Watch what you laugh at

At an orientation lecture for the newer batches I was caught in a spontaneous discussion in the use of good language and how rare it is getting. I then see myself getting carried away when the discussion leads to eating with cutlery.

People often tend to look down upon a person who may not be aware of the appropriate usage of cutlery. Is it really something to laugh about? It's a question of culture isn't it? You don't really HAVE to know another culture, do you? You visit a country that has left hand driven vehicles, you simply get yourself trained. You don't have to feel bad about asking someone or telling someone how to use something off a different culture. I'm told (the truth of which I'm not sure) that the fork and spoon evolved as a result of a fast spreading plague in the hands. Myths apart, I feel that there is no need for anyone to be embarrassed about not knowing another culture or even language for that matter. It's perfectly OK not to know and to ask or to find out. If you don't know your chemistry before a chemistry exam you should be shot and laughed at but this? Utterly senseless and worthless piece of fact to make humour of.