: I think the phrase "normal circumstances" is dangerous because there becomes an assumption that eating with spoon and fork is "not normal".  And I also think that it is politically incorrect to argue that it is not shameful simply because the Spanish and the Italians do it as well.  There is a sense of colonial mentality in that train of thought.  Lastly, we are not sure if most of the places in the world actually do eat with knife and fork.  The orient uses chopsticks and I'm pretty sure that there are other countries eating with spoon and fork as well.