Why do we sometimes smile in tragic moment ?

Question: Why do we sometimes smile in tragic moment !?

thanks for your commentsWww@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

We smile for all sorts of reasons, only one of which is to signal happiness!. There are many kinds of smiles, from the "felt" or true smile to the fear smile, the contempt smile, the dampened smile, the miserable smile, the "no content" smile, the social smile, and a number of others!. So that when we smile in tragic moment, we may be expressing some kind of feeling which may not necessarily be gladness!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

As a defense mechanism perhaps!.
Studies have shown that when a person smiles, as opposed to frowning or having a closed mouth, that person experiences watching a movie as being more enjoyable!. It may well be that a smile serves to relieves excessive tension and signal the body to relax!. In a tragic moment, physiological stress may be eased (however slightly) by a smile, which serves as a signal to the body!.

I've described the effect of a smile, but why exactly do we smile at that moment - what triggers it!? I think this question is much related to the effect, we may subconsciously experience the need to relieve pain and our body reacts in a way that alleviates some of it, for a moment, with a misguided smile!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I saw a t-shirt once that said,

"I smile because I have no idea what's going on"!.

I think this is a resonse of a person resigning themselves to destiny, to fate, to that which they cannot change or control!. At the end of the second Pirates of the Caribbean movie, Jack Sparrow smiles right before he's eaten by the krekin!. In LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring, Aarrgon smiles right after he tells Frodo to run and turns to fight what seems to be an insurmmountable horde of orcs!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Oh boy, You must have some personal knowledge of me that I don't know!!--only joking, I have been railed for " smiling & or laughing & inappropriate moments " !. I assure you I would not ever laugh @ misfortune or someones pain!. I think it is sonmething I do to not cry- out of habit!. I tell my Mother growing up we children were taught not to appear upset in public as that is not a place for displays of emotion!. So, as a result I smile!. Or at least look away!. Having my own kids I encouraged them to never stifle a tear & to hug things out when possible!. I hated not being able to cry in front of anyone!. It went totally against my grain!. Too old to teach this dog a new trick, but theres hope for my kids!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Stress!. If you were to witness a group of nurses after a code where they have worked hours to try to save someone, you would find them laughing much of the time!. Not because it is funny, but because it is a natural reaction to tremendous stress when the event has concluded!.
Blessings!Www@QuestionHome@Com

i do it alot, sometimes because its so tragic it's funny, sometimes its just to distract myself from getting worked up and over emotional, its a form of control i suppose, cause there arent many people who smile and cry simultaneously in sadnessWww@QuestionHome@Com

an act of defiance!.!.!.

Lord Chesterfield to his son Philip Stanhope: "You may live as you please, but in death you must be a gentleman"Www@QuestionHome@Com

Realising our limitations and helplessness!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

If everything breaks down, we suddenly realize that there still is more to us!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Maybe 'cause it's to much for us to believe and see!. You don't really get yet what's going on!. It's to much!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

we tend to smile if theres hope in our hearts!.!.!.
hope is the physician of each misery!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

To show that the tragic moment will be overcome!. :]Www@QuestionHome@Com

as it is said 'hope is the last thing to hope'Www@QuestionHome@Com