The Pursuit of Happiness and "smile therapy"

One of the differences I decided that differentiate Americans from others is the fact that " The Pursuit of Happiness" is stated in our Constitution as a right. Thus making people happy or at least not standing in happiness's way is a stated government policy. In other countries, Fraternity, unity,righteousness, peace, land ownership, prosperity might be the policy, but only in America happiness is a stated goal of the countries being.

Now you might think this an understatement, but it is not. The other day at a business network meeting I was told that I do not smile enough - ipso facto - I am not happy I am sad. When I told her I am the serious type, she disagreed- I must look happy , or fake it. There is no middle ground. Well this reminded me of when I was a biofeedback therapist in Israel and developed " Smile Therapy" for people that were sad. I would place EMG electrodes on their facial muscles and ask the subject to smile, thus increasing their facial muscle tone, and watch and listen to the response on a biofeedback physiological monitor on the screen. One alcoholic depressed patient immigrant from Russia who was 50 years old commented that this was the first time he ever smiled. I asked him why? He said that if he smiled he would seem to be silly. I understood that this was cultural from eastern countries. A woman patient who originally came from Poland said something similar to me. " That if I smile , I would not seem humble". Now there is more to it. If I show photos of  famous Israelis ,even dignitaries from outside the USA , you can see that they are not smiling in the photos. Here are Ben Gurion with other founders of the State of Israel.

 

Ben-Zvi, Yaacov Zrubavel, Ben-Gurion, Brenner, Aharon Reuven

Ze'ev Jabotinsky

Golda Meir

Menachem Begin

Shimon Peres- not sad - content- but also serious, but content. 

Myself , in Israel - seriousness, but happy.

Now if we take a recent American leader , he is smiling - or he would not even get elected.

I love Bill Clinton's smile.Happy to be an American he is. 

 However, our more conservative leaders from an older generation did not smile - an example - both  Roosevelts.

George Washington, from the serious generation. 

Now, does it mean these leaders are Sad. no. They are serious. Yet, I can understand, that if you do not smile, it will effect the people around you. So today, back in the USA , keeping the pursuit of happiness in mind- I smile more, but not too much to seem silly.

Good news, the present Israeli Prime Minister who lived in the USA for many years and knows American culture well, smiles more than the previous Israeli leaders. BiBi - you make me happy. 

And Barak Obama- happy but Bibi looks happier???

For a great read on American / Israeli culture, my memoir

"Leaving Home Going Home Returning Home": A Hebrew American's Sojourn in the Land of Israel. .