When in Rome, act like an idiot

When in Rome, do as the Romans do, or in other words - When in Rome go bulimic. I'm pretty sure it was a Roman custom when going to visit another persons house that it was polite to eat until you were really full then go into the barfing chambers and throw it up to eat more. That sounds like a great custom that anyone visiting Rome (the rome of the past of course) should do.

Things are just as dumb today. People use this saying way too often as a scapegoat to not use logic to defend their country's stupid habits and customs. People in China are rude on the street, often smoking in other people's face, not letting them pass, spitting, cursing, being loud, etc. "When in Rome". Next time I'll spit in your face and I'll see how you like it. Yeah, smoking doesn't bother you because YOU SMOKE, so that means the rest of the world should inhale your fumes? *takes a deap breath*

How about tipping in Hong Kong. I read an argument by a westerner while I was living there that we should not tip in hong kong because if we start tipping people then everyone will expect a tip, so we should just do as the locals do and not tip. What a stupid argument; if people just tip randomly then of course everyone will expect a tip - take psychology 101 and you'll know that PIDGEON mentality would stimulate such a response. If people tip those who give good service and not tip those who don't, guess what psychology says! - People will start providing better service in order to get more tips. Genius Idea? The Romans don't seem to think so. (Not actually bashing on Rome, I've never been there, just language play on the saying). PS. Don't give me the "there is 10% tip built into all bills" bull, that money never goes to the servers, just consider it customer idiocy exploitation tax.

Only those who have no sense of morality, value, or intelligence act like the people around them just because they are around them and everyone else acts that way. So if you run into a tribe in Africa or somewhere (possibly even some town in Utah or something) that believes that murder is OK and women should be slaves to men, will you be shrugging your shoulders and falling in line still? Then why do it with anything? Think for a minute and consider the value of the actions you will be adapting or at least validating by accepting them as "cultural differences" , such a cop out.