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[Christoff Yurievich]

I saw a sign biking in this morning on a homeless guy asking, "Do you care?" I yelled back, "Man, I don't give a fuck."

Worked on many levels.

 

[Halo 2]

These people are the worst.
When I don't act suprised by little things people assume I'm pissed off.

 

[sestrugen]

If someone would ever dare say that to me I would just respond no, thank you.

 

[Talon]

Smile, please.

This thread is like the League of Extraordinary Pricks.

 

[King Cobra]

Some of you get upset over pretty inconsequential things.

Seriously I'm glad someone else thinks this, can you imagine how upside down their world would be if they actually had real problems.

 

[Astral]

It's funny watching Girl-GAF get so worked up about this, because it's only girls who tell me to smile.

 

[Az]

I've also noticed this. Including strangers giving others compliments. Nice shoes, pretty dress, like your hair, etc. Just out of nowhere when walking by.

 

[blame space]

everyone is doing the best they can. making someone feel self-conscious about how they look randomly and without prompt is sort of really rude.

I'm sorry I'm not meeting your pleasantry requirements for the day but I'm trying really hard to not explode from anxiety and stress so please try to be respectful.

EDIT: telling someone they should smile is not a complement. complementing someone on their clothes or their looks is great! who doesn't love complements? but instructing someone to look happier is not a complement, or at least not not a backhanded one.

 

[Malvolio]

Be the change you want to see. If you want someone to smile at you, smile at them and say hello. You'd be surprised at how few people can resist returning a smile if you send a genuine one their way. Of course, if they don't smile you don't get to demand or even request one.

 

[Vermillion]

I've also noticed this. Including strangers giving others compliments. Nice shoes, pretty dress, like your hair, etc. Just out of nowhere when walking by.

If I see a cool shirt, I'll usually do this.

 

[weemadarthur]

It's sound advice.

Most of you will learn this when you're older (I'm 36).

I've had to work on my smile until I got it right. My original smile made me look like a guy that was about to ask you for money. Now it resembles that of Jack Black from the movie Bernie.

Fake it to make it, motherfuckers.

I don't get what you're saying. Is it sound advice to obey the "smile" command, or sound advice to never give it?

And age is not a useful metric. I seem to be older than you, so if you're telling me I'll change when I'm more grown up, then that's just patronizing and wrong.

 

[stufte]

If I see a cool shirt, I'll usually do this.

I'm a serial shirt complimenter.

 

[ConradCervantes]

Smile, please.

This thread is like the League of Extraordinary Pricks.

Seriously?

For THIS?

 

[Irminsul]

I've also noticed this. Including strangers giving others compliments. Nice shoes, pretty dress, like your hair, etc. Just out of nowhere when walking by.

But that's actually fine in my eyes. Because it's a compliment about your current state, in contrast to wanting you to change.

 

[CapNBritain]

My favorite Simpsons episode is Season 1 Episode 6 "Moaning Lisa." Marge's about face speech at the end is pretty amazing. Being told to smile when you don't feel like it sucks, and just telling a stranger to smile in general is pretty presumptuous.

Always got it from my family (like Lisa) but never from a stranger. Is it because I'm a man?

 

[Az]

But that's actually fine in my eyes. Because it's a compliment about your current state, in contrast to wanting you to change.

Didn't say it bothered me, just that I've seen it more lately. The smile thing is kind of weird though.

 

[Bobs Big Boy]

Do not feel upset about someone wanting me to feel good. There's enough actual things to worry about and am not wound up so tight.

 

[User 100115]

Seriously I'm glad someone else thinks this, can you imagine how upside down their world would be if they actually had real problems.

I can't imagine how upside down your world would be if you had to deal with the shit myself and many others have to deal with every day.

Just because you see it as inconsequential doesn't mean it actually is. Do you understand how patronizing that it?

"Oh, people telling you smile all the time isn't annoying, stop being so uptight."
"Oh, people street harassing you isn't annoying, stop being so uptight, imagine if you had real problems."

This is one of those instances I am very tempted to drop the 'check your privilege' anvil.

 

[Anton Sugar]

everyone is doing the best they can. making someone feel self-conscious about how they look randomly and without prompt is sort of really rude.

I'm sorry I'm not meeting your pleasantry requirements for the day but I'm trying really hard to not explode from anxiety and stress so please try to be respectful.

EDIT: telling someone they should smile is not a complement. complementing someone on their clothes or their looks is great! who doesn't love complements? but instructing someone to look happier is not a complement, or at least not not a backhanded one.

