I wrote recently about my hobby of staying alert for instances of people saying both "yes" and "no". A similarly interesting phenomenon can be seen on local news shows. People get interviewed about their opinion of a new law or something. Or, they have recently experienced something shocking and unpleasant. Or, they are speaking to encourage the public to try the fun new disc golf course just opened. That is, to see this behavior, look for times when the person speaking to the camera is experiencing some emotion and wants to convey that emotion to others.
Let's say that the skateboard park is too noisy for the speaker's taste. The message is that we need a fence around the park and it needs to be closed and locked at 6 PM every day. It really is important for you to understand what a good and necessary idea this is. Watch. While the speaker is stating that yes, you need to be aware of the seriousness of the situation and yes, you need to support this effort to have some strict hours, the speaker is steadily nodding his head from side to side.
If you extend your chin into the air away from your neck and then bring it back down close to your neck, you will be nodding vertically. You will be shaking your head up and down. That is a universal signal for agreement. It is the motion for "yes". If you twist your head to the side (either side is ok) and then reverse the twist, moving your head and face horizontally in the other direction, you will be moving your head horizontally in the universal signal for disagreement.
So, please. When the cameraman turns on his machine and the newscaster says," Do you support the effort to fence in the skateboard park?", keep your head still while making your statement. If you are soliciting agreement and you can't keep your head still, nod affirmatively, up and down, in a vertical movement. Don't rotate your head back and forth in a horizontal, negative movement while making a positive statement. Just a little tip. No need to thank me.
Similarly, when you are explaining how overwhelming it was to be picked up by a giant condor and dropped into a ditch, just look at the camera and describe your feelings. Don't steadily nod your head in a negative way. It looks as though you are signaling people to disbelieve you. Just trying to be helpful.
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Bill
Main blog: Fear, Fun and Filoz
Main web site: Kirbyvariety
