Filipino table etiquette punished at local school

rolins · Post by **rolins** » Thu May 11, 2006 11:46 pm

http://www.westislandchronicle.com/page ... ticle=6063

I know this article is over two weeks old, so pardon me if you guys read this already. I don't exactly keep up with current events around the world these days with college and video game interrupting me all the time, but my friend just emailed this to me told me read it.

For those people here who like eating their food with a spoon + fork, such as myself, this is a must read. I'm just angry that the kid in the article is being scold for his cultural practices.

Specineff · Post by **Specineff** » Thu May 11, 2006 11:55 pm

I don't see how that can be disgusting. Grabbing the food with the hands, that might be disgusting, but that? How can be that different from say, chopsticks? Or has anyone eaten spaghetti using a fork and a spoon to roll it up?

[Napoleon Dynamite] STUPID! [/Napoleon]

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Fri May 12, 2006 12:50 am

The fork and spoon will destroy Canadian culture someday. You'll see.

EddyMRA · Post by **EddyMRA** » Fri May 12, 2006 1:57 am

I'm Filipino, and that is exactly how I eat, using both utensils in the manner described in the article.

The n00b · Post by **The n00b** » Fri May 12, 2006 2:01 am

As someone who usually eats with their hands, I can say that I am throughly disgusted with this display of intolerance.

Stormwatch · Post by **Stormwatch** » Fri May 12, 2006 2:02 am

In Soviet Canada, spoon eats using YOU!

UnscathedFlyingObject · Fri May 12, 2006 2:08 am

It's pretty sad if he got punished just 'cause of eating with spoon and fork at the same time. However, I'd say that as with any story, there might be something that's not coming to light. Was he really "turbulent" and caused trouble during lunch time? His punishment might've been warranted in that case, but even then, the principal's comment was indeed inappropriate.

rolins · Post by **rolins** » Fri May 12, 2006 2:19 am

UnscathedFlyingObject wrote:It's pretty sad if he got punished just 'cause of eating with spoon and fork at the same time. However, I'd say that as with any story, there might be something that's not coming to light. Was he really "turbulent" and caused trouble during lunch time? His punishment might've been warranted in that case, but even then, the principal's comment was indeed inappropriate.

Turbulent is weird term to use here. The journalist should've just bluntly said eating really fast. A spoon and fork is very productive, you can definitely push down a plate of food in matter few seconds.

Twiddle · Post by **Twiddle** » Fri May 12, 2006 2:23 am

If your table manners aren't like a white person who has a million dollar income you're eating like a pig folks

...I can't pretend to follow the logic here

howmuchkeefe · Post by **howmuchkeefe** » Fri May 12, 2006 3:24 am

Well, good. I bet the little bastard was left-handed, too.

landshark · Post by **landshark** » Fri May 12, 2006 4:15 am

howmuchkeefe wrote:Well, good. I bet the little bastard was left-handed, too.

hey, leave us left handers out of this.

jp · Post by jp » Fri May 12, 2006 4:22 am

I... totally cannot believe that shit. Some people are just retarded. Let the kid eat how he wants to eat.

Post by **BulletMagnet** » Fri May 12, 2006 6:56 pm

To quote (I think) Calvin and Hobbes: "Another nostalgic part of childhood goes 'thbbbbttthhhhh.'"

SAM · Post by **SAM** » Fri May 12, 2006 7:15 pm

jp wrote:I... totally cannot believe that shit. Some people are just retarded. Let the kid eat how he wants to eat.

Well they found themselve a good cause called "table manner".

JAPJAC · Post by **JAPJAC** » Sun May 14, 2006 8:31 am

Bad news day? However, very interesting.

I am inclined to agree with the HeadMaster. When at home this little boy can eat any way he likes of course (cat like from a bowl if so desired). Has anyone considered that the HeadMaster has his best interests at heart? I have never been to North America but I assume that the majority of people eat with forks 'n knives there? As an Englishman living abroad I am sometimes expected to eat using two small sticks! To me that is backwards to say the least (no offense to any Japanese reading) but I do without moaning (I have witnessed Japanese eat steak with these sticks, using one coupled with a knife for cutting and then both of these sticks to consume. Very silly). When in Rome...

This little boy isn't going to get very far in life if when at a business dinner (in North America) he uses this technique and I think that is what the HeadMaster is thinking. Like it or not that is a fact of developed modern society. Besides I would bet my last Penny that the HeadMaster has more experience with Children than the little boys parents. I also bet you when he is older he will change his eating habits to conform in such situations thus making his parents hypocrites. I assume judging from where this story is from he speaks Spanish, French or English at school (in North America) as opposed to the Filipino language (beg your pardon I don't know what they speak)? So he decides to adopt their language but not their eating ways, I see...

