The Changing Knife

Very small things can have a great impact. Things change constantly and usually it the little details that make things so different. Would you expect old and rudimentary table manners change to the strict and elegant etiquette we follow nowadays due to the impression of one single person? It is rather amazing how the world works and how we don't need a lot to change a lot. For instance, sometimes when you get into an argument with someone who's opinions you value, and they tell  you about a flaw you have: you change. If it someone who's opinion matters a lot to me, and it makes me realize my flaw, I will change it. 

Did you know why we use round, not so sharp knifes to eat? Bee Wilson tells us in her book Consider the Fork that when a Cardinal "witnessed a dinner guest using the sharp tip of a double-edged knife to pick his teeth" (Pg. 59) food manners across Europe revolutionized dramatically. From here on, people started being disgusted at "taking meat from a common dish using fingers" (Pg.60) and many different antique manners that up to the point were considered normal and decent. Knife's tips were now starting to be rounder and having only one side sharpened. It is amazing how the thought of one man changed the thinking of thousands of others too. This tends to happen a lot, and the knife example opened my mind to thought on how people go with the crowd all the time. The common phrase "go with the flow" is true as people's choices are usually influenced by the decisions of others. 

Scimitar (n):
a sword with a curved blade that was used in the past
especially in the Middle East and western Asia.

This reminds me of my AP Psychology class in which we studied conformity. Solomon Asch, conducted an experiment in which he had a subject tell which of two lines was the longest. Usually, when alone he would answer correctly, however when 5 other people intentionally (without him knowing) said the incorrect answer, he conformed with them and "went with the flow." The cutting knife example is non relevant but it is a good example to portray how people conform and go with what others say just in order of not saying the contrary. How a priest thought revolutionized table manners all around the globe. The idea of one man changed the idea of millions. Interesting how humans work isn't it?