Teaching formal manners as part of pledging/new membership?

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by BAckbOwlsgIrl

I am constantly surprised at when people look at me for using a knife and fork, ala "continental style/European style" when I eat. They look at me like I am doing something strange. Those that have traveled get it.

Yes and one critique of "etiquette" is whose "etiquette" is it supposed to be.

I was not formally taught "etiquette" at school or through Delta but instead by my family (they forgot to teach me which fork to use, partly because they think it's stupid and we always had only one fork with our plate at home--at events my parents typically used whichever fork they darn well pleased). What my family taught me is informally reinforced when I attend Delta and non-Delta events and am reminded that I cannot eat like a starving lion.