# Why do we cry?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-cry/26543>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 23, 2000, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-cry/26543 "2000-07-23T13:37:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![omni-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8dc957/32.png) [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)\
**Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-cry/26543/1 "2000-07-23T13:37:48Z")

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Looking at the “Why do we smile?” and “Why do we cry?” threads, I was reminded that I asked the question a while ago and the subject matter did not elicit too many responses. So, with a fresh new batch of Dopers, I’ll ask again: Why is it that emotions make people cry?

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**Author:** ![omni-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8dc957/32.png) [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)\
**Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-cry/26543/2 "2000-07-23T13:39:42Z")

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Should of course be: “Why do we smile?” and “Why do we **laugh**?” threads…

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**Author:** ![Kilgore\_Trout\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6de8d8/32.png) [@Kilgore\_Trout\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilgore_Trout_1)\
**Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-cry/26543/3 "2000-07-23T19:21:37Z")

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look here:

[http://www.mhsource.com/expert/exp1041398g.html](http://www.mhsource.com/expert/exp1041398g.html)

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**Author:** ![omni-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8dc957/32.png) [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)\
**Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-cry/26543/4 "2000-07-23T20:51:40Z")

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Still. Why this specific reaction to what can be radically different stimuli? (Seeing your best friend win first prize in a competition, for example; sustaining injury; etc.)