America and Asia have many cultural differences. While everyone is aware of this fact, it prompts us to ask the question “Why are these cultures different even though they are all humans?” After reading Joy Luck Club, I realized why. Despite being South Korean, I didn’t know the differences. I only discovered them after I read Joy Luck Club. I generally agreed with most of the things I read. Americans and Asians have a tendency to disagree because they don’t understand each other’s cultures and their thinking. I believe that the differences between the cultures, particularly the different dinner etiquette, are some of the reasons for the conflicts.
It is easy to spot cultural differences in dinner etiquette. When I arrived in Canada, I was angry at the way people kept eating my food. They were too lazy or too busy to buy more. Three years later, I now take food from the diners. Because I am averse to Asian food, it was the reason why I was so upset. It’s exactly like this. It is as simple as that. This might sound like animals fighting for food, or barbaric. This idea was likely born out of the fact that we have been through many wars over our history. This means only those with plenty of food and strong people can survive. All Americans want to give everything they have. They believe that by giving something one time, another time will follow. If we want to encourage peace, Asia should learn this way of thinking. Another issue that I experienced during my first Ridley years was being mocked by people about my parents. It was the most painful thing. My family in Asia is a joke. They may be executed if someone makes it fun. This is not true, but it’s just as bad swearing that really hurts people. Waverly Jong’s “Four Direction” article contains examples of how etiquette differs. Rich, Waverly’s fiancé was invited to dinner. Rich made several mistakes. Rich first brought a bottle French-style wine. It is polite to bring food or drinks for those who have invited you. This is American etiquette. It isn’t in Asian culture. It is not rude to bring something for those who have invited me. While I suspect it might be because they don’t like what my gift is, I could also tell them that I don’t enjoy the meal they prepare for me. Waverly claimed that Waverly’s parents never owned wine glasses. Waverly’s parents don’t like wine, which means Waverly isn’t likely to enjoy it. Rich suggested that they drink Chinese tea, which is what they prefer, but Rich interrupted their plans and brought the French wine he preferred. Rich also made another mistake. He criticized his mother’s cooking and then poured a lot soy sauce onto the platter. This is very disrespectful. Waverly’s mother made Waverly the meal with all her heart. It was probably a long process. It is a common desire for cooks to be able to tell others how delicious their food tastes. Consider her emotions. Her special meal was prepared by her. Rich might have made it worse by adding too much soy sauce to the platter. That was food that everyone was going to eat. Others could feel that the food was good as it is. Americans taste the food and offer suggestions to the cook to improve the next time. In Asia, however, it is more common to enjoy the food with the cook.
We are prohibited from doing certain things when having dinner. Asians are forbidden from making noise during dinner. The elders will tell us to stop making noise and may even smack you. However, I have seen many Canadians eat while making lots of noise. Americans are known to enjoy eating so much that they share their lives and joke around at the table. It is not polite. It is only right that the food be served at the table. This was dinner etiquette. But Americans are becoming more sophisticated. We shouldn’t place our elbows at the table during dinner. It’s rude and it will make others look at you, which can cause irritation. Another important rule is to not eat until the elders are finished eating. You cannot leave the table until your elders are finished eating. This is an act of respect for elders. It is common to use these simple dinner etiquette rules. Americans are not likely to even consider them. I might not be able to understand American culture in all its details.
Each person’s environment is unique. This makes it difficult to create a culture that is similar. These factors could include religion, climate, weather, or any other type of condition. Religion is a major factor in the various forms of culture. The religion “Yu-Gyo”, which is based upon respecting elders, is one example. It is important to respect elders and not eat before them. You don’t have to be a skeptic about differences in cultures. You can make each culture better by taking advantage of its strengths and incorporating them into your own. This will improve understanding of people and reduce racism.
