You know how the media were saying Brown looked too dour, serious, out-of-touch, one of his media advisers must have told him to smile more. I have seen facial analysis done, and often the person being analysed can be very surprised to find how they look and what perceptions an audience may have based on their facial and body movement - I always dread a student telling me what they think of my 'performance' during lectures. Brown, I think, must have been told to move his face and body more and to smile. So here he is smiling.
Now, does he look authentic? Err No! Is he smiling at the right times, well he is smiling when he makes positive statements such as "screening those in contact with those diagnosed as having swine flu"; but is this really something to smile about? Err No! The major point is also this is not Brown's key problem. It is the range of problems that have beset him and his government starting with the election that never was, his backtracking, his tendency to procrastinate and talk about logic rather than emotion, it is basically his personality that is the issue. These things may actually make him a good leader, he weighs things up, he does not work with gut reactions but it can also be painted as him being uncertain and inconsistent. So message to the advisor - tell Gordon to STOP SMILING unless he actually feels he has something to smile about and it is a natural smile. Fake smiles are just too obvious and look just plain wrong - or is it just me?
Now, does he look authentic? Err No! Is he smiling at the right times, well he is smiling when he makes positive statements such as "screening those in contact with those diagnosed as having swine flu"; but is this really something to smile about? Err No! The major point is also this is not Brown's key problem. It is the range of problems that have beset him and his government starting with the election that never was, his backtracking, his tendency to procrastinate and talk about logic rather than emotion, it is basically his personality that is the issue. These things may actually make him a good leader, he weighs things up, he does not work with gut reactions but it can also be painted as him being uncertain and inconsistent. So message to the advisor - tell Gordon to STOP SMILING unless he actually feels he has something to smile about and it is a natural smile. Fake smiles are just too obvious and look just plain wrong - or is it just me?
4 comments:
I agree, I think it looks absolutely ridiculous!!
I don't understand why the people advising him would even suggest he do this, surely it is just common sense to smile when something is good or positive and not when talking about a potential pandemic!
Maybe he just isn't used to talking naturally 'on camera' hence he looks wooden. They then say, lighten up, look less wooden, and suddenly he looks like a jerk with a twitch
Cor this ones popular - Good question Kemi, and I think Ali answers it. He needs to find a natural middle way for himself but seems to have struggled. Basically, some people are not suited to being in front of a camera in the modern age, I sympathise as not sure I would look any better if I thought about it. Apart from the basics - don't pick your nose, do your fly up - most of us do not really think about our 'performance', when you have to, it feels odd, hence you look less natural and so.... I'm rambling!! Cheers
Mind you, you can only laugh at the OTT news coverage can't you.
Post a Comment