unknown
December 16, 2025
I spent a month trying to smile like Zohran Mamdani – it’s no easy feat
While the New York mayor-elect is constantly smiling in the face of his detractors, having a perma-grin didn’t come so easily to me
TL;DR
- The author conducted a personal experiment for a month to replicate Zohran Mamdani's consistent smile.
- Mamdani's smile is observed despite facing criticism and controversial situations.
- The article discusses research on whether smiling can genuinely improve mood.
- It explores how racialized people and women are often policed regarding their emotions, with anger perceived negatively.
- Smiling, especially in the face of adversity, can be seen as a subversive act of resistance.
- The author found that maintaining the smile was physically challenging but helped in remaining composed during difficult conversations.
- The experiment's conclusion is that the smile can lower heart rate and offer emotional reset but causes cheek discomfort and unflattering photos.
Continue reading the original article