When a person regrets something, he does not always do it sincerely. For example, one was given work, and the other “flew by.” Well, the first expresses sympathy for the second. An outside observer may say, “C'mon, these are all crocodile tears.” The meaning of phraseology we consider today.
In the animal world. Origin
History always comes to our aid if we want to know the roots of a particular phrase. Our example is no exception. "Crocodile tears" (the meaning of phraseology follows) refers to a famous animal. When a crocodile is hungry, he is not his own. And if someone hits him, then he bites off large pieces from the victim. The food presses on the lacrimal glands, and the poor fellow cries, but not at all because he feels sorry for his lunch. The usual physiological reaction, the "snack" should not take it personally, and, frankly, she is not up to it.
In the world of people
It's harder with people than with animals. People also have a moral dimension of life. And not only do they want to achieve their goals, but they still want to seem better than they really are. When people talk about a person and mention “crocodile tears” (the phraseological meaning, announced a little earlier, hurries to the reader with all possible agility), they mean that the object does not really regret that his tears are fake, tortured and fake. But we repeat, in this case, the person makes the cry not a special structure of the body, but a longing for moral impeccability, which is unattainable in principle.
Admission to the University. Winners and losers
Any social competition, whether it be work or study, involves victory and defeat. So, there is reason to shed a few (or many) completely heartless tears. Imagine, some go to the coveted university, while others remain overboard. For some, life makes a new round of evolution, while others remain uncertain for another year. Of course, the “winners” can express their condolences to the “losers,” but this is all a convention. The former got a place in the sun, while the latter did not. And regrets will not help the latter. But they will definitely be back next year. It's time to make out why, from a psychological point of view, it is not worth expressing false sympathy. An analysis of the stable phrase “crocodile tears” (the meaning of phraseology is already known) moves on.
Psychological inappropriate simulation of regret
Imagine that a person cuts a hand or finger, and the other comes up and starts rubbing salt into his wound. The sympathy that is not being asked is about the same. If a person loses a dream, a job or an opportunity to study at a prestigious university, then he least wants to be pitied by the one who took his place.
False condolences over the death of a stranger are also quite suitable to illustrate the expression "pouring crocodile tears." The meaning of phraseology we examined above. After all, when death takes away someone else, then we feel like winners, and the departed - loser. In addition, politeness demands that we regret, for death is a common fate. Most importantly, condolences are meaningless in themselves. They do not even give a feeling of support. Each person experiences the loss personally, himself, and no one can help him. On the contrary, insincere words only heal the wound.
When the “crocodile tears” are sincere
And finally, a paradox. At the very beginning, we said that crocodile tears (the meaning of phraseology is short: insincere words of regret or support) is a dummy of feelings. But it also happens when the triumph is fleeting, and immediately followed by the loss of all meaning of life. But this is a complicated formulation, so we will explain it with an example.
Everyone knows that the world of comics, action films and some thrillers is polar. There are good uncles and bad ones. And the task of the good is to defeat the bad. Or, for example, in the film “Hannibal” Lector has an opponent Mason Vergere. M. Vergere genius and crazy psychiatrist disfigured, and now the victim wants revenge. In the book, according to which the film was shot, there is such an idea of ​​Mason (we freely transmit): “But what to do when the Lecturer dies? No, no, it's better not to think about it, now the main thing is revenge! ”
It’s a paradox, but here the expression “crocodile tears” fits and does not fit at the same time. Mason will regret the death of Lecter, if it happens, and his torment is completely sincere, no matter how it seemed from the outside. Along with the death of the doctor, the meaning of the victim’s life also disappears.
Same thing with superheroes. Yes, they are beautiful and wonderful, but what will Batman do without the Joker and other villains? Agree that Bruce Wayne will feel boredom without villains and in this case will be able to send all his money to charity funds, because improving weapons will become a meaningless task. Anyway, life will become fresh.
So, we examined the expression "crocodile tears": the meaning of phraseology, its origin and examples. We hope that it was interesting and not too gloomy.