# White people and double-blinking **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 28, 2003, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-and-double-blinking/171624 "2003-04-28T07:30:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![papergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aca169/32.png) [@papergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papergirl)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-and-double-blinking/171624/21 "2003-04-28T14:16:25Z")
Hmmmm. Were you having sex with her at the time? Because I double-blink, but usually only when I’m having sex… Seriously…at least that’s the only time I’m aware of doing it. I don’t think it’s a secret thingy that we white folk have, though. Although it it were, I’d probably be the last to cabbage onto the fact. ---
**Author:** ![djf750](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@djf750](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/djf750)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-and-double-blinking/171624/22 "2003-04-28T14:44:13Z")
I think Pizza Brat was trying to make a point and wasn’t serious about this being a white thing. We cocky caucasians do seem to identify the race of others when telling a story, even if it is not derogatory. Or maybe Brat was serious. ---
**Author:** ![greck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ab992/32.png) [@greck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greck)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-and-double-blinking/171624/23 "2003-04-28T14:47:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Joe Random \* > \*\*“White community”? I’m white, and as far as I’m aware, there _is_ no “white” community. In fact, that’s the first time I’ve ever heard anyone even use that phrase. \*\* Don’t let em fool you Pizza, this is just another example of them trying to keep you out. The double blink was probably a code to see if you were “one of the good ones” or not. (sarcasm) It would be funny if you could get a grant to study this. I’d guess that blinking is related to emotionality somehow, discomfort, anxiety, something. So you might be able to postulate that double blinking is an expression of the discomfort that whites feel in the presence of another race. I bet professional poker players would have some good thoughts on blinking and other behavioral subtleties. The problem with finding out is, then what? Do you develop the “pizzabrat blinking racial tension fighting program for double blinkers?” ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-and-double-blinking/171624/24 "2003-04-28T15:06:28Z")
Maybe she’d just seen _Bullitt_. ---
**Author:** ![pizzabrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e9c0ed/32.png) [@pizzabrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pizzabrat)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-and-double-blinking/171624/25 "2003-04-28T15:08:05Z")
djf750 > [@](#): > > I think Pizza Brat was trying to make a point and wasn’t serious about this being a white thing. > > We cocky caucasians do seem to identify the race of others when telling a story, even if it is not derogatory. Yes, you got it right. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-and-double-blinking/171624/26 "2003-04-28T15:13:07Z")
Sometimes people double-blink for emphasis or shock - I find when I do it intentionally, it’s almost always for comic effect - but generally I’d say blinking is pretty random, so I doubt blinking twice is that unusual. ---
**Author:** ![pizzabrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e9c0ed/32.png) [@pizzabrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pizzabrat)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-and-double-blinking/171624/27 "2003-04-28T15:14:21Z")
FranticMad: > [@](#): > > The other day I was talking to a black woman and I noticed something strange about her. One time when she coughed, she coughed once more immediately and rapidly after the first one, i.e., she “double-coughed”. I don’t think I’ve ever really seen anyone do this before. Is this a black thing? Does double-coughing have some sort of specific meaning in the black community? It didn’t seem to be a reaction to something I said, as she did it while she was talking. How could I have missed this whole “double-coughing” phenomenon before? Argh! I wish I thought is this one instead! Double-coughing is even MORE ridiculous to point out as some racial thing. ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-and-double-blinking/171624/28 "2003-04-28T18:31:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pizzabrat \* > \*\*Is this a white thing? Does double-blinking have some sort of specific meaning in the white community? \*\* They’re on to us!! 😃 I’m kidding of course. It just reminded me of that Eddie Murphy sketch where he had himself made up to look white and went out to see what white people did when there were no minorities around. Great sketch. I know I’ve started at least two threads that could be interpreted as being questions for the “black community”, so I’m having fun at my expense as well. I’m not really cognizant of a double-blink. Is it something you’ve seen elsewhere? I can’t say that I’ve ever seen it – but that may be because I just never notice that sort of thing. ---
**Author:** ![djf750](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@djf750](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/djf750)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-and-double-blinking/171624/29 "2003-04-28T18:32:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lieu \* > \*\*Maybe she’d just seen _Bullitt_. \*\* I don’t get it, and I loved that movie. Please explain. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-and-double-blinking/171624/30 "2003-04-28T18:50:44Z")
Double clutch reference. Heh, apparently not a very good one. ---
