon and fork than it is with chopsticks. I feel like it's only easy to eat rice with chopsticks when the rice is in a little rice bowl, versus on a plate mixed with other food.

So, in your view, cultural norms are only expected to be followed one way? White people (notice how you use white rather than Americans or Westerners, as if Black or Hispanic people never ask for chopsticks at Thai restaurants...) are supposed to respect that certain cultures eat with their hands, but those groups are not supposed to respect that Americans and Canadians eat with forks, knives, and spoons? I don't see anything wrong with adopting the customs of the country you're in. Shared customs help formulate national identities. I think it's ridiculous that boy's family received $17,000 because a teacher hurt his feelings by saying that the fork and spoon method is not how Canadians traditionally eat. I wish I got paid every time my feelings got hurt in elementary school!