Here, - for total appreciation of this post, you should - have a look.
I have suffered with this most of my life although it's not so much a Resting Bitch Face as a Resting "Cheer up, it might never happen" face. (That would be - RCUIMNHF - not such a good acronym.It won't catch on.) Seriously though, the minute my face isn't working to express what I'm saying - which, let's face it isn't often, as I talk a lot, and the Ball & Chain says there's no filter between my brain and my mouth - it looks like I'm carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders. I can't even put a mental shopping list together without someone asking if "everything's OK".
And, because of this, I have a theory about Americans - Resting Bitch Face (or it's many variations) is why they smile so much. (At this point, if you haven't clicked on the link above, you may find yourself lost - you have been warned.)
A good 50% of us are RBFs (or, like me RCUIMNHFs - def have to come up with a better acronym - answers on a post card please.) So - being the friendly, accommodating people they are, Americans over compensate, like # 13 - being "extra peppy", or #14 - doing the "fake smile". (Taken off the Brit list but done all the time. ) Exhausting, but worth it if you're bothered about offending people.
In my experience, Brits don't give too much of a flying you-know-what about who they offend with their facial expressions, indeed, non-verbals are a weapon of choice. Americans, however, really do care - Hence the smile factor.
Love you Donny, but there's "that" smile.
Hmm - who knows what's going on here.
Brits on the other hand - either don't care about looking smiley -
I have disdain for everyone - on the planet.
Or don't care AT ALL what how they when they have their laughing face on -
OK, looks like an otter, but still adorable.
I too have RCUIMNHF! Even my own hubby asks me if I am alright! GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is just my face and just the way that I look, then if I go round smiling all the time I look totally weird! Good luck with a better acronym! xx
ReplyDeleteHmmm...I never thought about this before.
ReplyDeleteI'm from the US, and I have RBF. I do make myself smile. I find that when I'm in the grocery store if I smile more people will talk to me. It's not a big smile, but I make an effort.
Ohh I hate being told to cheer up, love, it might never happen. Mindful of the time it happened when my mother had just died, I'm always very tempted to retort, what if it already has?
ReplyDeleteYou're right. We use facial expressions in tandem with carefully chosen verbal weapons, and have perfected the sardonic smile. It just feels cheesy to us to smile all the time.
ReplyDelete