Real talk.

 

[Irminsul]

Didn't say it bothered me, just that I've seen it more lately. The smile thing is kind of weird though.

I didn't mean to imply that it bothers you, I just wanted to add my/a reason why that type of random comment by strangers isn't bothersome.

 

[umop_3pisdn]

Do not feel upset about someone wanting me to feel good. There's enough actual things to worry about and am not wound up so tight.

The ironic thing is that people don't like being told to "smile!" because it actually feels bad. Most people probably start off complying just to appease others before they realize they don't like how it feels.

 

[zma1013]

The ironic thing is that people don't like being told to "smile!" because it actually feels bad. Most people probably start off complying just to appease others before they realize they don't like how it feels.

Pretty much. It's as if they think there's something wrong with me if I'm not smiling, like they are saying, "Hey Mr. Mopy, stop being a downer and smile like the rest of us you debbie downer."

 

[Pete Rock]

Stare them deep in the eyes while slowly putting on your biggest pout face with your bottom lip all jammed out, make your eyes start to water so they look like they are vibrating and you are about to explode all over, then put out your arms in a big hug motion and see how fast they run away?

What I'm saying is you should really make them commit to this idea that they are making the world a better place. If they don't hug you then you called them on their bluff.

 

[Anton Sugar]

Stare them deep in the eyes while slowly putting on your biggest pout face with your bottom lip all jammed out, make your eyes start to water so they look like they are vibrating and you are about to explode all over, then put out your arms in a big hug motion and see how fast they run away?

What I'm saying is you should really make them commit to this idea that they are making the world a better place. If they don't hug you then you called them on their bluff.

 

[Alcotholic]

I've never told anyone to smile and no ones ever told me to. But when I am smiling, people are usually smiling back.

 

[King Cobra]

I can't imagine how upside down your world would be if you had to deal with the shit myself and many others have to deal with every day.

Just because you see it as inconsequential doesn't mean it actually is. Do you understand how patronizing that it?

"Oh, people telling you smile all the time isn't annoying, stop being so uptight."
"Oh, people street harassing you isn't annoying, stop being so uptight, imagine if you had real problems."

This is one of those instances I am very tempted to drop the 'check your privilege' anvil.

Please spare me the "You don't know what I've been through" story, if you’re spending time posting on a online forum it can’t be like living in Ghaza. People who actually go through real issues aren't so weak that someone telling them to smile will make them question their reason for living. Being privileged is having a life so conflict free that a mere harmless comment like "smile" will piss you off so if anything please check your privilege.

 

[User 100115]

Please spare me the "You don't know what I've been through" story, if you’re spending time posting on a online forum it can’t be like living in Ghaza. People who actually go through real issues aren't so weak that someone telling them to smile will make them question their reason for living. Being privileged is having a life so conflict free that a mere harmless comment like "smile" will piss you off so if anything please check your privilege.

Oh, it's interesting that you think only those who live in war zones can suffer. Because things like rape, murder, and torture, and seriously illness and injury don't exist in places like America. Nope! Must be awesome to live that idealistically. Really, you have NO IDEA what myself and other posters have gone through in their lives. The smile thing is annoying as shit, because a lot of us get it constantly. Because we are annoyed by it, you assume our lives must be picture perfect. That's honestly hilarious.

 

[electricshake]

Urgh I hate this, I get it all the time. How about you go fuck yourself? If I wanted to smile, I'd be fucking smiling. Another classic is 'cheer up'. That shit makes my blood boil.

 

[Walter White Walker]

I haven't had this happen. I think my automatic response would be, "Fuck off", though.

 

[Anton Sugar]

Being privileged is having a life so conflict free that a mere harmless comment like "smile" will piss you off so if anything please check your privilege.

You're trying to marginalize legitimate issues by unfairly comparing them to other legitimate issues.

It's great that YOU don't think that being told to smile is a problem, but it's commonly regarded as a form of street harassment in most cities.

 

[samus i am]

I worked as security in a concert venue and this is one of my biggest pet peeves. Drunk people yelling "Smile!" every 5 seconds.

 

[weemadarthur]

Please spare me the "You don't know what I've been through" story, if you’re spending time posting on a online forum it can’t be like living in Ghaza. People who actually go through real issues aren't so weak that someone telling them to smile will make them question their reason for living. Being privileged is having a life so conflict free that a mere harmless comment like "smile" will piss you off so if anything please check your privilege.