**Author:** ![Satisfying\_Andy\_Licious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Satisfying\_Andy\_Licious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satisfying_Andy_Licious)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-and-double-blinking/171624/31 "2003-04-28T20:25:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pizzabrat \* > \*\*The other day I was talking to a white woman and I noticed something strange about her. One time when she blinked, she blinked once more immediately and rapidly after the first one, i.e., she “double-blinked”. I don’t think I’ve ever really seen anyone do this before. Is this a white thing? Does double-blinking have some sort of specific meaning in the white community? It didn’t seem to be a reaction to something I said, as she did it while she was talking. How could I have missed this whole “double-blinking” phenomenon before? Dopers, clue me in a bit, will you? \*\* You saw **one** person do this and you think it’s a white thing? ---
**Author:** ![Pablito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@Pablito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pablito)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-and-double-blinking/171624/32 "2003-04-28T20:51:52Z")
That was actually a pair of single blinks, one for the external eyelid and one for the nictitating membrane that white people had installed a few years back. Please report the offending woman’s name to the authorities because she is violating the rule which requires both eyelids to be blinked simultaneously. [/kidding] And now, a more serious response: I’ve noticed that some people do seem to blink quite a bit when they talk. My son’s pediatrician does, in fact, and for him, it seems to be related to a speech impediment he has. Somehow he can get the words out better when he closes his eyes for a moment. Weird. Also, I’ve seen this in a couple of acquaintances. It’s kind of disconcerting to talk with them because I don’t get the eye contact I’m used to when in conversation. I almost feel that they’re re-assessing their opinions of me as we’re talking, if that makes any sense. I find this phenomenon most challenging to deal with when I’m speaking to a woman to whom I’m attracted. It’s funny how a little thing like that can throw you off your comfort zone. ---
**Author:** ![Satisfying\_Andy\_Licious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Satisfying\_Andy\_Licious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satisfying_Andy_Licious)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-and-double-blinking/171624/33 "2003-04-28T20:55:54Z")
Okay, I admit I was fooled. That’ll learn me to read the whole thread, though judging from some of Pizzabrat’s other posts I though he/she was serious. ---
**Author:** ![pizzabrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e9c0ed/32.png) [@pizzabrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pizzabrat)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-and-double-blinking/171624/34 "2003-04-28T21:02:43Z")
Satisfying Andy Licious: > [@](#): > > Okay, I admit I was fooled. That’ll learn me to read the whole thread, though judging from some of Pizzabrat’s other posts I though he/she was serious. Why do people keep saying this? What other posts of mine would make people think I would seriously post something like this? ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-and-double-blinking/171624/35 "2003-04-28T21:31:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pizzabrat \* > \*\*Why do people keep saying this? What other posts of mine would make people think I would seriously post something like this? \*\* You have a very serious sounding screen name. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-and-double-blinking/171624/36 "2003-04-28T22:37:27Z")
> [@](#): > > Having said that, curse pizzabrat for making me double-blink. I swear to God, I can’t stop doing it now. Me too! It’s driving me crazy!! ---
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-and-double-blinking/171624/37 "2003-04-28T23:04:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pizzabrat \* > \*\*djf750 > > Yes, you got it right. \*\* So that sound I hear must be the sound of Coldfire being whooshed. 🙂 Seriously, IMHO being raised in the US gives some of us a “hair trigger” about race that I am not sure that someone from Europe is likely to have. It was clear to me (and to others in the thread) that this was about race, not blinking. ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-and-double-blinking/171624/38 "2003-04-28T23:08:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by quietman1920 \* > \*\*Well, I think **The Platters** said it best: > > Smoke gets in your eyes. \*\* They weren’t the first to say it and many great renditions have been made: > [@](#): > > from [**here**](http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/1079/smoke.html)\* > \*\*It was 1933, the depths of the depression,and shows were closing up and down Broadway. But Roberta play on, thanks to this > plaintive song, first intended by Kern as an instrumental interlude to fill in during scene changes… > > On opening night, Tamara and the song brought down the house. Later, Irene Dunne sang it in the film version.\*\* Re the blinking thing. It is our secret and we ain’t telling. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![T.Slothrop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3e96dc/32.png) [@T.Slothrop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T.Slothrop)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2003, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-and-double-blinking/171624/39 "2003-04-29T02:17:03Z")
She’s an Illuminati and she wanted to know if you are one too. ---
**Author:** ![PhuQan\_G\_Nyus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f14d63/32.png) [@PhuQan\_G\_Nyus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhuQan_G_Nyus)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2003, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-and-double-blinking/171624/40 "2003-04-29T02:59:14Z")
blinking is a sign that a: eyes are getting dry b: person may have contacts which tend to increase the amount of blinks needed to keep them moist. c: they are thinking and remembering what is being said. In c: excessive blinking or the “double blink” may be an indication that someone is paying attention. When someone tells you a fact you want to remember like a phone number for example, you blink more. When reading often you will see people tend to blink at the end of paragraphs as the brain processes that bit of information. even the act of trying to remember something will cause increased blinking. Watch someone watching a show they have seen before or that they are not very interested in and you will see they rarely blink compared to say a star wars fan watching the latest sequel for the first time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-and-double-blinking/171624.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-and-double-blinking/171624.md?page=3)