xkcd • View topic - Strangers telling women to "smile"
An excerpt:
Why should anyone be held responsible to demonstrate their feelings (but only the positive ones, mind) to strangers?
Fuck that noise.^ Fe PoLR FTW.Even "cheer up" and "be happy" are kindof dumb, because they run into the "Gee, why didn't I think of that?" problem. That is, if it were possible for me to just magically make myself happy (without committing inappropriate acts in public), I would already be happy. You walking up and reminding me would be wholly unnecessary. The fact that you think I (a) have this ability and (b) am so stone fucking dumb that I couldn't think to use it until you (saviour among men) came along and proposed it to me is just so patronizing.
Always assuming here that you're being sincere. As sophy and meaux point out, even if you are, 99% of the people who do this aren't.