Quote:
Originally Posted by JayBee
I agree with most of the things said on this thread(Good thread, Paul!)  There isn't one simple answer, except to say it is part of their culture.
But I think about it in two ways. 1)It is like a social agreement that walking around with a frown is negative and offensive to other people. The way they think is like you owe it to other people to make an effort to be bright, and not bring others down. By walking around with a frown, you are invading other people's space with you bad vibes. In Asian countries, the population density is pretty high, so it is important that you are not "attacking" other people with your bad thoughts and feelings. When you are joking, then it is the opposite, then you are spreading good feelings, giving people a laugh, if you can, which is a nice gift. You are contributing to society by being a happy person, and spreading cheer.
2) The second way is that if you are glum, that shows you are vulnerable. It lets other people know that they have an advantage on you. If you are frowning, people see you as weak. It doesn't reflect well on your status or mental health. So a smile is like a shield. It protects you. It guards your personal space, and hides your vulnerabilities.
So the LOS smile really works 2 ways. One to spread good vibes and make the world one iota better, instead of spreading bad, offensive vibes, and making the world one iota worse. The other way is as a shield, to protect against others seeing your weakness or invading your headspace. |
I quote, "We wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,
This debt we owe to human guile,
With torn and broken hearts, we still smile"
Now i forget which poet said that but its part of a poem i'll never forget. The writer is a westerner if i'm not mistaken. JB makes some interesting points but i don't think what you're saying applies to all asians... maybe the thai's but not the rest of asia. Take Singapore for example, it was many years back, the government came up with a "smile" campaign because Singaporeans looked unfriendly.
I have to agree with Livin in that just because you frown doesn't mean you're showing weakness or vulnerability. It just gives off an unfriendly vibe which is not in the nature of the thai's to begin with. IMHO Brit summed it up nicely in saying its a combination of many things that make Thailand the land of smiles.