Using Cutlery In The "Proper" Way
Tony Tiger
Posts: 2,254 Forum Member
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i.e fork in left hand, knife in right.
I tell my kids to use their cutlery this way, but my OH is forever contradicting me saying it doesn't matter. Now in a practical sense she's probably right, but I think it's just a standard that our society on the whole follows, and wouldn't like them being looked down on in later life for getting it "wrong" (the same as speaking properly, maintaining a clean and tidy appearance etc...)
Was just wondering what others think? Does it matter, or should I give up and let them do as they please? Personally if I see someone doing it the reverse way I can't help but feel, even if only momentarily, they're a bit simple. I don't subscribe to the idea it depends on whether you're left or right handed either, as a lot of people do. I'm left handed and do it the proper way!
You may now commence the pantomime outrage at me daring to think less of someone for something so petty
I tell my kids to use their cutlery this way, but my OH is forever contradicting me saying it doesn't matter. Now in a practical sense she's probably right, but I think it's just a standard that our society on the whole follows, and wouldn't like them being looked down on in later life for getting it "wrong" (the same as speaking properly, maintaining a clean and tidy appearance etc...)
Was just wondering what others think? Does it matter, or should I give up and let them do as they please? Personally if I see someone doing it the reverse way I can't help but feel, even if only momentarily, they're a bit simple. I don't subscribe to the idea it depends on whether you're left or right handed either, as a lot of people do. I'm left handed and do it the proper way!
You may now commence the pantomime outrage at me daring to think less of someone for something so petty
Does it matter which way you use cutlery? 201 votes
It matters
48%
97 votes
It does not matter
51%
104 votes
0
Comments
The fact that you think people who do it that way are simple says more about you than anything. In fact I would imagine people look down on you and you just don't realise it.
To answer the question: no, I couldn't care less. I don't use cutlery the 'correct' way simply because it doesn't feel comfortable and I struggle. It doesn't make sense for me to take twice as long eating my food just to adhere to some ridiculous standard that really makes no sense to me.
As a visitor, I follow the majority in any household. A few weeks ago, a family used forks and spoons. A couple of months ago, another family used forks only (their meats were already cut into pieces). Anything goes, really.
I do avoid the traditional American way, though. Cutting a piece of meat under a fork with a knife in the left hand. Then eat with the fork in the right hand and the knife resting on the plate or loosely in the left hand. This makes no sense to me.
I can eat with them in the other hand but cant cut without sending my food over the table. I expect that is far more embarrassing then eating with them the "wrong" way round.
I think you start getting into trouble when you talk about 'our' standards. Who exactly does that include? My parents never told me what hand to have my cutlery in, so as far as i'm concerned it's not my standard.
So to answer your question - there is no such thing as 'the proper' way so it's irrelevant.
The vast majority of people won't even notice. Of those who do notice, the vast majority won't care. The few who do notice and care enough to actually "look down" on them will be petty, narrow-minded, nit-picking, judgemental idiots who probably go out of their way to find some trivial reason to "look down" on everyone.
That gets you far more funny looks than simply swapping cutlery to where you're comfortable and in control. My OH and I both prefer the fork in the right hand, and we both just swap our cutlery around at the beginning of a meal.
As I said in the previous thread, being self conscious of being looked down on and needing the shiniest shoes, straightest tie and using cutlery in the 'right' hand really only emphasises the gap between yourself and people of higher wealth/class/power. A truy confident and self assured person has no problem tweaking societal norms to their own comfort in whatever situation they find themselves in.
I agree.
I'm annoyed when I overhear friends or whoever make fun of their friend for using a fork or spoon to eat an East Asian rice meal. No one needs to use chopsticks in a country like Britain because most eateries use non-sticky rice, which can make chopsticks difficult to use. It's still OK to use a fork or spoon when the rice is sticky. **** what the others might think or say.
I'm left handed, but I eat knife and fork normally. Fork in left hand. However I have soup spoon and dessert spoon in left hand as well.
I am not bothered about the hand that a diner uses. What I don't like to see is a clumsy "monkey grip" that some people have. They are the ones who haven't been taught properly.
A lot of people hold pens in a similar uncomfortable way.
Spot on. What a daft thread. He might as well come out with it and say left handed people must be disabled. Weird
When I was younger I did try swapping cutlery round the other way but could never get used to it. Oddly enough though, I do hold spoons in my right hand!
Writing, computer mouse etc, all on the left.