Typically...asians are the ones who've "mastered" the chopsticks...but I have met asians who can barely use them...and I have met those of other nationalities that use the chopsticks very well...ALMOST as good as me...but not quite ^_^...lol...I can use chopsticks with either hand very very well...I could probably use them with my toes but I just don't have the flexibility...anyway...

Do you believe it is a stereotype that asians generally and naturally use the chopsticks better?

Well...I'm Asian myself....and I prefer them over forks any day ^_^

Some people might take it too far, but I'm pretty sure most Asians I know are pretty good at using chopsticks and the opposite for others at my school...

Not all Asians use chopsticks. Indians and those from the Middle East have mastered the art of eating using their hands without making a mess out of the dining table/floor. You should narrow it down to East Asians (i.e. Chinese, Japanese and Koreans).

Regardless, the use of chopsticks nowadays is pretty much a choice of whether you want to learn how to use it or not and not a "race-specific" thing. Westerners can also use chopsticks if they are interested in learning how to use it and have someone to give basic guidance. The part on East Asians being a natural user of chopsticks pretty much stems from how much experience that person has in using chopsticks. I first started learning how to use chopsticks when I was around 8 to 10 years old. At home, I use a spoon and fork for eating but at Chinese banquets and also at Chinese restaurants, chopsticks are provided. It was interesting seeing your elders and relatives using chopsticks to grab pretty much everything (except anything smooth and round like fishballs). And when I go out for Chinese food, I prefer eating rice out of a bowl and using chopsticks. Same goes for noodles. It's more fun than using a spoon or fork.

They say using chopstick helps with all sorts of stuff like brain functions and arthritis. I myself can use chopsticks barely but as for your question on if Asian's use them better? I would have to say the answer is depends on the situation. If you have someone who is asian, that was born not born into a Asain country and whose parents do not eat with chopsticks than I would say they would be less able to use chopsticks. But if the parent uses chopsticks or has shown the child how to use chopsticks than I think they will be better at it than others.

Just what I thought on the subject

Asians in East Asia (China, Korea, Japan..etc) are good at using chapsticks because they get trained when they are very young, and they have to use it at least once every day, and for the rest of their lives if they stay in their own country. I guess that's why they're good at it.

But nowadays, lots of culture exchange btw western and eastern societies made usage of chapsticks less necessary. I mean you don't use chaptsticks to eat spaghettis, right? hehe.

My mom trained me when I was 4 yrs old to use the chapsticks "properly" but I know a lot of asians who can use them, but not in a proper traditional way. On the other hand, I've seen a blond man in a Korean restaurant who impressed me with his chapstick skills o_O. He was actually better than some of my asian friends. Hahaha.

So yeah, I don't think us eastern asians are naturally good at it, just more used to it b/c of the culture and because of the food we eat.

I don't necessarily prefer one over the other - it depends on the food.
I prefer chopsticks with my traditional Korean food, and fork with western food.
I actually prefer spoons when it comes to pasta. hahaha.

If you don't practice for a while, you get cramps holding them. Mastering chopsticks has nothing to do with genetics. It's all practice and so it has nothing to do with race. Chopsticks are fun to use since I use forks at home (except sometimes chopsticks are required for cooking some dishes- and I cook) so when I'm out in Chinese restaurants I like using chopsticks for fun. However if a ball of meat pisses me off, I just stab it fork-style with my sticks. XD (Barbarian ish me) Forks are easier to wash at home and so instead of washing 20 different objects for a dinner for five, it's just 5 forks. o.0 I'm most amused and tickled when I see Caucasians using chopsticks and ordering something like a hot pot. And what gets me even more is seeing half Asian, half Caucasian families speaking in two languages to each other and eating with chopsticks.

There is a proper way to hold chopsticks, and I for the most part can do 90%, but my mother who has a completely grotesque and incorrect form can pick things up 5x better than me... Guess the ends justify the means...

~~~~I m chinese^_^~~~~
But in my hometown,
there are still a few(only a few T-T)people can't use chopsticks...

Obviously, stranger in China!!

I absolutely cannot eat asian food without using chopsticks--whenever I try eating asian food with a fork, it just likes to slide off the fork

I've had waitresses in Chinese restaraunts stare at me because I use chopsticks so well--I can't do it with my left hand though

Ryuu

I absolutely cannot eat asian food without using chopsticks--whenever I try eating asian food with a fork, it just likes to slide off the fork

I've had waitresses in Chinese restaraunts stare at me because I use chopsticks so well--I can't do it with my left hand though

I think I've never seen a person using chopsticks with his/her left hand!
Even my lefty friends use right hand when using chopsticks.. werid O_o;;

I think that it's not so much whether you're Asian or not, but how much experience you have with using chopsticks. I personally prefer using forks, whether or not I'm eating Asian food, even though I'm Chinese.

Even if you're not Asian, if you practice using chopsticks or use it frequently, then you'll be able to use it efficiently.

I know how to use chopsticks pretty well. Im not sure they're the more effective thing to use though, a fork is certainly more useful, more often. Using chopsticks does require more a dicipline though, it might help you stay thin. When you eat slower, your body takes what it really needs and doesn't have to rush through the processes too much, when you eat too much at once, your body my skip around things, not allowing you to be too healthy.
Bah, there's too much to this simple topic.
I'm good, I can use both.

I'm Caucasian and use chopsticks probably more so than forks just because of the types of meals I eat. I kinda fell into the habit because I was in Japan and HK for two years so it grew on me.

I'm Asian. I prefer chopsticks over fork. I don't think that using the chopsticks is a natural skill for Asian. Just like American use fork and knife, Asian use chopsticks. It's just the way it is. For chopsticks, everyone was clumsy of using them at first, Asian or whoever. Everyone can do it well with a little practice. Those, Asian, who don't use the chopsticks before, sure, they will have a problem using it.

Im asian and i like chopsticks much^^
to think that its really boring to eat noddles or some kind of that without chopsticks~ but still.. i need some hard time to grap tiny stuffs >.<
i think its about habit, or is it because asian people's palms look smaller than others? O_o so they could use chopsticks more flexible^^

Well so far i have heard only Asian and 'Westerner's' veiws on the matter - i read it all 0-0 yes i did...
ok so im bringing in some thing new... I am an AUSSIE, mate -*steriotypical Aussie voice*-
for me personally - i love anything and everything slightly Oriental... (ill move one day)
so chopsticks for me are the new fork and knife - have been for a while ... (with the exception of a Aussie meat pie ... LOL ;)
yeah so i annoy my mum, eating with chopsticks at anytime i can... even if it is a simple pasta dish - ill do it...
i love the things...
as for restaraunts - i dont get stares from the waitresses - i get them from the family - and i feel so embarrased when we leave, they 'try' and i say 'try' with a loving heart... so here we are me so clean and efficient at using chopsticks, no mess at all, and my family with mess all over the table - i nearly die of shame...

well thats my little story.. hope you laughed at my family like i did when i wrote it.. ;) LOL

as for only asians - i say NO - it is practice and practice only i suppose...
i heard a while a go, that a decade or so a go that the parents taught the kids by the 'use them, and use them properly, or do not eat at all' method... so that by the time they were 3 or so they could use them perfectly...
but here in Australia i know some 10 year old kids that cant even spike their food with a fork or cut it with a knife properly...

so i guess it really comes down to practice and how much you get, put in and how influenced you are by those arround you...

hope i did not bore the 'c are a p' out of you guys...

lots of love
=D