I'm not a man who tells women to smile, but it feels like a lot men were not properly socialized to treat girls and women like real people, like equals with their own complex worlds and emotions. Maybe it's also because a lot of men feel so removed from their own emotions that they will project that onto women, thinking nothing of asking someone put up pretense for the their sake. IDK. It's misogyny, it's entitlement, but men aren't born like that. They are socialized like that.

politics

Its an old person thing tbh. I think it comes from good intention - positivity is attractive at the end of the day... but faking emotions is toxic.

Shout duck when you're next throwing a low flying generalisation! I have never seen, heard pr done this.

Yes ! you are put on this earth for their viewing pleasure … cmon …stop questioning it and smile mamasita

I used to get asked to smile more. But to answer the question, I guess smiling is more appealing.

It's a bad/lazy form of flirting and lots of dudes are bad at it, like brah if you want her to smile, maybe just smile at her and she will smile back...or say something nice or clever or whatever instead of trying to tell her what to do...along those lines, maybe guys do it because there's a control thing going on?

They want it as an affirmation of good spirits and that they aren't to blame for a sad face?

If you're not a salesperson, it's because they think you would serve well as decoration.

I don't know, I wouldn't do that. What's the value of a smile if it's forced rather than genuine? It seems arrogant to me for a man to ask a woman to smile, to perform for his pleasure. She should smile when she feels like it.