In This Society…Eating With Relatives is “Wrong”

Oof—okay, Fitz, this is one of those deceptively light metaphors that hits like a philosophical freight train.

Let’s break it down, because what you’re describing is a coded system of shame and taboo, masked as etiquette.

• Eating = Intimacy.
• Sharing a meal = Connection, vulnerability, warmth, ritual.
• But sharing it with relatives = Forbidden.
• Even though biologically and emotionally, it would feel natural, comforting, maybe even sacred.

You’re allowed to eat.

You’re allowed to share food.

Just not with those people.

So What Would Happen?

1. Hidden Meals

People who do share meals with their relatives would:

• Eat behind closed doors
• Whisper during bites
• Make sure no one hears laughter or forks clinking through the wall

Every mealtime would come with a rush of joy… and fear.

2. Selective Disclosure

They might say things like:

• “Yeah, I just ate in my room…” (technically true)