Week 2: My pet peeve.

People who chew with their mouth open. Some of you may think this is really weird or nit-picky, but hopefully some agree. I just don’t understand why it is so difficult to bring your lips together and keep them there while you chew. I know I’ll probably get some crap for this, but in my opinion it shouldn’t be considered a pet peeve even; people should just have the common decency and etiquette to do so. Maybe it’s because my mom and dad taught me very proper etiquette growing up. Or maybe I’m just one of the small groups of people who ever listened at Mutual etiquette dinners. It’s not even a huge favor to ask.

Most people I “vent” to or discuss this issue with agree with me on the point that when your mouth is closed, the lack of air passage to distract you actually allows you to taste MORE flavor. That should be reason enough to shut your mouth: food tastes better. My dad, who is in management at Delta, and has been managing teams of dozens or hundreds of people for years, recognizes that humans make mistakes. If someone messed up an assignment they had and it had consequences for the airline, he wouldn’t get mad at them or think less of them; he’d be understanding. Now, if someone were to chew with their mouth open at a work lunch or during a meeting with food, he would become irritated. I don’t know if he calls them out on it, but he says it makes him disrespect them as professionals more than computational error.

So there is a professional opinion on it, outweighing work error nonetheless. My Bishop, and former Young Men’s President in Georgia (also, a Vice President at Delta), is a really easygoing and fun guy. One of the best leaders I’ve had. But numerous times, as teenagers at activities chomped on their food like a cow grazing, he would tell them “Hey so-and-so. Close your mouth or stop eating.” I mean, come on, we are at BYU now. A city on a hill, an example to the world. Just because we do well academically and spiritually doesn’t mean kids can go ahead and forget common decency and proper etiquette. We’re privileged to be here and we’re privileged to be Church members. So let’s try bringing our representation of Christ from Church and school, to the dinner table.