94 I Can Read You Like a Book R
As I mentioned, a smile that doesn’t reach the eyes broadcasts
insincerity; the person doesn’t look happy even if a grin is present.
I’ve often contemplated the origins of a human smile because
I’ve watched so many animals bare their teeth in what might be
described as a smile. In a chimp, a smile means fear. Did our
human smiles develop as a way of making ourselves less threaten-
ing to other chimps? Perhaps our ancestors found the smile a quick
way of alerting another chimp that they had no intention of causing
harm. They chose to express fear so they would not be perceived
as a threat. Both chimps would put their guard down and everyone
remained alive.
When baby horses walk up to adult horses, for about the first
year of their lives they will do something that we might call a smile.
Happy smile Business smile
