Last night, at the dinner table, my 5 year old started reprimanding my 3 year old for having bad table manners. I guess she is learning these all important facts in public school...Wow what they don't teach them now a days, not those trivial things such as reading, writing and arithmetic. Anyway, the point is she was getting after the younger one for having her elbows on the table. This is a rule I've never followed and refuse to follow it, but it got me to thinking. I wonder what started this whole asinine rule anyway. Seriously who invented this crap and why do we actually think putting our elbows on the table is bad manner. I'm all for basic table etiquette but I think there is a line and this crosses it. It just seems that the upper circles in society would follow these things to give them something else to look down their noses at the rest of us.
I refuse to follow this rule and suggest those who may read this...so in all likelihood me and my wife (when I force her to)...to join with me in my quest to abolish such a ridiculous mandate set fourth by 'proper etiquette'.
I refuse to follow this rule and suggest those who may read this...so in all likelihood me and my wife (when I force her to)...to join with me in my quest to abolish such a ridiculous mandate set fourth by 'proper etiquette'.
posted by Mormegil at 09:07
2 Comments:
I'm totally with you on this. I've noticed that fewer and fewer people follow the no elbows rule. I've been fortunate enough to have meals with a lot of people from "high society" lately, and most of them violated, at least at some point, the no elbows rule. It's good to see logic and reason win over stupid traditions.
Also, I agree with you on not teaching table manners in public schools. My experience is that the "manners" that are taught are done so according to the personal opinions of the teacher, which I typically don't agree with.
Hey, Mormegil. Phantom here. Here's a section of "The Dilbert Future" you'd like-
ELBOWS ON TABLE
People who have good manners don't put their elbows on the dinner table. Clearly this is not a male idea. That table is EXACTLY WHERE THE ELBOWS SHOULD GO. It makes no sense to put a table in front of a person at elbow-height if it's just going to tease. Your lap will hold a plate, but your lap won't rest your elbows. There must be some reason tables were invented. When I look at tables in my house, they are covered with flower centerpiece thingies, but no elbows. Whose idea do you think that was? If you ask me, flowers belong in the ground and elbows belong on the table. But nobody asked.
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