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Watching Films Makes You Look Older

GNC

GNC

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Not sure where to put this, and I don't even have a decent link to an original report, but it's being said "scientists" have discovered watching films makes you look older because they make you pull different expressions when you react to them, hence giving you lines and wrinkles.

Not sure how that makes them any different from watching TV or indeed reading newspapers, but it sounds like pseudoscience to me. Some outlets have reported it as your favourite films make you look older, the Mail has gone with horror movies make you look older (quelle surprise), but it must be the flimsiest research imaginable.
 
This story emerged within the last day or so.

There was a study involved, but it concerned the number of facial expressions made when viewing different types of films.

The bit about looking older because of additional lines and wrinkles derives from comments made in the wake of this facial expressions study - comments made by a Dr. Harry Singh of FOREO. FOREO is a "beauty and wellness" business who sell products to supposedly help one look younger.

See, for example:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...comedy-laughter-crows-feet-face-a9137061.html
 
Bigphoot2 said:
Does squinting like Clint Eastwood count?
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Yes - some of the news accounts mentioned squinting as another facial maneuver that Dr. Singh warns will cause lines and wrinkles and increase your need for FOREO's fine products.
 
This is what, in scientific terms, is known as a load of bollocks. No controls, no baseline data on how often peoples' expressions vary when they're not watching films, no measures of differences of crinkleyness between film goers and non-film goers etc. Basically clickbait for a snake oil salesman.
 
I doubt if I emote much at all when viewing films alone. The lack of a social dimension to modern viewing-habits is sometimes noted on film-sites, especially with reference to comedy and timing.

Even quite extreme gross-out moments tend to elicit a frown or a shrug, when they are clearly meant to bring on groans and gagging in an auditorium. That's when the audience becomes the show, I suppose . . .

Anyhow, I think I have studied Hollywood actors long enough to blame the California sun for their rapid decline, rather than those hours spent in the dark, gasping at their amazing rushes! :p
 
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Mythopoeika said:
I watch loads of films and look younger than my age. Scientific research busted!
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I've spent my life watching films so should look like Malcolm Muggeridge, according to this. I still have (most of) my hair, goddammit!
 
Timble2 said:
This is what, in scientific terms, is known as a load of bollocks. No controls, no baseline data on how often peoples' expressions vary when they're not watching films, no measures of differences of crinkleyness between film goers and non-film goers etc. Basically clickbait for a snake oil salesman.
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You put my suspicions into more concrete language, thanks, don't know how this got repeated as an actual piece of news reporting in some quarters, but I guess novelty beats cold, hard facts.

Besides, how long is the average film compared to the average waking hours? Unless you're a Bela Tarr addict, you're not going to be spending half the day watching and pulling faces at the screen.
 
I thought laughing like a drain would keep you young, but wrinkle you up something cruel
 
Swifty said:
I still watch the Evil Dead films and if anything, I'm looking younger. 2 Girls One Cup aged me though.
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Conversely those girls are still radiant, it's very good for your skin I hear.
 
My question is why looking young is assumed to be good and looking your actual age is assumed to be bad.

Looking "good for your age" to me means keeping your health, a smile in your face, and a spring in your step. Wrinkles come from the experiences and emotions that you survived to become older and wiser.

On the other hand, deliberately trying to look younger than you are — especially spending money on pills and potions, or lifts and tucks — is childish.

Many of our problems in western society stem from this cult of youth. As a species, we evolved a cultural intelligence in which young people learn by watching older people. Now those older people are pretending to be young — not only in looks, but in fashion, music, slang, and so on — and the young are learning by copying people who are a sad pastiche of the themselves. This way madness lies.

As for the article: nonsense.
 
Andrew Ridgeley of Wham! was on The Graham Norton Show last Friday - now there's someone who has aged well. Mind you, he does spend most of his time surfing rather than watching films.
 
GNC said:
Andrew Ridgeley of Wham! was on The Graham Norton Show last Friday - now there's someone who has aged well. Mind you, he does spend most of his time surfing rather than watching films.
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Aged well? Hmmm.
f4bc6289b2fbce785c449d37dc6ed692.jpg
 
Watch him on the show, he was in good nick, articulate, modest, he looked very well for a man in his mid-50s. He came across a lot better than I do, and I'm ten years younger.
 
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