Dining Etiquette & Table Manners
The question constantly arises,
“
Why are table etiquette and table manners so
important?
”
Simply put, understanding proper table etiquette and practicing good table
manners are in part what makes us civil human beings. Eating is not only a necessity,
it is a ritual of sharing our well
-
being and extending respect and courtesy toward our
fellow man. With our family, friends and business associates dining is a major event that
demonstrates our civility and our education.
We all observe how other people act and we make judgments, whether positive or
negative, on their behavior. Our practice of table etiquette is a reflection of our
“
breeding
”,
not in the sense of genetics, but in how we have been educated. It is no
coincidence that every society on earth, both ancient and modern, has observed a
specific ritual of dining. Violation of this etiquette has always held a negative
connotation, for nowhere is the measure of our humanity more clearly displayed than
at the table.
“
Table Manners are as old as human society itself, the reason being that no human society can exist
without them. The active sharing of food –
not consuming all of the food we find on the spot, but carry-
ing some back home and then doling it systematically out –
is believed to lie at the root of what makes
us different from animals.
”
