Ask McFartnuggets: “Why is it Considered Rude to Have Your Elbows on a Table?”

Elbows are the most
offensive of joints.

Dear McFartnuggets: 

I was eating dinner at my grandma’s house last night and every time she always yells at me for putting my elbows on the table. I finally asked her why I shouldn’t do that and she said “It’s rude. It’s bad manners!” Then I asked her why it was “rude and bad manners” and she just changed the subject. I don’t get that whole idea of it being rude to put your elbows on the table while you’re eating. Can you explain this? -- Paula from Lawrenceville, Georgia

Dear Paula:

The main reason it’s considered rude to have your elbows on the table when you eat is because you’re hunched over. Back when people were slightly stupider than they are today, people thought this would ruin your posture. I’m not sure how that’s exactly rude or bad manners. Whether you end up with a hunchback really doesn’t affect anyone else. So that’s pretty much idiotic. If people’s elbows were filthy then I could understand why you wouldn’t want them on a dinner table, but elbows are pretty clean. As far as I’m concerned you should be able to put anything you want on a dinner table except for your feet and genitals.

Thanks for all the questions and keep sending them to PizzaTesticles@yahoo.com