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The perpetuation of utter bollocks
Dec. 27th, 2005 01:42 pmSo I took this required "People Skills" class at work, which was actually a complete hoot and explained a LOT. This was thrown by an outfit called "The Effectiveness Institute, Inc" and was mostly full of very good and/or useful and/or entertaining information.
One of the materials they gave out was a pack of 52 cards with people-skills-related... stuff on them. Some quotes, some tips, some stuff that's supposed to make you think or something. I found the one on top to be hopelessly boring, so I cut to a random card and have been turning up a new one each week, for my entertainment and edification.
This week's snippet is, unfortunately, complete tosh. "Smile at people", it begins, reasonably enough. Sadly, it then goes on to perpetuate the myth that "It takes 72 muscles to frown, only 14 to smile."
I refer the interested reader to a Straight Dope column on this very topic, in which we are informed that - just for starters - there are only 53 facial muscles in total; and that in fact it takes 12 of these to smile and only 11 to frown.
I have amended the card using red ink. It now reads:
"Smile at people.
It takes 72 muscles to frown, only 14 to smile. Incorrect.
But they will wonder what you're up to."
One of the materials they gave out was a pack of 52 cards with people-skills-related... stuff on them. Some quotes, some tips, some stuff that's supposed to make you think or something. I found the one on top to be hopelessly boring, so I cut to a random card and have been turning up a new one each week, for my entertainment and edification.
This week's snippet is, unfortunately, complete tosh. "Smile at people", it begins, reasonably enough. Sadly, it then goes on to perpetuate the myth that "It takes 72 muscles to frown, only 14 to smile."
I refer the interested reader to a Straight Dope column on this very topic, in which we are informed that - just for starters - there are only 53 facial muscles in total; and that in fact it takes 12 of these to smile and only 11 to frown.
I have amended the card using red ink. It now reads:
"Smile at people.
But they will wonder what you're up to."
