fake smile

I’ve become a better “fake smiler” in the last year. A really good one.

It is a lot like the real thing – the cheek/jaw muscles hurt if you do it a lot, no one can make out you’re faking it, people around you become happy and smile back, if you do it enough yourself, you’re happy too.

But I know it’s fake because a lot of people I meet are such complete dolts that it is impossible to not feel pity for their level of intelligence or common sense. And it is damn near impossible to produce a genuine smile when your brain is distressed hearing these people talk. People are stupid.

And because I don’t want to be rude to them – these are human beings after all, my own species and I’m a sucker for giving someone the benefit of doubt – I fake my smile. To me it feels like I’m not being untruthful to myself and am not being mean to “people” either. A safe fence-sitter because my need to belong triumphs all else. And instead of telling myself that I have to endure this inane talk from stupid people and be stoic and take it in my stride, I just deliver the fake smile.

Practice it on your family and closest friends first. If they can’t detect it, no one else ever will.

And don’t forget what your real smile feels like. Forgetting THAT would be a tragedy.