Why are Poles always so miserable? Why do they never smile?

In the US they do it fast so you don't get a chance to get friendly with the teller and you can get out and spend it faster.

I both agree and disagree about Pole's not smiling.

I know when I go to the Polish Markets the workers look so serious, like they are not having any fun. I have also been warned that in Poland to smile means you are happy about something, you must be rich, how come you are not helping me.

However, mY girlfriend and her friends smile often. When they smile it is with everything they have from head to toe. Maybe that smile is saved for special people.

People in cold countries smile less as the wind makes your teeth hurt. I'm only semi-joking.

Smiling is the best medicine and I think all poles who are on polish forum should have a national smile promotion day and go out and make people happy. Is there much charity work in poland as in the US. I do charity events once a month.

Whats Polish for 'Turn that frown upside-down!'

This is a funny thread, worth reading just for the laugh factor :)

I remember having a discussion with a polish girl as to why Polish dont show any emotion or smile. Instead of actually proving me wrong by showing some emotion or perhaps joking about it ( surely there must be some jokes about it by now ) she just became....well....polish and started getting grouchy and started bickering. When I told her that she just proved my point she just stormed off.

I wouldnt know how much emphasis to put on communism. From Germany onwards you're talking about some serious lifelessness and lack of emotion. Russians are perhaps as bad as any. They simply lumber along, communicating rather than expressing. I find it very cold and engaging personally. But if it suits them then we are all happy.

And people keep placing emphasis on the smiling. Its more than that, it the body language, the lack of colour and life. They seem like a they are chained up tight.

Im gonna get grief over this as has happened in the past but i dont really care, its often misguided anger.

I’ll be truthful about my brothers and sisters of Poland; we are cynical and pessimistic to the very rotten core of our existence, our demoralizing history has shaped our psyche to such lengths. Only the duration of a generation can change us. Don't give up on us though, some of us want to conform to more optimistic pastures.

well, it's until you know us well...

but they'll never know us that well.

and that's the trick ...

amen :)

you have to eat a lot

I think this post by the originator is good ! why because if being pessimistic is a trait in Poland ! talk about it ...this will enlighten ! because of the Communist government for so many years this can happen to where it is just a way of life / ridicule is not the answer , make poles aware , enlighten them , constant improvement always. This forum has more benefits for both Poles in the U.S. and in Poland .....because without it these types of subjects would not be brought out into the open and we would never look in the mirror and question where we are going *****

EU commissioned grass?

well, why should I walk the street with a grin on my face? I can smile while talking to someone (and I do), I can laugh at a joke or when someone tells me something funny.

When I walk down the street, most times I am thinking about something, not necessary funny.

As someone mentioned here - I've met a lot of english ppl with those fake smiles. It's terrible.

To be honest with you I think being miserable is our national defect.

People for so many years didn't have reasons to smile. Struggling to feed themselves, pay the rent and not even thinking about traveling or going on holiday. In many cases there is no happiness and joy in their lives, just survival.

Don't get me wrong but Catholic Church in my opinion have a bit to do with Poles being miserable. We are very religious and every Sunday instead of spiritual fest people are singing all these sad songs and are supposed to regret all their sins and pray...nothing else.

But I am a part of a new generation I suppose. I have been lucky enough to have a chance to live my life, travel and look on all things Polish from the distance. You can only do that if you have an opportunity to live in a different country and meet people of all nationalities and cultural backgrounds.

And believe me there are plenty of people like me full of life , cheerful and generally happy creatures!

We use the word "smarmey" :(

Happiness is sooo last season. Grim face is the new cheerful face. It’s just that the rest of the world didn’t notice the change in the trend.

Hello All,

I disagree that native born Poles never smile. I see them smile all the time.

I feel that most of them are happier then thier north american counterpart.

lf99

Polish girlfriend happy then?

By north american counterpart. do you mean americans born and raised in america, who make ridiculous statments that their polish because of some distant ancestor, and have probably never even set foot in poland.

Maybe the reason they smile is because they are not polish, they are americans.

Seriously, I am in the US and share this attitude. I don't know why. It's because there are so many jerks everywhere and it's depressing. I guess jerks exist everywhere. Don't bring me down, man.

The Poles are willing to laugh, you just need to know which levers to pull and buttons to press. Get them speaking English, it draws them out a lot more.

For those that persist in frowning and emitting a negative aura, let them be. Turn away. Or, if you can't resist the urge, slap them with a big wet fish and make off as if nothing happened :)

i always smiling and im Polish

A valid point; the church is not especially known for its humor. Poles carry a burdensome history. By that I mean that they have been 'victims' so often because of their geography and because of their frequent quests for freedom which threatened other countries.

As to the British, they don't smile because they have bad teeth.

There is a statistic I once read in a sociological journal that the average Pole smiles 3.5 times in their life.

The question ought be reversed -- why do Americans constantly smile??? As an American, I think it has to do with the way marketing has taken over our culture: we all are conditioned by McDonald's.

I can say, however, that Poles smile when it counts: at a good joke, a fond remembrance, meeting a beloved friend or relative, or making real love (at least the women, anyway).

very interesting question, possible answers are theoretically:
1. Terrible weather/climate - so much rain and Polish only see sunshine very rarely!
2. So many commercial on televisions, cannot watch programs properly
3. Billboard advertising making centre of cities very ugly!
4. Not enough uplifting monuments devoted to working people
5. Ridicurous politicans on every newspaper - so much retarded every one of these!!
6. Lack of effective leadership such as Kim Il Jong, would be much better for Polish!
7. Everything expensive but wage is low because of exploiting capitalist class, Polish cannot afford nice things they are seeing on televisions!
8. Public transport good developed but stinky

rare but beautiful smile!