Why do strangers think they have the right to tell you to "cheer up"

[bellaSorela]

Its so annoying i get this constantly, like today i was in Ikea, i was not pissed off or angry, its just my face.
An Ikea worker, when he was walking past me he was over staring and i was not paying attention to him so he though he would try get my attention by trying to embarrass me and shout "cheer up love" so others started looking around.
Why do strangers do this?
maybe i just got sacked, maybe a family member died why do strangers think they have to right to comment on your facial expressions if it doesnt affect their life what so ever?
I find it so embarrassing when people say this to me.

AIBU?

I've got very keen on the benefits of 'fuck off' as a response. Said with a total lack of smile, it's very cheering and does bring home how bloody rude it is.

I love it when strangers take a moment to chat or cheer you up, it's great. And I love doing it, too. But it's not hard to realise this is a crappy thing to say.

It is usually 'jolly' male types who think they're funny. Usually the same twatbadgers who go along the street whistling and talking in Cockney rhyming slang. Fucking cunting cunts

I hate hate it when people say that and it is not just said to women. The day after my 7 month old niece died, my oh went to work obviously upset for someone to tell him to cheer up it might never happen in which he replied it did she is dead. That soon shut the idiot up.

You don't know what is going on in a person's life, people just shouldn't say it

Also, not quite on topic, but fucking rude: was out with my mate, who has quite severely limited hearing, and a chugger called out to us with that crappy 'hey, lovely ladies, are you beautiful women interested in ...' patter. I was on my phone and distracted and she didn't hear him, so he went into 'oh, clearly a bad day for the ladies, are you ignoring me ladies, maybe your face is stuck like that ...'.

It was really unpleasant, because she genuinely could not hear a word he was saying and she ended up smiling at him while I tried to get off the phone. But she must constantly get that kind of really shitty rudeness from people who don't stop to think she can't hear them, and then if they happen to be in the right position, she'd be able to lip-read and she'd be getting a stream of rude comments for something she never consciously even did.

It grates a little but the one i really hate is "oh, don't you look tired". If you are tired its going to irritate and if you feel great its delightful to know you still look shit.

It's also, what do they expect will happen from this patter? A smile can't happen that often why don't they learn?

So true Finola1step. It's always that sort of man isn't it, and I've also found that once past a certain age I don't get told to "cheer up" any more. Funny that Maybe it's some sort of primative mating ritual for knuckle draggers?

I remember getting in a taxi at a railway station on my way home as a close family member had died. The taxi driver said 'Cheer up, did someone die or something?' in a cheery voice.

I was too polite to say 'Yes they have actually!'

Oh Bitchy I am sorry. I can't believe people are so stupid.

It is really annoying! I much rather have a good morning or good afternoon

I had this on my FB and it's really interesting:

www.womenyoushouldknow.net/whitney-way-thore-wanted-to-buy-gum-he-wanted-her-to-smile-first-social-media-reacts/

haha I think some of the posters on here as well a great response to anyone demanding you "smile"; from the comedy series Broad City

(FF to about 58 seconds)

Haha i might have to try that wonar

This is such an issue in Korea that women have plastic surgery to turn the corners of their mouths up.

Its a disgusting attitude of entitlement and ownership. That its everyone elses job to be pleasing and entertain you, and they cant possibly have a real life.

I had this a lot when I was younger too. My resting face is a bit miserable but who the hell do people think they are?

Once I had a bad day and passed two drivers chatting at a taxi rank. One of them said the line and they both smirked. I went ape shit. I told them, "I have just come from a chapel of rest, where I have been viewing my grandmother's body. I have just recently been told I have precancerous cells and I am at risk of redundancy and you feel it is fine to tell a stranger to f@#king smile. You are a total pr#*k."

He apologized and offered me a lift on the house. I don't think he would ever have done it again.

They say it to make themselves feel better, not you. Complete projection and an inability to deal with their own emotions.

YANBU

Bus driver tried to tell me to smile once. And said that until I smile he won't give me my ticket. Pissed me off so much, I gave him the coldest look I could do. His face was like Shaggy's from Scooby Doo when he sees the ghost. The zoinks face. He never tried it again.

I've had this. My usual response is to slap myself on the forehead and say something like "oh thank you! I wondered where I'd been going wrong. It would never have occurred to me without your help". The tone of voice is very important -it has to be dripping with sarcasm. Thankfully sarcasm is my normal tone. ...