Why are smiles not threatening to humans?

[Whatthefluff]

To any other organism, bared teeth would be a sign of aggression and perceived as a threat. "These are my sharp fucking canines, you better get away before I bite ur ass"
Yet when humans do it, they are "friendly" and "in good spirits"
?

[Robertcw]

Monkeys show teeth as a form of submission. We picked up that trait via evolution. But I suspect not everyone has that trait, for example psychopaths.

I wouldn't be surprised if some of us descend from different evolutionary bloodlines. For instance, it's widely believed that descendents of chimpazees and descendents of bonobos co-evolved and that some people come primarily from one or the other which could account partially for cultural and behavioral differences between historically isolated races -- even if the between race genetic differences are a very tiny percentage of our genome I think they're probably pretty significant no matter how small the variation.

I would expect there to be more than just two lineages. There's probably many. Tracing to different branches in the evolutionary family tree.

[Robertcw]

Indeed, all that matters is if sex results in new life. We can descend from slightly different sub-species, but if our sex results in pregnancy then it is what it is.

Even lions and tigers can produce babies together. But, the offspring are always infertile. So they never make it past one generation.

But if our sex results in a baby than can also get pregnant or get someone pregnant then that's it -- the bloodline continues regardless of anything else.

[ecfresh]

Humans have formed a society that rises above our animal instincts in which there can be safety in numbers and among trustworthy humans. So instead of being on guard for every potential threat we have learned that trust is built on top of transparency and vulnerability. Therefore a smile is some demonstrating they feel a level of safety and comfort with someone else and a lack of a smile means they are not open and communicates distrust.

[AmandaYVR]

Because humans don't growl. We're different than animals. Our musculature is such that a smile means we are happy, or pretending to be.
Humans are more vulnerable when we expose ourselves, be that a smile, an open hand for a hand shake (which originally was to show that it was holding no weapon), and even being naked shows that we are not concealing anything, and are just like other humans.

[nopedydoo]

well a lot of these animals attack with their teeth... we dont.
thats why we get scared when someone puts their firsts up, bc thats a sign theyre gonna punch us

[Lightning8]

I think we also look at teeth for hygiene also. It might have been a status indicator, signifying one's place in heirarchy as it sorta still works today. If you notice, there is a difference between a rich person's smile, an average person's smile, and a poor person's.

[cicchis0]

For starters, we don't have "sharp fucking canines" and we don't attack with our mouths, which don't pose much of a threat compared to our hands, which can carry weapons.

[JackSmy]

Who said? I know some FCKERS at work, and when they 'smile' people get verbally abused, degraded or fired, and maybe all!!

[AmandaYVR]

I hate those people who smile at really inappropriate times, when they are really being aggressive. It's bizarre. They look like sociopaths.

[anmari2001]

You sure about that?

[cheapshotbob]

i guess its due to how humans have taken being friendly over the eons. they know what is happy and is not.

[SomeGuyCalledTom]

Because humans evolved with a lot of brain circuitry and genetic memory devoted to seperating 'friend' from 'foe'.

[GuildLegend435]

because we have things like science, higher mathematics, and toilets.

[sp33d]

Smiles are not threatening to humans.

Heath Ledger: hold my beer..

[meesegoMoo]

His was less about teeth and more about tongue though. Very licky performance.

[-Asca-]

I'm pretty sure you can show your teeth in a threatening way without smiling.

[OddBeMe]

Because we’re intelligent beings. But if you study gorillas and other primates, they smile and laugh, showing their teeth. They also roar showing their teeth.

[Iamagoodguy]

Because it's not teath = danger it's teath shown in a way that suggests they will eat you like with dogs or wolf's they will also growl if it's meant to be a threat.

[Curabyron]

Evolution i guess, When i smile i look like a potential cannibal planning on how to cook you up

[Ianto]

Even early hominids used tools, so presumably threats came to be expressed by weaponry. This would have freed up the smile for other meanings.

[TwoToTooTutu2]

We don't have scary looking teeth. Also, we fight with our fists, not our mouth. Clenched fists are a threat to us.

[SenseiSeptred]

Actually that is an incorrect statement in some cases because a smile can be a very dangerous weapon to be used.

[Meatunnel69]

Chimpanzees show their teeth as a sign of submission. We often submit to others when we smile as well

[Snakeyes7]

Not all smiles are. It also depends on the angle you look at them. The most positive are the ones that you look straight at. Creepy smiles do exist.

[Anonymous]

Because of the great Smiler, who designed us and set us on this Earth with one goal- to smile and be happy.

[RLovesD7792forever]

because you humans were trained and conditioned to think in that manner

[EnglundUberAlles]

Did you know smiling reduces stress and actually produces a positive emotional state? Me neither.

[slicwhenwet]

Because we are a civilized species. As far as I can see it.

[Cryptic-Game]

Probably because it is seen as being courteous or nice.

[purplepoppy]

Humans don't kill or fight with their teeth.

[Kayla45]

Well, creepy smiles might be

[Laozi]

Because we're humans not animals.

[jakeofalltrades]

because our teeth aren't good for biting

[Anonymous]

Apex predators aren't food.

[Stan_Control_]

It's our species thing.

[ikEVERYTHING]

Because it's a sign of positivity

[George090]

They seem approachable , sort of not scary

[Twalli]

Well part of it is eyes

[BronzedAdonis]

They are

[Mrswright077]

Lmfaoo