Stem Cells and Chopsticks

One of the news stories today dealt with Korea's advancements in stem cell research. One factor linked, supposedly, to this level of achievment was their laboratory skills. Stem cell research requires fairly dextrous manipulation of laboratory tools. Accuracy and precision are absolutely required. The story suggested that the Asian reliance on chopsticks for meals trained their hands/fingers to perform very delicate and precise manuevers and this skill translated into the laboratory.

Hmmmm.....does make sense. It takes little ability to wield a fork or spoon. The knives that we use at the dinner table are designed to function in gross cutting actions. They aren't designed to train a surgeon. Chopsticks are another matter. They require highly developed fine motor skills. A session of observation at an Asian restaurant will quickly demonstrate this fact. It is amusing to watch the untrained attempt to consume their meals using these utensils. Most give up after a few failed tries and move on to traditional Western items. Children fare better than adults, I find. Their small fingers more quickly master the movements and placements necessary for success and, most importantly, they aren't afraid to fail. An adult hesitates to learn to use chopsticks in public for fear of making themselves look silly. Children don't think that way. They might get frustrated as they like to "get things right" and the longer they fail, the hungrier they get. But, they'll work at it far harder and longer than any adult.

America was built on hard work and determination. Struggle and sacrifice. People who never gave up despite famine, poverty, war, discrimination. Now, we make beginner chopsticks because people are too self-conscious/lazy/boobish to learn to use real ones. The come in all colors and some are even patterned. They don't look like chopsticks, really, and aren't nearly as efficient. But they can be used with pride by those who sufficiently self-deluded. Regardless of an individual's lack of manual dexterity, they can grab a shrimp tempura and smile with their success.

Asians prise skill and maintenance of skill. Americans are getting away from that idea. Once, we were there. We took pride in the items crafted by hand. Our artisans were revered. Any job requiring the happy union of knowledge and craft was looked upon with honor. From a carpenter to a butcher, individuals started young learning their skills and practiced them through life. Now, many traditional occupations of this line are not viewed with respect. Individuals do not embrace their craft with the pride and commitment that comes with knowing a job is important and well-regarded. Work is sloppy, fast and haphazard. The beauty and technical quality is being eroded quickly. Many cultures still maintain the cultural respect for the craftsman. The weaver, potter, carpenter, tinker...these individuals occupy an important place in communities. No longer is this the situation in America.

I think that when a culture values hand-work, there is a general tendency to incorporate more hand-work into daily life. People sew, fix, arrange...they use their hands every day for tasks that require coordination of eye, hand, finger...It is more a part of the culture than it would otherwise be, as we see in America. We do not teach children skills of the hand. We do not encourage practice of fine manipulation. I think that we have it in the backs of our heads that they won't need these skills later on, so why bother. Well, perhaps the situation with Korea's stem cell success demonstrates why we should bother. Not only have we lost, I feel, a valuable part of our culture and society, but we may be losing out even in the areas in which we pride ourselves - technology and research development. Perhaps the government should now provide chopsticks as part of the school lunch program. Might make salisbury steak a ton more fun, at the very least...