What am I allowed to consider "real issues"?
What am I allowed to be pissed off about?

 

[Knightmarre]

I get this stuff all the time but you know whats worse. When people tell you to "Have fun". Like when you are at a club or hanging out with your friends and someone says to you "Hey have fun man, you don't look like you 're having fun". I wish I could tell them to fuck off but I'm not that kind of person.

 

[xXBetter Off DadXx]

The issue is we don't need to cheer up.

Not smiling does not equal sad. Don't patronise me with some pseudo therapy shite.(not you the smile demanding guys)

Yes, we do.

Let's bake a cake!

 

[Dreams-Visions]

The only people I ever knew who did this were my parents. But they're parents, so it's w/e.

Never had a random stranger say it.

 

[Schweinehund]

Don't hear this too often.

Probably because everyone is too damn depressed to smile in the frozen wasteland known as Michigan.

 

[Ogni-XR21]

Germans don't do that.

 

[Super Nothing]

I get this stuff all the time but you know whats worse. When people tell you to "Have fun". Like when you are at a club or hanging out with your friends and someone says to you "Hey have fun man, you don't look like you 're having fun". I wish I could tell them to fuck off but I'm not that kind of person.

I had this happen at a bar one time. Some friends and I stopped into a bar for a few minutes before heading somewhere else. We drank a few beers and were talking, just hanging out. Then a guy that we went to high school with came over. We hadn't seen him in about 5 or 6 years. He was telling us that we looked like we weren't having any fun and that we needed to liven it up some. We were pretty offended. We were just talking about random stuff, are we supposed to be jumping up and dancing around? Can't we just sit at a table and converse over a few beers? We were enjoying ourselves just fine, thanks.

 

[Shouta]

Seems weird to just randomly say it without kind of a lead in. I get saying it but just not doing it as you walk by someone or whatever.

 

[Bobs Big Boy]

The ironic thing is that people don't like being told to "smile!" because it actually feels bad. Most people probably start off complying just to appease others before they realize they don't like how it feels.

I haven't considered from this perspective but hold that the intent remains positive and is completely harmless.

Have too many more pressing problems to ever analyze & consider what it means within a moment.

 

[Brofist]

 

[Bobs Big Boy]

Would feel far more comfortable asking for a smile, than say, making rigid demands for how and how not to flirt with the opposite sex.

 

[EnVy_CaLiBeR]

I don't do it to people but people have said it to me, but I never really looked at it as annoying. Just trying to brighten up my day. =)

Spoiler

Until you tell me to do it on a day where I feel like choking the shit out of somebody.

 

[.GqueB.]

Would feel far more comfortable asking for a smile, than say, making rigid demands for how and how not to flirt with the opposite sex.

Lol, that seems even weirder.

"Hey... can I have a smile...?"

Sounds like you want to cut off their lips.

 

[Alucrid]

Seriously I'm glad someone else thinks this, can you imagine how upside down their world would be if they actually had real problems.

I wonder why they're not smiling in the first place. Oh, right, probably those "real problems" that you're talking about.

 

[SmZA]

Please spare me the "You don't know what I've been through" story, if you’re spending time posting on a online forum it can’t be like living in Ghaza.

This post doesn't read very smiley to me. Could you have smiled while you wrote it? Would it have hurt to give a little grin while typing?

 

[Nether!]

I've gotten this before - annoying.
But, that said, I try and smile more because I think my resting face is robotic and terrifying.

 

[Messofanego]

Please spare me the "You don't know what I've been through" story, if you’re spending time posting on a online forum it can’t be like living in Ghaza. People who actually go through real issues aren't so weak that someone telling them to smile will make them question their reason for living. Being privileged is having a life so conflict free that a mere harmless comment like "smile" will piss you off so if anything please check your privilege.

This post, man. This post.

Moral relativism, not allowing someone to be pissed off, implying someone is weak for not liking this, all the derailment tactics.

Don't ever bring up if you have any issues in your life that don't compare to Gaza. "First world problems" amirite?

 

[Rest]

It happens to me some times. I usually then proceed to scowl at whatever idiot said it to me.

 

[Goldenroad]

There are like a million things that annoy me more, but yeah, I guess people should probably just mind their own business. But I've heard it before and been like "yeah, why am I not smiling?"...particularly at like concerts and festivals and places where I should be having a great time, and I might be on the inside, but yeah, why not share that with people and make them all feel good too?