# Why do we roll our eyes?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-roll-our-eyes/751437>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 7, 2016, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-roll-our-eyes/751437 "2016-04-07T13:45:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![egospoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/13edae/32.png) [@egospoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/egospoon)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2016, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-roll-our-eyes/751437/1 "2016-04-07T13:45:58Z")

</div>

When I’m exasperated, or mildly contemptuous of something, I look up at the inside of my (open) eyelids, without moving my head. “Eye-rolling” is an adjective to describe something particularly fatuous.

Why is that? [This](http://www.slate.com/articles/life/explainer/2013/01/eye_rolling_why_do_people_roll_their_eyes_when_they_re_annoyed.html) seems reasonable, except for the origin idea that we’re simply looking away from what we don’t want to see. I don’t really buy that.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2016, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-roll-our-eyes/751437/2 "2016-04-07T13:50:46Z")

</div>

Because you learned from the people around you that in your culture it is an adequate gesture to express exasperation.

It’s a learned gesture, same as nodding for yes and shaking for no.