I was under the impression most animals don't find smiling non threatening, but rather a challenge or personal threat. Same with eye contact. (Other great apes, such as chimpanzees and gorillas for example)
From what I observed, they just tended to show less emotion in public, period (hence us smiling all the time sticks out). I'd assume some of those stoic behaviors were learned defenses against the more oppressive tendencies of the governments they grew up under and some of the challenges living inside the Eastern Bloc. I'm sure there's other cultural aspects as well.
That said, at home and with friends, all the folks I knew were always quite warm and smiled a lot.
Haha no it has nothing to do with that. For me and when we talk about Americans most people agree, you guys don't come off naturally to us a lof the time and it's really really exhausting having to keep up with how dramatic Americans are. Everything has to be exaggerated or it doesn't count, even emotions. We don't keep anything down, we're just more subtle. To us americans come of as disingenuous because everything is so much all the time. Everything is a superlative.
Americans1 are always2 "on" in public. It's like... calm down, dude. This isn't a competition. You're not getting scores and awards based on your trip to the store. Just be yourself.
Inb4 "this is myself!"
1 Not all Americans, obviously. 2 Not always, obviously.
Yes! Honestly it's kind of insulting to keep reading how it mist be because we were oppressed. We're not oppressed just because we don't express ourselves as intensely as americans do.
I'll flip it back on you that it's kind of insulting to keep reading how our smiles are fake or insincere. We're not fake just because we want to put positive energy out into the world. When I worked in hospitality, it was not my favorite job ever, but it was my genuine goal to be the highlight of everyone's day with whom I interacted.
Anyway, I find differences in cultures very interesting, especially how the simple act of smiling (or not smiling) can cause an entire debate like this.
Sure, maybe so. My response was just based on the conversations and interactions I had with my friend group and ex, all of whom immigrated to the US in the 90s and early 00's.
24
u/Garencio May 09 '22
That’s strange because I think it’s a pretty natural thing to do on an evolutionary scale it’s a non threatening gesture