The radio this morning was talking about people meeting old acquaintances and engaging in “fake smiles”. I don’t think I do this very often myself (not smiling all that much to begin with despite being a happy person). But lots of people in service industries are probably required to, though they select for cheerful people.
Is this something you often do? Under what circumstances?
I do it when someone nice is trying to be funny, but they fall flat.
I remember fake smiling a lot when I had a pun-loving boss.
Grandwrex bad jokes.
When I pass a speed trap while taking my foot off the gas I fake smile at the patrol car.
I can always tell when someone’s fake smiling. So I figure they’ll be able to tell when I do.
So, when faced with a bad pun/dad joke, I think "Hey, they just want a reaction, and they know it’s an old joke, so instead of smiling like a Stepford Salesman I’ll roll my eyes and groan. This seems to satisfy the joker who really just wants attention.
I don’t fake smile.
When I was in retail sales on commission. Pretty much part of the job.
Two kinds of “fake smile” — the kind where you expect the recipient to get that it’s a fake smile (sarcastic) and the kind where you want them to think you mean it, but you don’t.
I do the sarcastic version when someone says something and implies I’m supposed to be pleased, but they actually know they’re offering a fake accommodation or fake pleasantry and hoping I’m too dense to notice.
I do the other kind sometimes when I think I’m in a shitty mood and it isn’t this person’s fault so I’m trying to disguise my current 'tude.
Greeting a substantial percentage of my husband’s extended family members. We all fake smile at each other and kiss each other’s cheeks. It’s part of their culture.
I polite smile when passing by someone in the hall or am trapped in an elevator with them. It’s a form of greeting. I don’t grin like an idiot to someone I loathe.
Every day at work because my employer requires me to smile even at horrible people who come to our establishment to spend money and I need to keep receiving a paycheck.
I don’t fake orgasms. Can’t help it, sorry. They just kinda com… Oh, nevermind!
I know that’s hard for you…
I was in sales here in Japan for many, many years so my fake smile in Japanese was much better. Then I moved to Taiwan and started teaching English and developed a trilingual fake smile.