The motivation for claiming you feel awe when looking at a sunset? So other people believe you are the kind of person who feels awe when looking at a sunset i.e. not a self-absorbed person and one that often says 'OMG!'. I must confess that I was always suspicious of the way fans of the New Atheists (I was one), on being told that religious awe was not an option for them, suddenly seemed to spend a suspiciously large amount of time gazing open-mouthed through the Hubble telescope - and telling us about it.
Then there's the problem that very few people encounter the Grand Canyon without ever having seen a picture of it before. Once that image is in your mind it's hard to see the crack itself rather than 'The Grand Canyon', even when you are standing in front of it.
One more thing. Do people really stick their tongues out when they see, say, poo? I think my instinct would be to close my mouth tight shut, along with my eyes, anus and any orifice I could think of.
I agree that the ability to be awed has some sort of interesting reputational piece. “They have the soul of a poet,” kind of thing. My sense is that people experience awe when they are alone, which makes me think it’s not all just signaling and reputation. But, yes, I don’t disagree this is an element and that’s a great example.
On the tongue, my former colleague Paul Rozin persuaded me this was a signal feature of the expression. But my guess is that, yes, you can make a disgust face without that bit. Here is a quote from one piece in the NYT [https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/27/magazine/disgust-science.html]: "And although the “input” of disgust — that is, what exactly is considered disgusting — varies from place to place, its “output” is narrow, with a characteristic facial expression (called the “gape face”) that includes a lowered jaw and often an extended tongue; sometimes it’s a wrinkled nose and a retraction of the upper lip (Jerry does it about once per episode of “Seinfeld”)."
Nice reply. Thanks. I loved the 'I have the soul of a poet' bit.
Yes, experiencing something when you're on your own and then NOT telling everyone about it later must surely be a good, if not infallible, test of authenticity. Like scratching your scrotum.
It did occur to me later that the thrust out tongue may be due to you imagining the poo ALREADY IN YOUR MOUTH God forbid, rather than out there in the world.
I always like it when I hear of universal expressions. It assures me we aren't merely products of the culture we were randomly born into. there is a biological me in there somewhere.
The motivation for claiming you feel awe when looking at a sunset? So other people believe you are the kind of person who feels awe when looking at a sunset i.e. not a self-absorbed person and one that often says 'OMG!'. I must confess that I was always suspicious of the way fans of the New Atheists (I was one), on being told that religious awe was not an option for them, suddenly seemed to spend a suspiciously large amount of time gazing open-mouthed through the Hubble telescope - and telling us about it.
Then there's the problem that very few people encounter the Grand Canyon without ever having seen a picture of it before. Once that image is in your mind it's hard to see the crack itself rather than 'The Grand Canyon', even when you are standing in front of it.
One more thing. Do people really stick their tongues out when they see, say, poo? I think my instinct would be to close my mouth tight shut, along with my eyes, anus and any orifice I could think of.
Thanks for the comment! Two quick replies.
I agree that the ability to be awed has some sort of interesting reputational piece. “They have the soul of a poet,” kind of thing. My sense is that people experience awe when they are alone, which makes me think it’s not all just signaling and reputation. But, yes, I don’t disagree this is an element and that’s a great example.
On the tongue, my former colleague Paul Rozin persuaded me this was a signal feature of the expression. But my guess is that, yes, you can make a disgust face without that bit. Here is a quote from one piece in the NYT [https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/27/magazine/disgust-science.html]: "And although the “input” of disgust — that is, what exactly is considered disgusting — varies from place to place, its “output” is narrow, with a characteristic facial expression (called the “gape face”) that includes a lowered jaw and often an extended tongue; sometimes it’s a wrinkled nose and a retraction of the upper lip (Jerry does it about once per episode of “Seinfeld”)."
Nice reply. Thanks. I loved the 'I have the soul of a poet' bit.
Yes, experiencing something when you're on your own and then NOT telling everyone about it later must surely be a good, if not infallible, test of authenticity. Like scratching your scrotum.
It did occur to me later that the thrust out tongue may be due to you imagining the poo ALREADY IN YOUR MOUTH God forbid, rather than out there in the world.
I always like it when I hear of universal expressions. It assures me we aren't merely products of the culture we were randomly born into. there is a biological me in there somewhere.
I'll now Google 'Seinfeld's disgusted face'.