Elbows and other items that don’t belong on the dining table

The only things that belong on the dining table are food, the vessels that food is served in, crockery, and cutlery. All non-food items do not belong on the table. Your elbows on the table takes up space meant for for food and food related items. It also contributes to bad posture. You pretty much have to slouch in order to get your elbows on the table. A healthy and elegant posture requires that you sit up with your shoulders and your back straight. Slouching is unacceptable under any circumstances. Plus putting up your elbows is a great way to block your neighbor from trying to have a conversation with you. It can be perceived as hostile body language meant to make it clear that you don’t want to engage with whoever is sitting next to you. Additionally, your elbows are dirty. We routinely wash our hands throughout the day. We specifically wash hands before we eat. However, we do not wash elbows as standard operating procedure, so your dirty elbows don’t belong on the dining table.
Having random items like a cellphone, purse or keys on the table is unhygienic. Everything on the table should be clean enough to eat from. You are causing cross contamination by adding items to the table that are not meant to be part of the meal. These are items that you lay on all types of surfaces in public, in the restroom, and other random places. There is only one exception to the rule, and that is a centerpiece. But the centerpiece is not a personal item or accessory that you carry on your person on a daily basis. You can place small items discreetly in your lap, but never on the table.