Scandinavia and the World
Scandinavia and the World

Comments #9715067:


When cultures meet 31 12, 11:39pm

@HelsinkiAngels (an Icelander here) I never really got how blowing ones nose is any less disruptive than sniffling/snorting, much less how it is not concidered disgusting as well. I mean, loudly removing ones mucus from ones nose is better than audably, but much less so, keeping it in ones body. I mean, if it is really bad and you're sniffling every second or so you might blow your nose, but you go to the bathroom to do it rather than to in publicly in front of everyone else.
Of course it is not really thought to be outwrite rude to blow ones nose publicly (it is distracting as hell though, so expect some attention), but there are also some places one should NEVER blow ones nose. Prime example being at the dinner table. I remember once reading a complaint of sorts that someone wrote about the lack of table manners in Iceland (which, ok, it is true we have less than some other countries) and one of the things he mentioned was people snorting rather than blowing their nose. And, I mean, that's not lack of manners, that's DIFFERENT manners. You DON'T blow your nose when you're eating. If you really want to blow it, excuse yourself and go to a bathroom or something, but don't expect the fact that it's ok in your country change that it isn't ok here.

Sorry for my rant here xp. Wasn't really saying againts your comment, your just happened to grab my attention when already kinda ready to write about this from the comic.
Basically, I do get that different cultures mean different things are concidered rude and/or uncouth. But it does kinda annoy me when people find it strange that other cultures manners are different from their when, really, there aren't really that good reasons for theirs to be concidered more natural or better than the others.

Anyways, sorry again for bothering you with this. Wish you a good day, and a happy new year :D