[Franco]

Different folks, different strokes. The l[p smacking while eating is a very common display of good meat, good rice and just plain old good food. It’s also a display of gratitude for having such a delicious meal. Of course life in this here United States and its culture finds it disgusting, disrespectful, and annoying. But try blowing your nose, burping or making a loud inhaling of the nose as if to clear it, which I’ve seen done on many occasions by both African Americans and Caucasians, and you will practically cause a huge argument and occasionally be verbally led to the front door. To the Filipinos and all Asians, and Pacific Islanders, this is the lowest of the lows that wouldn’t be tolerated.

User Detail :  

Name : Franco, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Other Pacific Islander, Religion : Catholic, Age : 50, City : Sacramento, State : CA, Country : United States, Occupation : Airline Industry, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Lucy]

In Japan, at least, slurping communicates to the host that the food partaken is delicious. And I have worked with Koreans who sit at their desks slurping and smacking their lips together in this very unhygienic and disgusting fashion. What gets me is the fact that Asians chew with their mouths open in public places, like restaurants. If they are living in America, they should learn to eat like Americans. Many times, I have had my meal ruined by Asians sitting next to me chewing with their mouths open, sloshing their food around in their mouths, making all sorts of slurping and lip smacking sounds. If you look over at them, you can see a wide-open mouth of half-eaten food piling up in their mouths, some of it flying out while they smack away. This is America, damnit. Why can’t they adopt our habits? Don’t they care enough to learn our ways of eating? If I went to Japan, I’d have to learn to slurp during my meals. Asians refuse to integrate. Even if you stare at them while smacking and slurping away, they look oblivious and indifferent. They are almost autistic in this way: no concern for social nuances or the discomfort they impose on other people.

User Detail :  

Name : Lucy, Gender : F, City : New York, State : NY, Country : United States, 

[Gerry]

I grew up in the Philippines and was taught it was impolite to make any sounds while having a meal (other than scintillating conversation, of course). There’s an old bromide about Filipinos being offended by guests who don’t partake of every dish laid out on the table, but I do not know of any adage that says rude noises while eating are considered complimentary to the host. Rude is rude in any society. These notions often disguise biases that reinforce our ‘otherness’ and condone our marginalization. Filipinos have a celebratory attitude about meals – they are meant to be shared and enjoyed. It’s a pity if some non-Filipinos miss out on such an experience because they choose to sit in judgment of our table manners.

User Detail :  

Name : Gerry, Gender : M, Race : Filipino, City : New York, State : NY, Country : United States, 

[Richard29749]

I spent a week in 3 different islands there in 1988, always ate with other people around me, and never noticed any such thing.

User Detail :  

Name : Richard29749, Gender : M, City : Miami Beach, State : FL, Country : United States, 

[Robert-J28638]

Richard, I think that scintillating question was foisted because of possible bias toward Filipinos. If you never noticed while you were in the Philippines, how in the world of all subjects here (poverty, war, Medicare, employment, retirement)are not primordially asked? Instead they zeoed in on ‘Lip smacking ‘ sound!! In America, we need to bridge up to people. We can learn from this. Thanks, I hope you had a nice stay in that country as a visitor. You probably enjoyed the hospitality of the people instead of looking for faults. Mabuhay ka Richard!!

User Detail :  

Name : Robert-J28638, Gender : M, City : Jacksonville, State : FL, Country : United States, 

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