Jun4

Why Crying Makes You Look Good

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‘If you’ve never eaten while crying you don’t know what life tastes like.’ Goethe

Neel Burton author website and blog

In many cultures, especially for men, crying is considered to be undignified and infantile behavior, except in certain specific circumstances such as mourning the loss of a close friend or relative. After adolescence, men shed tears much less often than women. On average, men cry once a month and women about five times a month, especially before and during the menstrual cycle. Men not only cry less often but also for shorter periods at a time, 2-4 minutes compared to about 6 minutes for women. And they sob less too, in only 6% of cases versus 65% for women.

There are in fact three types of tear, two of which are rather uninteresting: basal tears which lubricate and protect the eye and reflex tears which flush out irritants such as smoke particles or onion vapors. The third type of tear is, of course, shed in response to emotion, and differs from…

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Nov12

Verbally numb.

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There is another question I can find no answer to. Why are so many people silent when there is so much to say?

Today I have read a facebook post by Yoko Ono: “Each time we don’t say what we want to say we’re dying. Make a list of how many times you died this week”. After some contemplation I have realized that the most challenging part in putting ideas into words sometimes, is separating the intelligible thoughts from the overwhelming emotions. The latter authenticate the statement, but when excessive, their influence is destructive. There is way too much aggression in our strive for justice; and hostility often intimidates humble but virtuous attempts to express ourselves. Alternatively, it causes reciprocal aggression, hate or despair.

Should we perhaps focus on the chimerical perfect World-image and describe paths toward it, whenever we are disturbed by real problems of injustice, inequality, violence etc.? Or should we better pay our most attention to the things we can change within our sphere of influence and not get frustrated with the World acute problems?

While all the insanities taking place far and near leave me distracted, disturbed and numb, I’m having hard time looking for the answer.