They "broke down in tears."

I wish this expression in the media would disappear. Why is a person "breaking down" when they express emotion publicly. It's so culturally biased and old school. Apparently a British stiff upper lip is still valued.

8 Comments

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I wish

Oct 21, 2021 at 1:23pm

people would stop overusing the word “literally”

6 2Rating: +4

Anonymous

Oct 21, 2021 at 4:31pm

Better a stiff upper lip than the yammering of others.

4 1Rating: +3

Peachy

Oct 21, 2021 at 4:37pm

Its a figure of speech. Here's another one...Chill out!

8 1Rating: +7

Never fall for that routine

Oct 22, 2021 at 1:50am

If it's a politician or media personality breaking down in tears with far too much privilege you can be sure the tears are disingenuous. Pulling out the water works is a common emotional manipulation tactic constantly performed by narcissistic sociopaths.

8 6Rating: +2

Connection

Oct 22, 2021 at 6:57am

What does culture have anything to do with it? If anything, this expression is slightly hyperbolic. But it is not as loaded as you would have us believe. No shame to those who cry in public. But don’t tell me this description is infused with any hidden culture bias.

9 2Rating: +7

See

Oct 23, 2021 at 6:32am

Most people don’t walk around crying all the time. Social norms pretty much everywhere dictate that the sad ones maintain some sort of composure in public. Maybe there are countries in which they are encouraged to let their tears flow anywhere and everywhere. However, the vast majority of people manage to keep it together for the sake of social cohesion. Not sure there’s a culture in which this is not the case.

2 2Rating: 0

@ Connection

Oct 24, 2021 at 9:24am

Poster here, hard *not* to think of it as cultural, just generally. On a personal level, my father was British, my mother was Slavic. There was a huge difference. With the mom's side, emotions were freely expressed, especially when singing around the Christmas table, or thinking about lost loved ones. To my Dad, tears were a failing, a sign of weakness. He was very stoic. "Keep calm and carry on" is a British phrase. No knocking it, but I like to be expressive without being considered inappropriate somehow.

2 2Rating: 0

@ See

Oct 25, 2021 at 9:32am

Crying is not some sort of "break down" of anything. And who is talking about people crying *all the time*? It's simply a rightful expression appropriate to a particular moment that shouldn't be regarded as some sort of collapse. Then when it's done, one can continue dealing with whatever is wrong. Tears don't equal weakness.

4 3Rating: +1

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