If you don't like it, go home mate. Hypocrites. Again, when in Rome...

I hardly believe the School has made it an issue just for the fun of it.

It is in his best interest to eat as all the other Children do when at school (in North America) thus reaching a comprimise.

Will teach my Children 'bar bar black sheep' regardless of these new fangled PC folk that make things worse judging by the above responses.

P.S. Always wondered? Why is Filipino spelt with an F when their nation is spelt with a P? And why the 'The' pre-fix? Has it got to do with it being a group of islands very much like England is in The British Isles? English from The Ingaland, JAPJAC.

Fenrir · Post by **Fenrir** » Sun May 14, 2006 8:58 am

Well, I don't think in ANY business lunch if you eat with fork+spoon they will frown at you. If they did, they're simply imbecil dongheads that show how the business class can be full of ineducated pricks. Again, this is cultural richness and I would be inclined to ask (with a bit of embarassment added because of the stupid question) why do Filipinos eat like that, and if it is embedded in their culture and to which extent. It would be interesting and very educative.
In Italy, where Spaghetti are sacred, expecially in the center/south part, if you eat with fork+spoon in a local tavern it is considered almost offensive, because it disrupt the religious way of eating italian pasta, which is indeed the best pasta ever.
On the countrary, in the upper class, eating spaghetti with fork+spoon is considered extremely delicate and polite, almost disgustingly civil.

Go figure

JAPJAC · Post by **JAPJAC** » Sun May 14, 2006 9:06 am

*Remembers Splash! and the lobster scene and smiles*

99pence · Post by **99pence** » Sun May 14, 2006 9:22 am

"I have never seen somebody eat with a spoon and a fork at the same time"

LMAO. Has he never heard of a spork?

What a load of nonsence. It's not like he's eating with the Queen. Even if he was I bet she'd get her chops sticks out and join in. She's good like that.

Pretty hypocritical as I bet the principle/lunch maid goes home sits in his pants (underpants) and shovels down the pizzas and burgers with his hands. Goes to the cutlery draw to get a knife to spread some butter on his toast. 'Oh crap, they've run out, oh well I'll just use a spoon.'

Post by **Shatterhand** » Sun May 14, 2006 3:07 pm

Hey, how does he cut through a meat using a fork and a spoon?

I actually found this really interesting, I had never seen anyone eating like that too, and I personally would like to see it

Just curious.

I'd say there's nothing wrong if he wants to eat like that. I can't see any problems. And there are certain matters of education that isn't a matter for the school, but for the family.

rolins · Post by **rolins** » Sun May 14, 2006 4:36 pm

I'm also Filipino and I grew up using a spoon + fork. Personaly I never realized that it was in any way different from the norm. Of course I really never bothered to take notice of the way other people eat in public either. Filipinos use a spoon + fork because it's easier to eat their rice off a plate. So much easier to eat rice than say with a fork + knife. Cutting meat with them is doable but it's more like pulling and ripping'em apart. However, my family usually slices our meat thin before serving them, so knifes are often quite useless at the dinner table.

Specineff · Post by **Specineff** » Sun May 14, 2006 6:18 pm

Unless the eating with a spoon and fork is actually disgusting (I think it's not. I imagine you simply load the food on the spoon with a fork, and chow it down), there is no rule in western etiquette that says you can't, and making such a big deal out of it is plain retarded. It's like eating with chopsticks, dangit. Would they make a big deal if a kid was pushing the rice on his bowl into his mouth, the way we see it done in anime?

Elitist jerks, they are.

Twiddle · Post by **Twiddle** » Sun May 14, 2006 6:40 pm

JAPJAC wrote:Bad news day? However, very interesting.

I am inclined to agree with the HeadMaster. When at home this little boy can eat any way he likes of course (cat like from a bowl if so desired). Has anyone considered that the HeadMaster has his best interests at heart? I have never been to North America but I assume that the majority of people eat with forks 'n knives there? As an Englishman living abroad I am sometimes expected to eat using two small sticks! To me that is backwards to say the least (no offense to any Japanese reading) but I do without moaning (I have witnessed Japanese eat steak with these sticks, using one coupled with a knife for cutting and then both of these sticks to consume. Very silly). When in Rome...

This little boy isn't going to get very far in life if when at a business dinner (in North America) he uses this technique and I think that is what the HeadMaster is thinking. Like it or not that is a fact of developed modern society. Besides I would bet my last Penny that the HeadMaster has more experience with Children than the little boys parents. I also bet you when he is older he will change his eating habits to conform in such situations thus making his parents hypocrites. I assume judging from where this story is from he speaks Spanish, French or English at school (in North America) as opposed to the Filipino language (beg your pardon I don't know what they speak)? So he decides to adopt their language but not their eating ways, I see...

