Does Not Illustrate: Perpetual Smiler

I don't usually do this, and I'm unsure of how to go about this, but here goes. I stumbled across this trope a couple minutes ago from a character page. When I saw the image, I was just confused!

I was under the assumption that a Perpetual Smiler was one person who smiles all the time in even bad situations. Not a toy that is stamped with a default smile because that's pleasant for children... Anyway, I thought that maybe this would be better. It is Gin Ichimaru from Bleach. He only ever stops smiling sometimes, but not usually.

Go easy on me; I'm still figuring out this formatting stuff. :)

No you are fine. :) But I think that suggestion would be a lateral-or-worse change.

edited 27th Dec '13 10:29:35 PM by rodneyAnonymous

I agree that the pic shouldn't be toys. I would say it's not how many shots of him smiling that's what counts for the image but something happening that makes it look like he shouldn't be smiling. Maybe Ed the hyena saluting◊.

If only there were more context for that example. I think I understand what to look for better now. I think Gin Ichimaru or whatever dude's name is is a good example, but some context of his smiling is probably what's needed. Okay. I think I can find that, or someone else.

But those toys belong in a playroom and not this trope, lol. :)

The Hunt Begins!

edited 27th Dec '13 11:58:27 PM by Lakija

Keep Until Better Image Suggested for me.

I disagree with that logic. The audience would only know that the character is "always smiling" if we see them do so in a variety of situations. Simply "something happening that makes it look like he shouldn't be smiling" could easily be mistaken as other tropes such as Dissonant Serenity, Slasher Smile, The Un-Smile, Broken Smile, etc.

Prefer the current.

The reason the current picture doesn't really work is because those legos are all supposed to be different people. It's not as if one person smiles all the time. (You know, I asked a bunch of kids, and they all agree that those are different Lego people. :D)

Maybe... Barbie would work, but she's like a Stepford Smiler really if you think about it... I know that there's a better way to show this trope than Lego people. It's out there.

The only people who smile perpetually and have a range of emotions behind them and don't need various pictures is a news anchor, because they're expected to do so. Would that be appropriate?

edited 1st Jan '14 11:19:03 AM by Lakija

The newsman/woman would be more than appropriate, I say. Perhaps several pictures of the same one, with about the same expression, with different kinds of news in the background? (Then again, where I live, they are more of an example of Perpetual Apathy.)

What I'm getting from this is that we need to find a neutral smile that is independent from any of the subsenarios.

The image must also illustrate the context that the whoever or whatever is smiling does it all the time regardless of condition. Is that correct?

edited 12th Jan '14 10:38:26 PM by Paktra

I was thinking the smiley guy.◊ I know it's a bit cliché, but seriously, that dude is always smiling.

Based on your idea how bout this◊?

A sole smiley smiling surrounded by non-smiling smileys.

edited 15th Jan '14 12:32:44 PM by Paktra

No, it looks like a motivational poster. As in, not like how we have a rule against them, but something inspiring a message concerning happiness or a silver lining.

Our policy is against demotivational posters since they are a type of Image Macro. And they follow a very specific format. There is absolutely nothing wrong with an image that looks kinda inspirational, but doesn't contain any white text or a black border.

Edit: Or as we call them: "Fauxtivational Poster"

edited 15th Jan '14 7:56:25 PM by Rethkir

Motivational or not, that was not my intent. He's supposed to be the "The one that keeps on smiling", its intended to illustrate the visual juxtaposition with the non-perpetual smilers.

I was doing a workout video last week and I got to wondering...would the people in those videos who have those stupid grins all the way through no matter how much they're getting their asses whipped count for this?

Got a good example?

Way to miss the point. Point was, the feeling of the image is wrong the way I see it. More like that ball being an optimist who's currently smiling than someone who's smiling no matter what.

I guess that's a good way of putting it.

I have found such a video. Prepare yourself!

edited 15th Jan '14 8:44:16 PM by Paktra

I think trying to get quality screencaps from that or any of the other videos in that line would be problematic.

What it might take is popping in a workout video, getting screencaps at various points, and then putting them in a collage with timestamps in each frame...I'd try it right now but my laptop's CD drive is broken and I dunno how to get screencaps on the desktop.

edited 15th Jan '14 9:04:58 PM by Willbyr

now that I can do! Grandma's got a huge TAE-BO collection. I just have to find it first. And I use the snipping tool to screencap the desktop.

And of course the quality was going to be bad on that video with that girl, but I was just making sure I had the right idea.

edited 15th Jan '14 9:32:45 PM by Paktra

Oh. My. Goodness. I think I found the perfect image. (Hopefully I'm not this excited for no reason. lol) [1]

That looks badly shopped.

Because it is? Anyway, stock image so instant no for me.

I think Im on the right track. I'm going to see if I can find a similar image from a newscast. :)

[1] How about this one? Even if not, you gotta get a laugh out of this one.