Would You Like Some Gum?

I’m sitting in class and my friend, next to me, pulls out a pack of gum. She opens it and slides one out. The she turns to me and offers the box.

“Would you like a piece of gum?” She offers.

I shake my head and smile, “No, thank you.”

We turn back to the lecture at hand, not giving it a second thought.

Later I considered the interaction again (when I should have been learning about the literacy rates of American children), and realized that is an odd conversation. In American society, it’s an expectation to share our minty breath fresheners with those in our company.

But why?

When I bring a coffee (or let’s be honest: tea) to a meeting or class, I don’t feel obligated to share with those around me. That’s my drink! Get your own!

Same thing with food. Often there is the comical disclaimer of: “Sorry to eat in front of everyone, I just haven’t eaten since *insert meal before the one that has been skipped here*” and then that person eats guilt free. No offering of their sandwich/salad/or chips. Munch away, baby.

What if I came into a meeting and pulled out a pen, but every time pulled out a pen I would look around: “Does anyone else need a pen? I just bought the value pack.” No one does that! Because it’s an expectation to bring our own.

But gum. Why must we share our gum?

When I originally wrote this post, I had every intention of citing the origin of this tradition, however, after a somewhat intense episode of Googling and Wikipedia, it appears that not too many other people in cyberspace give the offering of gum to other people much thought (Maybe I’m just cutting edge). However, we do this so automatically, that this tradition is in line with offering a guest a drink and not calling a date three days after receiving her number: it is accepted as a norm.

What historically, makes it not only thoughtful, but something that is an expectation in our society to offer our precious gum out?

What if I want to keep my gum?