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Tuesday, October 18, 2005 12:00 AM

Cheers for tears

Why women should feel free to cry in the workplace -- and anywhere else they damn well please.

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  • Tuesday, October 18, 2005 09:31 AM

    Crying by category

    Crying, like any other expression of emotion, is not a simple thing to categorize. People can and will cry for sadness, fear, joy, anger, etc. That is precisely what renders it at best neutral as a means of communication.

    There's absolutely nothing wrong with crying as a means of emotional release, but it begs the question, now what? If crying inspires or motivates the person to accomplish, communicate and even relax, then it's emotion well spent. If it merely serves as a tool to intimidate or manipulate it becomes no better than a calculated tantrum.

    People who have problem with seeing tears on a friend or coworker need to develop the patience to wait for the aftermath and rejoin the person at this juncture, without needing to feel disgust, fear, or even sympathy as a response the the tears.

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