Don’t cut the spaghetti

Why cultural intelligence and human leverage remain underpriced assets in global markets

Life and business move in cycles. They always have.

Things that are considered low-value for a long time suddenly become rare. And when something becomes rare, it becomes expensive. This is happening right now, in very concrete ways.

Take electricians and plumbers. For decades, we were told these were “backup jobs.” Not prestigious. Not glamorous. Now, because of massive investments in data centers, infrastructure, and energy, some electricians and plumbers in the United States make more than bankers. That would have sounded crazy twenty years ago. Today, it’s just reality.

Who would have thought that?

The lesson is simple: when everyone chases the same thing, value moves elsewhere.

The same thing is happening with human behavior.

For years, we devalued manners, emotional intelligence, and basic social skills. We replaced them with speed, efficiency, and automation. We decided that how you looked, and how you show up didn’t matter as long as you were productive. Now we are surrounded by distracted, impatient, socially awkward people who are technically competent but hard to be around, and who don’t even know how to shake hands.

And suddenly, being human is becoming rare.

That’s where the Italian Advantage comes in.

“Don’t cut the spaghetti” sounds like a joke. But it is not. It’s a small example of a much bigger idea. If you order spaghetti and cut it with a knife, it looks ridiculous and inelegant. Spaghetti is meant to be twirled. That’s how the dish works. If you don’t know how to twirl and you’re not six years old, order penne or rigatoni. There is nothing wrong with that.

What matters is knowing the basics and staying in your lane.

This is not about food. It’s about awareness.

The person who cuts spaghetti is not being authentic or rebellious. They are showing they didn’t bother to learn how things work. That same attitude shows up in meetings, relationships, leadership, and business.

Manners are not decoration. They are functional skills.

Knowing how to use a fork and knife. Looking people in the eyes. Listening with interest. Saying thank you. Knowing when to speak and when to shut up. These things build relations and trust. They make interactions more pleasant. They make people feel respected.

And today, they are becoming rare.

Just like skilled trades, manners and emotional intelligence are turning into scarcity assets.

There is a lot of talk about authenticity, but most people misunderstand it. Authenticity does not mean doing whatever you want without regard for context. That’s not authenticity. That’s self-centeredness.

Real authenticity means being yourself while respecting the situation you’re in. It means effort without performance. You know the rules, you follow them naturally, and you don’t make a show out of it.

That’s very Italian.

Small talk that isn’t small at all. A warm handshake. Eye contact. Long meals. Not rushing people. Letting conversations breathe. Italians didn’t invent these things to be charming. They did it because they work. They create connection. They build trust.

And trust compounds.

Here is what you may not want to hear: likable people do better in life.

They get more opportunities. They are trusted more. They are remembered. This is true in business, leadership, and personal relationships. Manners make you more likable. And being likable makes you more bankable.

This is not manipulation. It’s common sense.

Even in dating, the same logic applies. If you are on a date, skip spaghetti altogether. You’ll probably stain your shirt, focus more on the plate than the person, and spend the evening managing noodles instead of being present. Order something you can eat cleanly and calmly while actually listening.

Again, lane discipline.

While most people jump on every new trend, the ones who quietly stay in their area of passion or expertise and work with discipline on fundamentals are the ones who benefit from the cycle when it turns. This is true in markets, careers, and relations. 

Right now, kindness, style, and good manners are undervalued. That won’t last.

As automation increases, people who know how to be human will stand out more, not less. A bot can write an email. It can schedule a meeting. It cannot read discomfort in someone’s eyes. It cannot adjust its tone in real time. It cannot host a table, pour wine, or make people feel welcome.

And it will never cut your spaghetti or make your wine.

So don’t cut the f***ing spaghetti. Learn the ordinary things and perform them well. Respect the culture. Stay in your lane.

In a world obsessed with trends and shortcuts, becoming a better-mannered, kinder, more grounded human being is a trend to follow.

It’s the smart trade.

That is the Italian Advantage.