Why Cry Crocodile Tears?

False, or, ‘Crocodile,’ tears are those cried by someone who is hoping to manipulate a situation to their advantage. Just like a crocodile, who is sly and is said to be tearless, a person who attempts to use strong emotions to their advantage can lure their prey to them by seeming to be something which they are not.

The term, ‘Crocodile tears,’ perhaps came about because some folks believe that Crocodiles dont really cry, although actually they do. When a person sheds Crocodile tears their tears are forced and are not really accompanied by the emotions that we expect to be behind them.

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We are programmed genetically to respond to tears with sympathy. This can be a great strength for the human race as it ensures that we take care of people who are having a problem and so helps to ensure the survival of the human race.

However, when tears are those relating to a Crocodile, they become weapons that manipulate us into doing the tear shedders bidding.

People of both sexes may use Crocodile tears to their advantage, but they are best known as coming from women who use them to get what they want.

This may well be a learned skill, handed down from role models. A little girl may witness her mother using this technique and come to form the opinion that it could work for her to. In testing out her theory she is likely to get positive results and so will repeat the behaviour over and over again.

The times that we live in though, are changing. Women are no longer feeling as powerless as they were in general, and so hopefully are able to use their brain power as opposed to Crocodile tears in order to be noticed and get what they want.

There will always be however, men and women who keep their Crocodile tears up their sleeve ready to flow when a situation calls for it.