If you don't like it, go home mate. Hypocrites. Again, when in Rome...

I hardly believe the School has made it an issue just for the fun of it.

It is in his best interest to eat as all the other Children do when at school (in North America) thus reaching a comprimise.

Will teach my Children 'bar bar black sheep' regardless of these new fangled PC folk that make things worse judging by the above responses.

P.S. Always wondered? Why is Filipino spelt with an F when their nation is spelt with a P? And why the 'The' pre-fix? Has it got to do with it being a group of islands very much like England is in The British Isles? English from The Ingaland, JAPJAC.

What makes you think he'll work in business?

BIG · Post by **BIG** » Sun May 14, 2006 8:02 pm

Silly,to say the very least.

B-

99pence · Post by **99pence** » Sun May 14, 2006 8:21 pm

It's nothing really, that's just the way school is. At that age kids at my school were getting bollocked for eating two biscuits at a time, not eating your crusts etc etc. If someone dropped one the dinner lady would come round and says 'ooo's made ah rude smell?'

School was hardcore back in the day. In years before that you would have got canned for less. You would get canned if you didn't wave to the vicar, doesn't matter if you were carrying something at the time.

Post by **system11** » Sun May 14, 2006 8:39 pm

I'm mostly with Japjac on this. If I moved to Doesntexistland and the general social rules there were that you wore a pink skirt, then I'd have to wear a pink skirt.

Failing to accept or compromise with a societys standards means they in turn will fail to accept you. I work for a financial company. I don't get taken seriously by managerial staff further up the chain because I will not wear a suit. Does this affect me? Yes, definitely. It's a compromise I have to accept, and I have to accept that if I was customer facing, I'd wear a suit or be out of work.

If that kid eats in a way that 'looks funny', it will affect other peoples perception of him, whether that's fair or not. People are too quick to cry 'ohnoes! racism!' and so on just because they have to do one little thing someone elses way. It's as pathetic as the expectations of those asking it.

dai jou bu · Post by **dai jou bu** » Sun May 14, 2006 9:10 pm

JAPJAC wrote: the Filipino language (beg your pardon I don't know what they speak)?

It's a combination of the native languages and Spanish, since the country was occupied by them for a few centuries before the Americans kicked them out, and then they started using English words too. Since there's so many different dialects in the Phillippines, the standard dialect is called Tagalog.

JAPJAC wrote:It is in his best interest to eat as all the other Children do when at school (in North America) thus reaching a comprimise.

Yup. It's better to learn this at that age where the consequences aren't that severe. Imagine if he was doing that during a business meeting when the food prepared doesn't call for it.

tekneekz · Post by **tekneekz** » Sun May 14, 2006 9:53 pm

sad their is still alot of discrimination towards asians in some places :/

The n00b · Post by **The n00b** » Sun May 14, 2006 10:10 pm

Strangely I agree with blood and japtac or whatever. I work in investments and sometimes you have to act all high class or you won't get taken seriously. This doesn't just mean wearing a suit, it means knowing what a salad fork is and not staging business meetings at a McDonald's. I eat with my hands but, even I know, that stuff is offlimits at formal gatherings.

It seems that the kid is just eating lunch at school though. He's not at a formal dinner. He's just shooting the shit with his friends while chomping down on some grub. It should be no big deal but I guess the headmaster wanted to take this opportunity to teach him a lesson. I guess that's what school is for...

Zigfried the Trizealot · Sun May 14, 2006 11:24 pm

I find the whole thing silly, because I don't care what utensils someone uses to eat, but unfortunately it *is* a school's responsibility to prepare children to succeed in the real world. Individualism is fine, but you have to be prepared to accept the consequences of individualism. In this case, eating alone.

Acceptance is based on conformity. As much as we philosophize and rail against that attitude, our behavior every day reinforces that reality. We build connections with others based on similarities, and mentally minimize the differences. If we view someone as TOO different, we think to ourselves, "nice guy but I have nothing in common with him".

Or, in the case of junior-high children, they shout and yell: "NERD! GEEK! LOSER! PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG!"

It's best for the poor kid to learn the "proper" way to eat now, before his peers taunt him relentlessly.

//Zig

freddiebamboo · Post by **freddiebamboo** » Mon May 15, 2006 12:22 am

Shatterhand wrote:Hey, how does he cut through a meat using a fork and a spoon?

I know this is a great cultural dilemma here, but this is also the only thing going through my mind when I read the article.