76 I Can Read You Like a Book R
for approval. Had I allowed it to pass he would have answered the
next question feeling as though I approved. Of course I did not. We
will address requests for approval in other places as well. The
eyebrows are simply the first place we see these requests.
Arching an eyebrow
Some brow movements become associated with cultural norms,
such as Star Trek’s Mr. Spock raising an eyebrow sharply as he
said, “Interesting, Captain.” If your mother did a version of this,
looking askance at the
same time to indicate
displeasure, that is her
norm, not necessarily a
cultural norm. She may,
in fact, have picked it
up from her mother.
Between a mother and
child, that expression
transmits a specific
meaning, whereas the
Spock-like raised eye-
brow carries a more
general message,
which is, “Interesting.”
Regardless of your mother’s meaning, if a person combines
this raised brow with a jaundiced eye and a slight smirk, you can
bet you have a credibility problem with her.
