2019-04-27
2019-04-26
2019-04-25
2019-04-24
2019-04-23
2019-04-22
模倣子 Why Americans Eat Weird
Background
For some reason, Americans eat with a fork and knife in a very odd manner. The "right" way, of course, is the knife in the right hand, so you can get some sawing motion going with the dominant hand, and the fork in the left to hold the meat in place, and finally to stick the bit of meat into the mouth.
Americans, however, do the same thing, but after cutting off a bit of meat, put down the knife, change the fork to the other hand, and poke the bit of meat with the fork and stick it into the mouth.
Oh, there's some kind of rule of something that says you can cut off up to three bits of meat before you change hands. More than that starts to be perceived as low-brow.
How Did This Happen?
What kind of memetic mutation happened to cause this? This is another example that one could look at in terms of its results, like population self-identification. Do Americans see themselves as Americans and this odd behavior, which admittedly doesn't make sense, helps them to see other Americans as countrymen...and Europeans as "others."
For some reason, Americans eat with a fork and knife in a very odd manner. The "right" way, of course, is the knife in the right hand, so you can get some sawing motion going with the dominant hand, and the fork in the left to hold the meat in place, and finally to stick the bit of meat into the mouth.
Americans, however, do the same thing, but after cutting off a bit of meat, put down the knife, change the fork to the other hand, and poke the bit of meat with the fork and stick it into the mouth.
Oh, there's some kind of rule of something that says you can cut off up to three bits of meat before you change hands. More than that starts to be perceived as low-brow.
How Did This Happen?
What kind of memetic mutation happened to cause this? This is another example that one could look at in terms of its results, like population self-identification. Do Americans see themselves as Americans and this odd behavior, which admittedly doesn't make sense, helps them to see other Americans as countrymen...and Europeans as "others."
Or could it just be "memetic drift?" When did it start, for starters? If we assume it started, say, a few decades, or even a century before the American Revolution, then we can imagine a period of drift, since this eating pattern is a series of separable motions, which can be more or less plugged and unplugged into each other to produce a new behavior.
If an American at one point decided that he wanted to eat meat by poking it with his right (dominant) hand, he might try the switcheroo. Maybe he usually eats food that doesn't need to be cut, or maybe he has a big ol' Bowie knife that he only wants to hold when he's actually cutting. Then when he sets it down, he now has a fork in his left hand and nothing in his right hand.
Mutation?
Maybe it could start like this:
1. poke meat on plate with left fork
2. cut meat with right knife
3. put poked meat in mouth
4. go back to step #1
1. poke left
2. cut right
2.1. knife heavy, set down
2.2. swap fork to new empty right
3(a) put poked meat (right) in mouth
4(a) swap fork back to left
4(b) go back to step #1
I could maybe update this in an HTML table or something.
| European Way | American Way |
|---|---|
| poke meat on plate with left fork | poke with left |
| cut meat with right knife | cut with right knife heavy, set down swap fork to dominant hand |
| put poked meat in mouth from left | meat in mouth from right |
| go back to first step | swap fork back go to first step |
Summary and Conclusion
Is this a plausible explanation or theory? Is there any way to test it? Is there any kind of anthropological or archealogical information that could inform this?
2019-04-21
2019-04-20
2019-04-19
漫画 Supercape
Manga Index
I love the expression "to be caping for" which applies so well to Social Justice Warriors and Hashtag Warriors.
2019-04-18
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2019-04-11
Mermaid MMCCCXXXXI
I love this design! Including the lionfish in the background. Kind of makes you think of the show Drawn Together, no? (^>^)
2019-04-10
2019-04-09
2019-04-08
模倣子 More Cheaters 日本語版
I'm in Japan now!! I'll be back tomorrow!
To see the essay in its own window click HERE
A good subject might be the memetic nature of humor. I'm also still working on apathy.
A good subject might be the memetic nature of humor. I'm also still working on apathy.
2019-04-07
2019-04-06
2019-04-05
2019-04-04
2019-04-03
詩 (4/4) Death*Mart
trade in death
no want of goods
more ev'ry day
the dead don't care
those who yet live
need their structure
Happy Birthday Hugo!!
no want of goods
more ev'ry day
the dead don't care
those who yet live
need their structure
Happy Birthday Hugo!!
詩 (4/3) Put Down the Fork and Cup
all great dinners must end
also all great parties
it is only when one
does not know what one is
trying to celebrate
or what was one is eating
one doesn't know when to stop
also all great parties
it is only when one
does not know what one is
trying to celebrate
or what was one is eating
one doesn't know when to stop
詩 (4/1) Foolishness
fool me once, shame on you
fool me twice, shame on me
would that I could decree
that by which I am fooled
the world turned upside-down
in ways to my own liking
make peace with that schemer
the cruel god of my pain
fool me twice, shame on me
would that I could decree
that by which I am fooled
the world turned upside-down
in ways to my own liking
make peace with that schemer
the cruel god of my pain
詩 (4/2) Ode to the Pancake
ode to the noble pancake
rising only to the level of your batter
unbuttressed by pretentious walls of other cakes
eaten hot, hotcakes, melting butter and syrup
flipped, flapjacks, both sides golden brown
when was a silver dollar so large, or worth so little?
flat as a pancake, everyone knows you
ability to make you, a sign of short order skill
beloved iconic member of this nutritious breakfast
rising only to the level of your batter
unbuttressed by pretentious walls of other cakes
eaten hot, hotcakes, melting butter and syrup
flipped, flapjacks, both sides golden brown
when was a silver dollar so large, or worth so little?
flat as a pancake, everyone knows you
ability to make you, a sign of short order skill
beloved iconic member of this nutritious breakfast
