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It's not a "in the west" issue it's an islam issue I believe. There is no restriction as which hand to use outside of your religion as I understand it. After using the facilities one would hope that people wash their hands, both of them, that takes care of the hygiene issue.
I use both hands to eat, right hand for my knife and left for my fork. It is considered uncouth to use a fork in the right hand where I live, reserved only for informal occasions such as if you are eating on your lap. My left hand will do most food holding if I am doing something else so that my dominant hand is free.
I heard American soldiers got in trouble in Iraq by doing the thumbs up sign with their left hands to Iraqi civilians. They were trying to be nice but it was interpreted as an insult due to the hand. Is this an urban legend or did it happen?
There was a really good set of adverts for a bank of all places which showed cultural differences. It had people making mistakes like the OK index finger circle to thumb which is rude in some counties, showing of palms and soles of feet ect. It was quiet interesting.
And I know it is not an issue for many.
But as Shy said nuns also seems to forbid using the left hand for eating.
Tl,
Iraqis taking offense about the left thumbs up maybe more of cultural thing than religious thing as we do not take offense at any such thing,but the recommended practice is to prefer the right hand,giving,receiving,eating etc.
I know Indians also will not like to have us receieve anything they give us with our left hand or for us to give them with our left hand, I am not sure of the reason though.
Maybe not all Indians,but the ones I met prefer it that way.
I know the tradition of eating with only the right hand is prevalent in many countries - I remember being "warned" about this before traveling to Indonesia, for example. And the tradition of not showing the soles of your feet is common as well - it's considered an insult in Thailand, for example - if you visit a temple you are advised to sit on the floor with your legs curled under you, because of you sit with your legs extended the soles of your feet will be pointing in someone else's direction.
We westerners have our own traditions. For example if someone burps while eating it is considered rude - we think that at the very least one should cover his or her mouth - but in many other cultures they think nothing of it.
Bottom line is to heed the old saying, "when in Rome do as the Romans do."
I know the tradition of eating with only the right hand is prevalent in many countries - I remember being "warned" about this before traveling to Indonesia, for example. And the tradition of not showing the soles of your feet is common as well - it's considered an insult in Thailand, for example - if you visit a temple you are advised to sit on the floor with your legs curled under you, because of you sit with your legs extended the soles of your feet will be pointing in someone else's direction.
We westerners have our own traditions. For example if someone burps while eating it is considered rude - we think that at the very least one should cover his or her mouth - but in many other cultures they think nothing of it.
Bottom line is to heed the old saying, "when in Rome do as the Romans do."
I do agree burping without covering their mouths or loudly is not too nice.
I too have heard of a culture which actually approves a burp after a meal as a guest (not sure which one though).
I have seen on Tv and movies that many in the West eat with their left hands.
Is this recommended practice or not?
I am curious because we specifically use the right hand to eat as the left hand is used for cleaning after going to the bathroom.
Thanks in advance
This is a great post FB! I am sorry I didn't see it sooner.
As others have said, years ago (in the U.S.), doing anything with your left hand was very much discouraged and the ruler was used to correct those that tried to use their left hand. My older brother was originally left handed and was forced by his teachers to use his right hand. Both my younger brother and I are left handed and were never forced to use our right hands. I do remember having a terrible time in school with those little scissors that were supposed to be made specifically for left handed people. I was forced to learn to do certain things right handed because the people teaching me were right handed. So although I consider myself left-handed, I am ambidextrous.
I remember reading what Wondergirl posted. I also remember reading that sometime around the Middle Ages the concept was created that if you were left-handed you were considered to have the mark of the devil upon you. I don't remember why and your posting here has made me want to research that again. I also remember reading that it was around the same time period in which "Bless you" was instilled in western societies when someone sneezed. Supposedly, when you sneezed, you were off guard and were allowing the devil to enter into you and saying "Bless you" was a way to keep the devil from entering someone's body. Originally, from what I remember, the reason for the separation of eating and cleaning yourself with your right and left hand, was done to avoid fecal & urinary contamination of your food. With the advent of our sanitary laws and being taught from a young age, that we must always wash our hands after relieving ourselves, western society does not insist that we use one hand over the other anymore.
I am curious as to what is the specific law and the reasoning behind it, in Islam, that has you follow the right/left rules. If you have the time, you would post with that please?
I'm ambedexterous too. I can write script with my left, right, forwards and backwards (mirror image). The right is much better all because I don't haven't practiced enough. If it's more convientent to use my left, I will.
This is a great post FB! I am sorry I didn't see it sooner.
I am curious as to what is the specific law and the reasoning behind it, in Islam, that has you follow the right/left rules. If you have the time, you would post with that please?
I could be wrong here, but I don't believe it's a religious thing regarding which hand to use when you eat, but rather simply a cultural difference. As stated previously, the concept being discussed here is that you use the left hand to "facilitate" going to the bathroom and "cleaning up" afterwards (I hope I don't have to draw a diagram), and hence you do not want to use that same hand to eat with. Keep in mind that in many non-western countries the custom is to eat using your hands, not silverware or chopsticks. So it's important to make sure the hand you eat with is clean -- just as here in the west you wouldn't want to eat with a spoon that your waitress just pulled out of the toilet.
Thanks EB, but I do understand the reason for why this is done, so I will spare you from having to draw me any diagrams. LOL.
Whaa? You won't eat with a spoon your waitress just pulled out of a toilet? My how picky you are.
I know there are other cultures and countries that do not use utensils and follow this rule of using your right hand such as in Ethiopia. I guess that I assumed that since the British were very much in control of India for a period of time in history, that most of the people in the larger cities adopted the eating habits of the British. Well, I guess tomorrow when FB signs back on she can clarify if it is a religious or cultural difference. Perhaps both?
Makes me worry.
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